IndexNow vs. the Google Indexing API: not the same thing
These two get lumped together constantly because they both promise "instant indexing." They don't share an endpoint, a protocol, or a set of supported search engines, and mixing them up is the single most common source of confusion in bulk-indexing marketing copy.
IndexNow, in short
IndexNow is an open protocol — not a Google product. You generate a key, host it as a plain-text file at your domain root, then POST a batch of URLs to api.indexnow.org. Whoever consumes that feed gets notified a URL changed. It's officially supported by Bing, Yandex, Naver, and Seznam.cz. It accepts up to 10,000 URLs per request, with no special approval process.
The Google Indexing API, in short
A completely separate Google-only API, restricted to JobPosting and BroadcastEvent content, capped at 200 requests/day by default, requiring its own OAuth setup. Google does not participate in IndexNow.
| IndexNow | Google Indexing API | |
|---|---|---|
| Search engines | Bing, Yandex, Naver, Seznam | Google only |
| Content restriction | None | JobPosting / BroadcastEvent only |
| Approval needed | No — just host a key file | Yes, for elevated quota |
| Default daily limit | 10,000 URLs/request, no stated daily cap | 200 requests/day |
What this means practically
If you want fast, sanctioned bulk indexing signals and you're not exclusively worried about Google, IndexNow does exactly what it says on the tin — submit and move on. If you specifically need Google to notice a page faster and it isn't a job posting or livestream, there's no equivalent official mechanism. Anything claiming otherwise for Google specifically is automating the UI or misusing the restricted API — see our breakdown of that restriction for the receipts.