DataForSEO
SERP APIs
Pay-as-you-go SERP API with queue and live modes across Google, Bing, YouTube and more, part of a wider SEO data API suite.
Paid
Serper
Low-cost Google Search API that returns structured results in 1-2 seconds
Chandan KumarLast updated October 8, 2026
Serper is a Google-only search API. It returns Google results as structured JSON across several result types like web Search, Images, News, Maps, Places, Videos, Shopping, Scholar, Patents and Autocomplete. A typical web response includes a knowledge graph, organic results with sitelinks and attributes, and People Also Ask entries.
Each request queries Google live and responses normally arrive in 1 to 2 seconds, occasionally 2 to 4 seconds when a request has to be retried against Google. The query location can be set by country and language. Credits are deducted only for successful responses.
Throughput is set by pack size, from 50 queries per second on the Starter pack to 300 on the Ultimate pack, with higher concurrency available on request. There is a dashboard and an interactive playground, and Haystack, Jan, CrewAI and LangChain integrations are listed.
It suits developers, AI-agent builders and small SEO or data teams who want predictable per-query costs without a subscription. It falls short for anyone who needs engines other than Google, AI Overview data, or a monthly plan. Credits expire after 6 months, and refunds are limited to 7 days after purchase.
What Serper actually includes
Ten Google result types
One API covers web Search, Images, News, Maps, Places, Videos, Shopping, Scholar, Patents and Autocomplete.
Live, uncached results
Every call queries Google directly, with typical responses in 1 to 2 seconds and no cached data.
Country and language targeting
The search location can be customised by setting the country and language on each request.
Playground and dashboard
A browser playground lets users run queries and inspect the JSON before writing code, and the dashboard tracks credits.
AI framework integrations
Haystack, Jan, CrewAI and LangChain integrations are listed for feeding search results into LLM agents and pipelines.
Serper's strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Per-1,000-query rates fall from $1.00 to $0.30 as pack size grows, among the lowest rates published by SERP API vendors
- No subscription or monthly minimum; pay only for the credits bought
- 2,500 free queries on signup with no credit card required
- Fast, uncached Google results, normally 1 to 2 seconds per request
- Covers ten Google result types, including Scholar and Patents, from a single API
Limitations
- Google only; there is no Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yandex or other engine support
- Credits expire 6 months after purchase and the smallest purchase is $50
- AI Overviews and AI Mode output are not documented on the public site
- Refunds are limited to 7 days and only if no more than 20% of credits were used
How much does Serper cost
Serper has no monthly subscription: credits are bought as one-off packs ($50 for 50k credits up to $3,750 for 12.5M credits) and are valid for 6 months. New accounts get 2,500 free queries once, with no credit card required; this is a one-time allowance, not a recurring one. Prices exclude sales tax/VAT/GST.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual /mo | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free credits | Free | Free | 2,500 free queries, one-time. No credit card required |
| Pay as you go | — | — | Prepaid packs, no subscription, credits valid for 6 months. Starter: $50 for 50k credits ($1.00 per 1k, 50 queries/second). Standard: $375 for 500k credits ($0.75 per 1k, 100 queries/second). Scale: $1,250 for 2.5M credits ($0.50 per 1k, 200 queries/second). Ultimate: $3,750 for 12.5M credits ($0.30 per 1k, 300 queries/second). Smallest top-up is the $50 Starter pack |
Verified against the official pricing page on October 8, 2026.
Verdict
Use Serper
- Giving an LLM agent or RAG pipeline cheap, real-time Google search
- Rank tracking and SERP monitoring at high query volume on a tight budget
- Pulling Google Scholar, Patents, Maps or Shopping data into an app
- Prototyping a search feature with free queries before paying
Skip Serper
- The project needs results from Bing, Yandex, Baidu or other non-Google engines
- Predictable monthly billing with a subscription is required
- AI Overview or AI Mode extraction is a core requirement
Related tools
Try these tools as well to complement Serper.
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