Zenserp Alternatives — Cheaper Google SERP API

Zenserp made a name for itself as a straightforward Google SERP API — simple REST endpoint, JSON output, reasonable pricing. But as your search volume grows, the limitations become obvious: limited SERP feature coverage, no scraping integration, and pricing that doesn't scale well past mid-tier usage. If you're looking for Zenserp alternatives that offer better value, richer SERP features, or built-in web scraping, this guide breaks down the best options.

Whether you need more searches per dollar, more parsed SERP features (People Also Ask, local packs, knowledge panels), or a unified platform that handles search and scraping together, there's an alternative that fits. We've tested each option against Zenserp head-to-head on price, feature coverage, response time, and developer experience.

Key Takeaways

• SearchHive SwiftSearch undercuts Zenserp on price while adding scraping (ScrapeForge) and AI extraction (DeepDive) in the same platform
• Serper.dev matches or beats Zenserp's pricing at higher volumes with faster response times
• SerpApi has the most comprehensive SERP parsing but costs significantly more per request
• ValueSERP offers the simplest pay-as-you-go pricing with no monthly commitment or tier confusion
• Several alternatives provide free tiers that Zenserp doesn't match, letting you test before committing

Why Look Beyond Zenserp?

Zenserp works well for basic SERP queries, but there are three common pain points that push developers to alternatives:

1. Feature gaps — Zenserp doesn't parse People Also Ask boxes, knowledge panel details, or local pack elements as completely as some competitors
2. Scaling costs — Per-request pricing adds up fast when you're monitoring hundreds of keywords daily or building an AI agent that searches frequently
3. No scraping pipeline — Zenserp returns SERP data only. If you need to follow result links and extract page content, you're signing up for a second API

1. SearchHive SwiftSearch — Best Overall Value

SearchHive's SwiftSearch API returns structured Google SERP data with organic results, featured snippets, knowledge panels, People Also Ask, local packs, and image/video results. The key differentiator from Zenserp is that SwiftSearch is part of a unified platform — you get SERP data, web scraping via ScrapeForge, and AI-powered extraction via DeepDive all under one API key and one billing relationship.

Pricing: Free tier available with generous monthly limits. Paid plans are more cost-effective than Zenserp at every volume level, with transparent pricing and no surprise overage charges.

Why it beats Zenserp:

• Lower per-request cost at production volumes
• Full SERP feature parsing (Zenserp misses several SERP elements)
• Integrated scraping — follow any result URL and extract full page content
• AI extraction layer for structured data from any page
• Python SDK with async support and retry logic built in
• Bing, DuckDuckGo, and YouTube from the same API
• Location and language targeting at no extra cost

import searchhive

client = searchhive.Client(api_key="your-api-key")

# Get Google SERP results with all features
results = client.swift_search.query(
    query="best CRM software for startups",
    engine="google",
    gl="us",
    hl="en",
    num_results=10,
    include_snippets=True,
    include_people_also_ask=True,
    include_local=True,
)

# Access parsed SERP features
for r in results.organic:
    print(f"[{r.position}] {r.title}")
    print(f"  {r.url}")
    print(f"  {r.snippet}")

# Follow up with scraping any result URL for full content
if results.organic:
    page = client.scrape_forge.extract(results.organic[0].url)
    print(page.markdown)  # Clean markdown output ready for LLMs

With Zenserp, getting the full content of a result URL requires a separate scraping service, separate API key, and separate billing. SearchHive eliminates that entirely.

/blog/google-serp-api-alternatives-cheaper-search-results

2. Serper.dev — Best for High Volume

Serper.dev focuses on speed and simplicity. Single endpoint, clean JSON, sub-2-second response times. If your main complaint with Zenserp is per-request cost at high volume, Serper.dev is the direct upgrade.

Pricing: Free with 2,500 searches/month. Paid plans start at $50/month for 50,000 searches — roughly half the per-search cost of Zenserp's equivalent tier.

Pros:

• 10x more free searches than most competitors
• Fast response times across all regions
• Clean, predictable API design
• Google, Bing, and YouTube support

Cons:

• Limited SERP feature depth (basic snippet parsing, no deep knowledge panel data)
• No scraping or extraction layer
• Smaller documentation footprint
• No official Python SDK (community-maintained only)

3. SerpApi — Most Comprehensive SERP Parsing

SerpApi parses more SERP features than any other provider — Google Lens results, Google Scholar, Google Flights, Google Jobs, and more. If Zenserp's limited feature set is your pain point, SerpApi is the nuclear option.

Pricing: $50/month for 5,000 searches. Overage at $0.01/search. Higher tiers available for enterprise needs.

