FindIP

Overview

FindIP searches published patents from the US, China, Japan, Korea, and Europe. Full-text coverage starts in 2001, except in China, where it starts in 2010. Queries can be written in English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, or German and searched across all five jurisdictions. FindIP says every result is an existing publication in its database, verifiable by publication number—a useful check when search results feed a research workflow.

The key boundary is the data itself: unpublished patents are excluded. FindIP also covers five jurisdictions, so it is not the right choice when a search depends on unpublished filings or offices beyond that set.

Key features

Search by meaning, drawing, or sequence

Semantic search matches text by meaning rather than exact keywords, which can help when relevant patents use different terminology. Drawing search finds visually similar patent illustrations, and adding text can steer ranking toward a topic. Sequence search identifies similar DNA, RNA, or protein sequences, with optional topic-based reranking. These methods make FindIP more suitable for varied discovery tasks than a keyword-only workflow, though their credit costs make frequent specialized searches more expensive to budget.

API and AI connections

A browser-based playground supports direct exploration, while REST API access lets teams embed search in other services. API keys are issued on request, with the endpoint reference provided when a key is issued. FindIP's MCP connection officially supports Claude Desktop and Web, and ChatGPT during beta, through the shared endpoint mcp.findip.ai. Details, drawings, document fetches, and MCP resources cost no credits; text searches cost one credit, while image search, sequence search, and trend analysis cost two.

Claim analysis, patent clustering, and patent family analysis are also supported. The listed rate limit is 60 requests per minute on Free, Basic, and Pro; Enterprise uses a custom limit.

Pricing

The Free plan costs 0.00 USD per free and includes 30 search credits, all APIs, five jurisdictions, and reranking. It is a useful way to explore the service, but 30 credits constrain sustained searching, particularly if image or sequence queries are part of the workflow.

Basic costs 45.00 USD per month, billed Excl. tax, for 300 search credits/month, all APIs, five jurisdictions, reranking, and email support. It fits an individual who needs a larger allowance and support. Team Basic costs the same 45.00 USD per month, billed Excl. tax, and provides 300 search credits/member/month, a team dashboard, unified billing, self-service seat changes, and five jurisdictions. It is the more relevant entry point for teams, though its listed inclusions do not mention all APIs or reranking.

Pro costs 135.00 USD per month, billed Excl. tax, and includes 1,000 search credits/month for a single user, all APIs, five jurisdictions, reranking, and priority support. It suits an individual with heavier search needs who values faster support. Team Pro costs 135.00 USD per month, billed Excl. tax, and supplies 1,000 search credits/member/month, a team dashboard, unified billing, self-service seat changes, and priority support. Per-member credits and seat changes make it the team option for larger workloads; the listed inclusions do not mention all APIs or reranking.

Enterprise has custom search credits and pricing, with a custom contract and billing, negotiated support, and features and infrastructure by agreement. It is for organizations that need individually agreed terms or a custom rate limit. The Free plan lists community support; Basic includes email support, Pro priority support, and Enterprise negotiated support. Contact [email protected] for product, technical, billing, and API inquiries.

Platforms

FindIP is available on web, iOS, and Android, alongside API access. The browser playground offers a direct way to search, while the API is the fit for embedding patent search into another service.

Who it's for

FindIP is a strong fit for patent researchers, product teams, and AI developers who need multilingual semantic search or specialist drawing and sequence search, and who can work within published records across its five jurisdictions. It is less suitable for searches requiring unpublished filings or broader jurisdiction coverage, and credit-based pricing deserves close attention for frequent image or sequence use.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Semantic, drawing, and biological-sequence search support different discovery problems beyond exact text matching.
• Pros: Five-language queries cover five jurisdictions, with publication-number verification for results.
• Pros: All APIs are included on Free, Basic, and Pro, making it possible to explore or integrate without reserving API access for the highest tier.
• Cons: Published-office data excludes unpublished patents, a hard limitation for workflows that need them.
• Cons: Free has only 30 credits, and image, sequence, and trend searches consume two credits each.
• Cons: Paid individual plans are billed Excl. tax, and Enterprise pricing and rate limits are custom.

Alternatives

AI Patent Search Software is the category list to consult when comparing patent-search tools more broadly.

Choose GoVeda instead if its free OpenPatent offer of 220M+ patents worldwide and unlimited AI semantic searches better matches a need for broader stated coverage without a credit allowance. PatSnap is another option; its free Basic plan covers limited technical topics, AI technical Q&A, TRIZ innovation generation, and trial technical research reports.

The Lens offers free anonymous browsing and a free Academic Workspace for eligible academic users doing non-commercial work. AcclaimIP uses annual, prepaid per-seat licensing with pricing provided by quote, so it may suit buyers who prefer a license quote and seat-based terms.

Patently has a free individual plan with asset search, Onardo chat, patent-family browsing, and shareable asset links. XLSCOUT is another paid option with an API and web platform. IP.com InnovationQ+ offers a two-day free trial. IPRally offers paid plans with API, self-hosted, and web platforms, and a free trial.

Verdict

Choose FindIP if your work benefits from semantic, drawing, or sequence search across its five jurisdictions and you want browser access or an API for AI workflows. Its range of search modes and entry-level free plan are the case for it; look elsewhere if unpublished records or coverage beyond those jurisdictions are essential, or if the credit allowance would constrain your search volume.