DataForSEO vs Scrapeless (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick DataForSEO: it is first in our ranking of SERP and SEO data APIs, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.2.
Checked Oct 23, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 23, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
DataForSEO grades higher on value for money, features and ease of use. They get the same grade on the free plan and platforms.
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
Scrapeless
Cloud browsers, scraping APIs and AI-engine scrapers
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 Scrapeless if
- Fits if you run scrapers or AI agents that need hosted browsers and proxies
- Works for teams that prefer paying by use, since the base plan has no monthly fee
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you cannot code: browsers and scrapers are driven from scripts and APIs
- Watch out: the bill depends on which services you use, and the subscriptions only set the discount
- Watch out: unused monthly commitment is not kept, and automatic renewal charges the next cycle
- Watch out: raising concurrency or buying an enterprise package involves a KYC check
- Tight if you are testing: the free trial amount is not stated
How we grade them
| 2.8GPADataForSEOGood | 2.2GPAScrapelessFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CBasic has no monthly fee and bills at list prices: $1.00 per 1,000 Google searches and $0.09 an hour for a browser. Growth is $49 a month for 10% off, and unused funds do not carry over. |
| 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 trial activates on sign-up, but the amount is not stated on the pricing page. There is no free plan after 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. | BCloud browsers, a search API, AI scrapers, a web unlocker, crawling and proxies from one account. The listing names no gap in the scraping job. |
| 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. | DNo store rating on record. It is built for developers: you drive it from Puppeteer, Playwright or an API. |
| 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. | BWeb service and API, with Puppeteer, Playwright, Browser-Use and Stagehand listed. No desktop or phone app. |
| Best for | SEO data for building your own tools | cloud browsers and scraping APIs for agents |
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 Scrapeless. How we grade
Where they differ
- DataForSEO also covers keyword research, site audit and backlink analysis.
- Scrapeless also covers AI agents.
At a glance
| DataForSEO | Scrapeless | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $50 minimum top-up, used as you go | $49 per month, then usage at a 10% discount |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | $1 of trial credit for new accounts, plus a free Sandbox that returns sample responses | Free trial activated on sign-up; the amount is not stated on the pricing page |
| Web | ||
| Made by | DataForSEO OU | NST LABS TECH LTD |
| Price read from | dataforseo.com | scrapeless.com |
| Checked | Oct 23, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
Scrapeless
- Billing is by usage from a prepaid balance, so the monthly cost depends on which services are used; the subscriptions only set the discount and concurrency.
- Per the FAQ, if usage is below the monthly commitment the remaining funds are not kept, and automatic renewal charges the next cycle.
- The pricing page shows a yearly option that saves 10%; only the monthly figures were read.
- Raising concurrency limits or buying an enterprise package involves a KYC check by the sales team.
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.
Scrapeless
- Google Search API
- Returns Google results as structured JSON with country and language targeting; proxy and CAPTCHA handling are included.
- AI scrapers
- Separate scrapers for ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, Grok, DeepSeek, Google AI Mode and Google AI Overview, returning responses and citations for AI-visibility tracking.
- Agent Browser
- A cloud browser compatible with Puppeteer and Playwright, with live view, session replay and persistent profiles.
- Web Unlocker and Crawl
- Web Unlocker returns rendered content for a URL and the vendor says you pay only for successful requests. Crawl collects whole sites in JSON, Markdown, HTML or screenshots.
- Proxies
- Residential, static ISP, datacenter and IPv6 proxies are sold on their own as well as underneath the other products.
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.
Scrapeless
Basic$0
no monthly fee, usage billed at list prices
Pay as you go at list prices, no subscription: Google Search API $1.00 per 1k requests, Browser $0.090 per hour, 50 concurrent sessions.
Growth$49
per month, billed monthly
Usage is billed at 10% off list prices, with 100 concurrent sessions. Google Search API is $0.90 per 1k requests.
Scale$199
per month, billed monthly
Usage is billed at 15% off list prices, with 200 concurrent sessions. Google Search API is $0.85 per 1k requests.
Business$399
per month, billed monthly
Usage is billed at 20% off list prices, with 400 concurrent sessions. Google Search API is $0.80 per 1k requests.
CustomCustom
Custom volume pricing, unlimited concurrency and custom proxies, arranged through sales.
Ways to pay less
DataForSEO
No public discounts listed.
Scrapeless
- Annual discount
Yearly billing saves 10%
The pricing page has a Yearly toggle labeled Save 10%.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, DataForSEO or Scrapeless?
As of Nov 13, 2026, DataForSEO starts at $50 minimum top-up, used as you go, and Scrapeless starts at $49 per month, then usage at a 10% discount.
Which has a free plan, DataForSEO or Scrapeless?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither DataForSEO nor Scrapeless has a free plan. Both have 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.