DataForSEO vs Scale SERP (2026): which should you pick?
As of Oct 24, 2026, we pick DataForSEO: it is first in our ranking of SERP and SEO data APIs, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.0.
Checked Oct 23, 2026 · graded Oct 23, 2026 by ToolGPA
DataForSEO grades higher on value for money, features and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
DataForSEO
Pay-as-you-go APIs for SERP, keyword, backlink and AI mention data
Scale SERP
Google results API from Traject Data with a free monthly allowance
Which one is for you
Pick DataForSEO if
- Fits if you're building your own rank tracker, keyword tool or backlink checker and want one bill for the data
- Works for batch jobs that can wait minutes for a queued result at $0.60 per 1,000
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want reports to look at, since it returns JSON with no SEO dashboard
- Tight if you're only testing, as the $1 trial credit goes fast and the next step is a $50 top-up
- Watch out: search operators multiply the price of a Google query by five
- Pricey if you pull backlinks or AI mentions in bulk, at $0.024 a task plus $0.000036 a row, and $0.1 a task plus $0.001 a row
Pick Scale SERP if
- Fits if your local SEO work needs Google results by postal code
- Works for projects that need Scholar or Trends results next to ordinary Google search
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you start small, at $23 to $29 for 1,000 searches, many times what rivals charge per search
- Skip it if you need Bing or other engines, which Traject Data sells as SerpWow
- Watch out: searches past the plan cost $0.038 each on the 1,000-search plan
- Watch out: ScraperAPI bought Traject Data and says it is moving Traject's APIs onto its own infrastructure
- Tight if you're on Free, with 125 searches a month
How we grade them
| 2.8GPADataForSEOGood | 2.0GPAScale SERPFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$50 is the smallest top-up and the balance never expires, a first spend at the dear end of this category's usual $25 to $50. The rate lifts it: Google results are $0.60 per 1,000 in the standard queue and $2 live, where most rivals here charge $1 to $4. | CThe 1,000-search plan is $23 a month on yearly billing ($29 monthly), between this category's cheaper quarter ($19) and its middle ($29.99), and that's $23 per 1,000 searches where most rivals charge $1 to $4. The 10,000 plan is $66. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan. New accounts get $1 of trial credit and a Sandbox that returns sample responses, enough to wire up your code, and then it's a $50 top-up. | CA free tier of 125 searches a month with no card, meant for trying the API rather than running anything on it. |
| Features | ASearch results from Google, Bing, YouTube, Yahoo, Baidu, Naver and Seznam, plus keyword volumes, its own backlink index back to 2019, site crawls and brand mentions in ChatGPT and AI Overviews. No other API in this category covers that much of the SEO job from one key. | CGoogle Search, Places and Maps, Trends, News, Reviews, Scholar, Images, Video and Shopping, by postal code and device, with scheduled batches. Google only, though: Traject Data sells SerpWow for other engines. |
| Ease of use | CJudged on how fast a developer gets a first result: a Sandbox, spending limits per API and connectors for Sheets, n8n and Make. No rating on record, and each API is billed per SERP, task, row or page, which takes reading before you start. | CJudged on how fast a developer gets a first result: a playground that writes HTTP, cURL, Node.js, Python and PHP code as you change the settings. No rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, with an API and connectors for Google Sheets, n8n, Make, Zapier, Airtable, Postman and Pabbly. No desktop or phone app, so B is the top. | CWeb only, with a REST API and code samples but no client libraries or integrations named in the listing. No desktop or phone app. |
| Best for | SEO data for building your own tools | Google results by postal code |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: DataForSEO and Scale SERP. How we grade
Where they differ
- DataForSEO also covers keyword research, site audit, backlink analysis and AI search visibility.
At a glance
| DataForSEO | Scale SERP | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $50 minimum top-up, used as you go | $23 per month for 1,000 searches, billed annually ($29 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | 125 searches a month, no credit card required. |
| Free trial | $1 of trial credit for new accounts, plus a free Sandbox that returns sample responses | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | DataForSEO OU | Traject Data (ScraperAPI) |
| Price read from | dataforseo.com | trajectdata.com |
| Checked | Oct 23, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 |
Worth knowing
DataForSEO
- Google organic results cost $0.0006 per SERP in the standard queue, $0.0012 in the priority queue and $0.002 live; search operators multiply the price by five.
