Patent intelligence
Is my idea already patented? Run a free prior art search
Describe your invention in plain language and we search granted patents and published applications worldwide, then show the closest matches. It is the fastest way to find out whether someone already filed something like your idea — before you spend thousands on drafting and attorney fees.
Built for hardware founders and independent inventors. Free, no account, nothing you type is published or filed anywhere.
How to read your patent search results
A long results list does not mean your idea is dead, and an empty one does not mean it is clear. Work through the matches like this.
1. Check the dates first
Only material published before your filing date counts as prior art. The priority date shows when the applicant first claimed the invention; the publication date shows when it became public. A recently published application with an old priority date still blocks you.
2. Read the claims, not the title
Titles and abstracts describe the general idea; the numbered claims define what is actually protected. Open the document and read claim 1 — if your product does not perform every step or include every element in that claim, it likely falls outside it.
3. Look at status and assignee
Many patents are expired, abandoned, or never granted. An expired patent is still prior art against novelty, but it is no longer enforceable. A large corporate assignee in your exact category is a stronger commercial signal than a lapsed individual filing.
4. Search again with different words
Patent attorneys write in functional language: a smart water bottle becomes a "fluid container with integrated consumption monitoring." Run two or three rewordings describing the mechanism and the effect, not the product name.
5. Decide your next move
Nothing close means a provisional filing is a reasonable low-cost step. Something close but different means an attorney should read the claims. Something nearly identical means redesign around it or pick a different angle before spending money.
This is a keyword screening search over published patent documents. It does not replace a professional patentability or freedom-to-operate opinion from a registered patent attorney.
Patent search FAQ
How do I check if my idea is already patented?
Describe your invention in plain language — the function it performs, the mechanism, and the problem it solves — and run it through a keyword search of granted patents and published applications. Repeat the search with two or three different word choices, because patents are written in technical language rather than product names. Anything published before your filing date can be cited as prior art against you.
What is a prior art search?
Prior art is everything already public that could show your invention is not new: granted patents, published patent applications, journal articles, product manuals, trade shows, and even your own public disclosures. A prior art search looks for those references before you spend money on drafting and filing. This tool covers the patent-document portion of prior art, which is where most blocking references sit.
Is this the same as an official USPTO search?
No. This is a free screening search over published patent documents. It is not a legal opinion, a patentability opinion, or a freedom-to-operate clearance. Use it to decide whether a paid search or attorney consultation is worth it, then have a registered patent attorney or agent do the formal work.
My idea already exists as a patent — can I still file?
Often yes. Patents protect specific claims, not general concepts. If an existing patent covers a different mechanism, a different configuration, or a different use, your improvement may still be novel and non-obvious. What matters is how the claims read, which is exactly what an attorney reviews.
Will searching reveal my invention to anyone?
No. Nothing you type here is published, filed, or shared with the patent office. It only runs a keyword query against public patent databases.
What does a prior art search cost if I hire someone?
Professional patentability searches typically run from a few hundred dollars for a basic novelty search to roughly $1,000-$3,000 for a search plus a written attorney opinion. Running a free screening search first tells you whether that spend is justified.
Found something close?
Budget for the filing strategy before you commit. Our patent cost guide breaks down provisional, utility, design and PCT spend, and the estimator gives you a full commercialization budget.