You can find specific web services by browsing any of several web-based registries of web services. Some of the more popular registries are X Methods, IBM Business Registry, and Microsoft UDDI.

These registries use the Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) service, an open, e-commerce service registry that provides a forum for businesses to describe themselves and the goods or services they can provide to other businesses. A group of companies, called "operators," maintain the registry. The operators have pledged to share all public information about registrants among themselves and with users of the service, and to maintain interoperability among the multiple peer nodes of the UDDI service network. In addition to public web services, there are also private UDDI registries available on a subscription basis.

When you find a service that provides the functionality and features you want, be sure to carefully review any documentation the service's author provides. Typically this is provided on the web service's information page.