A search results API returns Google pages as structured data you can feed into a tool, a report or an AI agent. When you replace one, first decide whether you need search results only or general web scraping as well, then compare which engines, result types and usage limits each service offers.
A SERP API does one job: it runs a search for you and hands back the results page as clean data. Everything else, from proxies to captchas, is the vendor's problem.
If you're leaving Scrapingdog, you've probably noticed that tools in this space don't all do that one job. Below are nine options in no particular order, described from each vendor's own site.
Search data or general scraping?
The service you're leaving sells itself on its own homepage as an all-in-one web scraping API that manages proxies and headless browsers for you. That's broader than a search results API, and it's why a like-for-like replacement isn't obvious. Some alternatives specialise in Google results and nothing else. Others scrape any page you point them at and treat search as one target among many.
So the first test for any replacement is simple: which search engines and result types come back as structured data? Organic results are the basics. You may also need ads, local packs, maps, news, images, shopping or the questions people also ask. A specialist SERP API usually parses more of those into named fields. A general scraper may give you the raw page and leave the parsing to you.
The second test is how requests are metered and limited. Vendors count usage in different ways: per search, per page, per credit or per feature. A request that renders JavaScript or uses premium proxies can count for more than a plain fetch. Read the plan pages carefully and map them to the volume and result types you'll really use.
Here's how the nine split. SerpApi, Serper, serpstack and Zenserp are Google search specialists. Serply adds news and maps and aims squarely at AI agents. ScrapingBee, ZenRows and HasData are general scraping APIs that cope with blocked and script-heavy pages. Apify is a platform of ready-made scrapers that you run rather than write.
SERP and scraping APIs, A to Z
Alphabetical and in no particular order. Each line reflects the vendor's own description.
Apify
Best for: Teams who'd rather pick a ready-made scraper than build one; the vendor offers a large library for web data, competitor tracking, leads and AI agents.
HasData
Best for: Data pipelines and AI projects that need a page returned as JSON or Markdown in one API call, according to the vendor.
ScrapingBee
Best for: Developers who want proxies and headless browsers handled for them, with the vendor focusing on avoiding blocks.
SerpApi
Best for: SEO tools and developers who need live Google results parsed into structured data, with the vendor handling proxies and captchas.
Serper
Best for: Lightweight Google lookups through a simple API, which the vendor sells chiefly on speed.
Serply
Best for: AI builders feeding agents and RAG systems, with the vendor returning Google search, news and maps as JSON or markdown, and offering MCP access.
serpstack
Best for: Projects needing real-time Google results pages returned as data, which is the whole of the vendor's pitch.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
ZenRows
Best for: Data teams and agent builders who need to fetch, extract and crawl the live web, including pages that block scrapers, per the vendor.
Zenserp
Best for: Live Google results returned as JSON for coders; the vendor names a free plan and pitches speed and reliability.
How the nine compare
| Tool | API type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Apify | Web data platform | Ready-made scrapers for many sites and jobs |
| HasData | Web scraping API | Turning any URL into JSON or Markdown |
| ScrapingBee | General web scraping API | Scraping sites without managing proxies yourself |
| SerpApi | Google search results API | Rich, parsed Google result data |
| Serper | Google search API | Quick Google lookups through a simple API |
| Serply | Search API for AI agents | Search, news and maps as JSON or markdown |
| serpstack | Google SERP API | Real-time Google results as data |
| ZenRows | Web data infrastructure | Fetching and crawling protected pages at scale |
| Zenserp | Google SERP API | Live Google results as JSON for developers |
My advice for teams pulling search data
Buy the narrowest tool that does your job. If you only need Google results for rank tracking or keyword research, a specialist SERP API will give you tidier data with less code. If your project mixes search results with product pages, reviews or competitor sites, a general scraping API saves you running two services. If nobody on the team writes code, a platform of ready-made scrapers is the gentlest start.
AI projects are the new wrinkle. If you're feeding search results to an agent or a retrieval system, look for markdown output and agent connections, because they cut the clean-up work. And whatever you scrape, check the target site's terms and the data rules where you work; requirements vary by country. Agencies tracking rankings for many clients should also think about locations and devices. Local results change from town to town, and mobile results differ from desktop, so check whether each service lets you set the search location, language and device on every request. For more options, see my guides to the best SERP APIs and the best web scraping APIs.
Run the same query through three services
- Pick five real searches your project depends on, including one local and one news query.
- Choose one specialist SERP API, one general scraping API and one ready-made platform from the groups above.
- Send the same five searches to each, using the free plan or trial where one is offered.
- Compare which result types came back as named fields and which needed extra parsing.
- Check how much of your allowance the test used, then scale that up to a normal month.
Do you make SERP or scraping APIs? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a SERP API?
It's a service that runs a search on your behalf and returns the results page as structured data, usually JSON, so you don't have to scrape it yourself.
Is a SERP API different from a web scraping API?
Yes. A SERP API is built for search results and parses them into fields. A web scraping API fetches any page and may leave the parsing to you.
Can I get local and maps results from a search API?
Some services return local packs and maps results as separate fields. Check each vendor's documentation for the exact result types it supports.
Is scraping search results legal?
It depends on what you collect, how you use it and where you are. Requirements vary by country, so check the rules that apply to you and take legal advice if unsure.
Why do some requests use more of my allowance?
Requests that render JavaScript, use premium proxies or return extra result types often count for more. Check how each vendor meters usage before you scale up.
Which output format suits AI agents?
Markdown and clean JSON both work well, because agents can read them without extra clean-up. Some services also connect to agents directly.