- Backlinks API calls cost $0.024 per task plus $0.000036 per row, and LLM Mentions $0.1 per task plus $0.001 per row.
- There is no free plan: after the $1 trial credit, the account needs a top-up of at least $50.
- It is a data API with no ready-made SEO dashboard; results come back as JSON for your own code or a connector.
Scale SERP
- It covers Google only; Traject Data sells SerpWow for other search engines.
- Searches beyond a plan's limit are charged per search, from $0.038 each on the 1,000-search plan.
- Enterprise plans with an account manager and team onboarding are quoted by sales.
- Traject Data was acquired by ScraperAPI, which says it is moving Traject's APIs onto its own infrastructure.
Key features
DataForSEO
- SERP API
- Search results from Google (organic, Maps, AI Mode, News, Images, Jobs and more), Bing, YouTube, Yahoo, Baidu, Naver and Seznam, in queued or live modes.
- Keyword data
- Search volume and keyword metrics from Google Ads, Bing Ads, Google Trends and clickstream sources, plus the Labs API for keyword and competitor research.
- Backlinks API
- Backlink profiles, referring domains, anchors and link history back to 2019 from DataForSEO's own continuously crawled index, with bulk endpoints for up to 1,000 targets.
- On-Page and Lighthouse
- Crawls websites, audits pages, parses content and takes screenshots, priced from $0.00015 a page.
- AI Optimization API
- LLM Mentions draws on a database of over 280 million prompts and answers from ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews; other endpoints return LLM responses and AI search volume.
- Spending controls
- The dashboard tracks usage and cost, sets daily spending limits per account, API or endpoint, and can top up the balance automatically.
Scale SERP
- Wide Google coverage
- Google Search, Places and Maps, Trends, News, Reviews, Scholar, Images, Video, Shopping and Products from one API.
- Postal-code targeting
- A Locations API finds supported locations by country, state, city or postal code, and results can be requested for desktop, mobile or tablet.
- Batches
- Queue up to 15,000 searches in a batch and run them on a schedule; plans allow up to 10,000 batches.
- Playground and code samples
- A visual playground covers every parameter and generates HTTP, cURL, Node.js, Python and PHP code as you change them.
- Only successful searches counted
- A search is a successful call to the Search API; calls to the other APIs, such as Locations, are not charged.
Plans
DataForSEO
Pay as you go$50
one-time top-up, used as you go
No subscription: the balance never expires and each API is billed at its own rate per SERP, task, row or page.
Scale SERP
Free$0
125 searches a month for evaluating the API.
1,000 Searches$23
per month for 1,000 searches, billed annually ($29 billed monthly)
For getting started; extra requests cost $0.038 each. Up to 10,000 batches.
10,000 Searches$66
per month for 10,000 searches, billed annually ($83 billed monthly)
Extra searches cost $0.0118 each over the plan limit.
50,000 Searches$199
per month for 50,000 searches, billed monthly
Extra searches cost $0.00796 each. Annual billing is 20% less.
250,000 Searches$599
per month for 250,000 searches, billed monthly
Extra searches cost $0.004792 each. Annual billing is 20% less.
1,000,000 Searches$1,699
per month for 1 million searches, billed monthly
Extra searches cost $0.003398 each. A 5 million plan is $4,999 a month.
Ways to pay less
DataForSEO
No public discounts listed.
Scale SERP
- Annual discount
20% off with annual billing
Scale SERP's pricing toggle takes 20% off for annual billing: the 10,000-search plan is $66 a month billed annually against $83 billed monthly.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, DataForSEO or Scale SERP?
As of Oct 23, 2026, DataForSEO starts at $50 minimum top-up, used as you go, and Scale SERP starts at $23 per month for 1,000 searches, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, DataForSEO or Scale SERP?
As of Oct 23, 2026, only Scale SERP has a free plan. DataForSEO does not, though it has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.