Pros:

• Industry-leading SERP feature coverage (20+ engines, 100+ SERP features)
• Excellent documentation with live code examples for every endpoint
• Battle-tested at scale — used by major SEO platforms and enterprise clients
• Google Maps, Google Shopping, Google Images — all parsed

Cons:

• Expensive at low and mid volumes compared to Zenserp
• No scraping capabilities — you need another service for full-page extraction
• Steep price jump between tiers
• $50/month minimum is a barrier for individual developers and side projects

/compare/serpapi

4. ValueSERP — Simplest Pricing Model

ValueSERP strips away monthly plans entirely — you pay per request, period. No commitments, no tiers to manage, no "which plan am I on?" confusion. This makes budgeting predictable.

Pricing: $0.001 per search with volume discounts for higher usage. No monthly fees or minimums.

Pros:

• True pay-as-you-go — only pay for what you use
• Competitive per-request rate
• Google, Bing, and Yahoo support
• Location targeting at no extra cost
• No lock-in

Cons:

• Fewer parsed SERP features than SerpApi or SearchHive
• No SDK, no official libraries — raw HTTP only
• Uptime not as consistent as premium options
• No scraping or extraction features
• Limited documentation

5. SearchApi.io — Best Budget Entry Point

SearchApi.io offers a lower entry price than most SERP APIs while maintaining decent feature coverage. If Zenserp's minimum monthly cost feels high, this is the cheaper door in.

Pricing: Free with 100 searches/month. Plans from $15/month for 5,000 searches.

Pros:

• Cheapest paid entry point ($15 vs Zenserp's higher tiers)
• Google, Bing, YouTube, and Amazon search support
• Simple REST API — quick to integrate
• Responsive support for a smaller provider

Cons:

• Smaller ecosystem and community
• Fewer SERP features parsed compared to SerpApi
• Limited enterprise capabilities
• No scraping integration
• No official SDK

6. DataForSEO — Cheapest at Scale

DataForSEO is designed for platforms processing tens of thousands of searches daily. At that scale, it's dramatically cheaper per request than Zenserp. It's built for SEO tool companies, not individual developers.

Pricing: Approximately $0.0005–$0.001 per SERP request at volume. Credit-based system with bulk discounts.

Pros:

• Cheapest per-request pricing at high volume (50k+ daily queries)
• Combined SERP + keyword research + backlink data in one platform
• 100+ location and language combinations
• Live and organic SERP type support

Cons:

• Complex API designed for SEO platforms, not individual developers
• Credit system is opaque — hard to predict actual costs
• No scraping or extraction
• Business verification required for account setup
• Steep learning curve

7. ScaleSerp — Lightweight Zenserp Alternative

ScaleSerp is a minimal SERP API that prioritizes simplicity over feature depth. Clean API, straightforward pricing, fast setup. If Zenserp feels bloated for your needs, ScaleSerp is the stripped-down version.

Pricing: Free tier available. Paid plans start around $29/month.

Pros:

• Quick setup — get API key and start querying immediately
• Google and Bing support
• Decent free tier for testing
• Good for simple use cases where you just need organic results

Cons:

• Limited SERP feature parsing
• No advanced features like local pack or PAA extraction
• Smaller scale and reliability track record
• No SDK or official client libraries
• Limited geographic targeting options

/compare/scaleserp

8. Bright Data SERP API — Enterprise Grade

Bright Data's SERP API runs on their residential proxy network, making it harder for Google to detect and block. For high-stakes scraping where consistency and uptime matter, this infrastructure advantage is significant.

Pricing: Tied to Bright Data's proxy consumption model. Higher per-request cost but more reliable at sustained volume.

Pros:

• Residential proxy network prevents blocks and captchas
• High reliability for sustained, high-volume scraping
• Good SERP feature coverage
• Enterprise-grade support

Cons:

• Complex pricing model tied to proxy usage
• Overkill for small to medium projects
• Requires Bright Data account and proxy setup
• Higher cost per request than most alternatives

/compare/bright-data

Comparison Table

More $ = cheaper per request at volume

Recommendation

Switching from Zenserp? SearchHive SwiftSearch is the strongest replacement. You get lower per-request pricing, more SERP features, and the ability to scrape and extract data from any result URL — something Zenserp can't do at all. The migration is straightforward: similar API structure, better Python SDK, and a free tier to test with before committing.

If you need maximum SERP features: SerpApi parses more SERP elements than anyone, but you'll pay a premium for it. Worth it if your product depends on niche SERP features like Google Flights or Google Jobs.

If you need the cheapest option at scale: DataForSEO for 50k+ daily requests, or ValueSERP for moderate volumes with no commitment and predictable per-request costs.

If you want the simplest migration path: Serper.dev's API is nearly identical in design to Zenserp's, making the switch essentially a find-and-replace on your endpoint URL.

Start with SearchHive's free tier to benchmark against your current Zenserp setup. Compare response times, feature coverage, and parsed data quality side by side. The difference shows up on the first request.

SearchHive Documentation | Free Tier | SwiftSearch API Reference