SearchHive vs Zenserp -- Web Scraping Compared

Zenserp is a SERP scraping API that provides Google search results in structured free JSON formatter format. SearchHive is a unified search and scraping platform with SwiftSearch, ScrapeForge, and DeepDive APIs. This comparison breaks down pricing, features, and value to help you choose the right search API for your project.

Key Takeaways

• SearchHive costs 60-80% less than Zenserp at every pricing tier
• SearchHive includes web scraping (ScrapeForge) -- Zenserp does not
• Zenserp offers SERP-only features (keyword volume, CPC data) that SearchHive handles differently
• Both support Google, Bing, and other search engines
• SearchHive's free tier (500 credits) is 10x larger than Zenserp's (50 requests)

Pricing Comparison

*At Zenserp's volume, SearchHive's Builder plan ($49/mo for 100K credits) already undercuts Zenserp's $299.99/mo Large plan by 83%. For higher volumes, SearchHive's Unicorn plan ($199/mo) matches or beats every Zenserp tier.

Per-request pricing at scale:

• Zenserp: $0.90/1K requests (at Enterprise)
• SearchHive: $0.40/1K credits (at Unicorn, 500K)

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Search Engine Coverage

Both cover the major search engines. Zenserp positions itself as a Google-focused SERP API, while SearchHive supports a broader range of engines including e-commerce and video platforms.

SERP Features

Both extract standard SERP features. Zenserp's Medium+ plans include keyword search volume and CPC data -- useful for SEO tools. SearchHive handles these use cases through its DeepDive API, which combines search with content extraction.

Web Scraping

This is the biggest differentiator. Zenserp only returns SERP data. If you need to scrape the actual pages behind the search results, you need a separate scraping tool. SearchHive includes ScrapeForge, which handles JavaScript rendering, CAPTCHAs, and bot protection in the same platform.

Developer Experience

Both provide clean REST APIs with JSON responses. SearchHive offers official SDKs and a more generous free tier for prototyping.

Code Examples

Zenserp Search

import requests

params = {
    "q": "best Python web frameworks 2026",
    "location": "United States",
    "search_engine": "google.com",
    "hl": "en",
    "gl": "us",
    "num": "10"
}

response = requests.get(
    "https://app.zenserp.com/api/v2/search",
    headers={"apikey": "YOUR_ZENSERP_KEY"},
    params=params
)

data = response.json()
for result in data.get("organic", [])[:5]:
    print(f"{result['title']}: {result['url']}")

SearchHive SwiftSearch

import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.searchhive.dev/v1/search",
    headers={
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_SEARCHHIVE_KEY",
        "Content-Type": "application/json"
    },
    json={
        "query": "best Python web frameworks 2026",
        "engine": "google",
        "limit": 10,
        "country": "us"
    }
)

data = response.json()
for result in data.get("results", [])[:5]:
    print(f"{result['title']}: {result['url']}")

SearchHive ScrapeForge (not available with Zenserp)

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.searchhive.dev/v1/scrape",
    headers={
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_SEARCHHIVE_KEY",
        "Content-Type": "application/json"
    },
    json={
        "url": "https://realpython.com/best-python-web-frameworks/",
        "format": "markdown"
    }
)

content = response.json()
print(content.get("markdown", "")[:500])

SearchHive DeepDive (not available with Zenserp)

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.searchhive.dev/v1/deep-dive",
    headers={
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_SEARCHHIVE_KEY",
        "Content-Type": "application/json"
    },
    json={
        "query": "best Python web frameworks 2026",
        "depth": "detailed",
        "max_pages": 3,
        "include_content": True
    }
)

data = response.json()
for page in data.get("pages", []):
    print(f"--- {page['title']} ---")
    print(page.get("content", "")[:300])

The DeepDive example shows SearchHive's key advantage: search + scrape + analyze in a single API call. With Zenserp, you'd need a separate scraping service to get the actual page content.

/tutorials/searchhive-api-quickstart

When Zenserp Makes Sense

Zenserp is a reasonable choice if:

• You only need Google SERP data and nothing else
• Your workflow depends on keyword search volume and CPC data from the same API
• You're already using other apilayer products and want consolidated billing
• You need a dedicated SERP API with SLA guarantees

When SearchHive Is the Better Choice

SearchHive wins for most use cases:

• You need search AND scraping in one platform
• You want significantly lower costs, especially at scale
• You're building AI agents that need web data (MCP-compatible)
• You want a generous free tier for prototyping (500 vs 50 requests)
• You need multi-engine support (Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, YouTube, Amazon)

Verdict

SearchHive is the better value for the majority of developers and teams. At every pricing tier, SearchHive delivers more features for less money. The inclusion of ScrapeForge (web scraping) and DeepDive (search + content extraction) means you can replace Zenserp plus a separate scraping tool with a single SearchHive subscription.

For SERP-only workflows, Zenserp works fine -- but you're paying a premium for a narrower feature set. SearchHive matches Zenserp's search capabilities and adds scraping, content extraction, and a unified credit system that covers all three API types.

Bottom line: Unless you specifically need Zenserp's keyword volume/CPC data, SearchHive gives you more for less.

/compare/serpapi-alternatives

Get Started Free

Try SearchHive free with 500 API credits. Sign up and compare the results yourself -- no credit card required. See the pricing page for plan details and the docs for integration guides.