Serpstat Alternatives — Better SERP Analytics Tools

Serpstat has carved out a niche as an affordable all-in-one SEO platform, particularly strong in Eastern European markets. The Individual plan starts at $50/month with 100 searches per day and 5 projects. But if you need API access, you're looking at the $100/month Team plan — and the $410/month Agency plan for anything approaching enterprise volume.

For developers building SEO tools, rank tracking dashboards, or keyword research pipelines, there are alternatives that offer better API access, more search volume, and lower pricing. Here are 8 worth evaluating.

Key Takeaways

• Serpstat's cheapest API-enabled plan costs $100/mo — too steep for individual developers and small teams
• API access is limited to 200,000 credits/month on Team, with just 1 request/second
• SearchHive SwiftSearch offers programmatic search at a fraction of Serpstat's API pricing
• Several alternatives provide better value depending on whether you need keyword research, rank tracking, or raw SERP data
• For pure programmatic search, a dedicated search API beats an SEO platform's bolted-on API every time

1. SearchHive SwiftSearch

If you need programmatic web search for SEO tools, content pipelines, or competitive analysis, SearchHive's SwiftSearch API provides real-time search results without Serpstat's credit restrictions.

• Pricing: Free tier (100 searches/mo), paid from $29/mo
• API: REST API with Python SDK, batch queries, rate limit handling
• No credit system: Pay per search or per month, not per credit
• Best for: Developers building SEO tools that need raw SERP data

from searchhive import SearchHive

client = SearchHive(api_key="sh_live_...")

# Competitive analysis — see what ranks for your target keywords
results = client.search("best project management tools 2025", limit=20)

for r in results.data:
    print(f"{r['position']}. {r['title']} — {r['url']}")
    print(f"   {r['snippet'][:120]}...")

Unlike Serpstat, SearchHive doesn't cap your requests per second or make you buy credits in bulk. You send a search, you get results.

2. Ahrefs

Ahrefs is the gold standard for backlink analysis and keyword research.

• Pricing: $99/mo (Lite), $199/mo (Standard), $399/mo (Advanced)
• API: Included on all paid plans, generous rate limits
• Strengths: Backlink database, keyword difficulty, content explorer
• Downside: Expensive, no free tier, keyword research is strong but search API is secondary

3. SEMrush

SEMrush is a comprehensive SEO suite with strong competitive analysis features.

• Pricing: $129.95/mo (Pro), $249.95/mo (Guru), $499.95/mo (Business)
• API: Available on Guru and above
• Strengths: Competitive intelligence, keyword tracking, site audit
• Downside: API access requires expensive plans, steep learning curve

4. SE Ranking

SE Ranking positions itself as a more affordable alternative to Ahrefs/SEMrush.

• Pricing: $55/mo (Essential), $109/mo (Pro), $239/mo (Business)
• API: Available on all plans
• Strengths: Rank tracking, keyword research, on-page SEO, white-label reports
• Best for: Agencies and freelancers wanting full SEO tooling without enterprise pricing

5. SpyFu

SpyFu focuses on competitive intelligence — showing what keywords competitors buy and rank for.

• Pricing: $39/mo (Basic), $79/mo (Professional), $299/mo (Team)
• API: Available on Professional and above
• Strengths: PPC competitor data, keyword history, SERP analysis
• Best for: Competitive analysis and PPC research

6. SEObility

SEObility offers a clean, German-engineered SEO platform with strong site auditing.

• Pricing: $60/mo (Premium), $160/mo (Professional)
• Strengths: Site audit, rank tracking, keyword monitoring
• Downside: Smaller keyword database than Ahrefs/SEMrush, limited API

7. Mangools

Mangools is a budget-friendly SEO suite built around five core tools.

• Pricing: $49/mo (single user), $99/mo (multi-user), $199/mo (agency)
• Strengths: KWFinder (keyword research), SERPWatcher, LinkMiner
• Best for: Beginners and freelancers who need the essentials without paying Ahrefs prices

8. Moz Pro

One of the oldest SEO platforms, Moz Pro still has a strong following.

• Pricing: $99/mo (Standard), $179/mo (Medium), $299/mo (Large)
• Strengths: Domain authority, keyword difficulty, local SEO
• Downside: API is limited, backlink database is smaller than Ahrefs

Comparison Table

Recommendation

For developers building SEO tools or SERP analytics pipelines: SearchHive SwiftSearch gives you real-time search data without credit limits or per-second throttling. It's the most straightforward programmatic option on this list.

For full-spectrum SEO work (keyword research + backlinks + site audit + rank tracking): Ahrefs at $99/mo or SE Ranking at $55/mo offer the best value. SE Ranking is particularly strong if you're watching costs — it covers the same ground as Ahrefs/SEMrush at roughly half the price.

For competitive intelligence (what keywords competitors target, what they spend on PPC): SpyFu at $39/mo delivers the most targeted data for the lowest price.

For teams transitioning from Serpstat: SE Ranking is the closest feature-for-feature replacement with better API access at a comparable price point.

If your primary need is programmatic search rather than a full SEO dashboard, start with SearchHive's free tier — 100 searches/month, no credit card, full API access from day one.

See also: /blog/bing-search-api-alternatives-for-developers and /blog/scaleserp-alternatives-cheaper-google-search-api