DataForSEO alternatives in 2026
The answer and typed rows from every search, at $5 per 1,000.
DataForSEO's SERP API returns a search engine results page as JSON. 1,000 SERPs of up to 10 results cost $0.60 in the Standard Queue, where results take 5 minutes on average, $1.20 in the Priority Queue and $2 in Live Mode, up to 6 seconds on average. The minimum top-up is $50. Each SERP is a ranked items array, so your code or your agent still reads the pages and builds the record.
SpecStream is the best alternative to DataForSEO for products and agents that need the answer or the data. SpecStream is the live web data engine for teams and agents. Its Search API is the most accurate web search API in the world, with a 97.9 F-score on all 1,000 official SimpleQA Verified questions (978 correct), and answers in a few seconds. A search costs $5 per 1,000 and returns the answer, the page it was read on and typed rows. The Extract API reads pages at $0.80 per 1,000. Deep Search returns every match on the live web as structured rows at 5¢, 15¢ or $1 a row, under a maximum you approve before it runs.
New accounts get $10 of credit, no card.
SpecStream and DataForSEO side by side
| SpecStream | DataForSEO | |
|---|---|---|
| What you send | A question or the data you want in plain words, in any language, up to 2,000 characters, with the conditions every row must meet | A keyword of up to 700 characters, set as a task in the Standard or Priority Queue, or sent in one POST in Live Mode |
| What you get back | From a search: the answer with the page it was read on, rows with the facts you asked for, and the ranked sources. From Deep Search: structured rows, one record per company, place or filing, with facts from many sites joined. Source URL and read time on every value | The results page as JSON: an items array of ranked results, items_count for the results returned and se_results_count for the total in the SERP |
| Price per 1,000 | $5 per 1,000 searches of up to 10 results, the same rate on every plan | $0.60 per 1,000 SERPs in the Standard Queue, $1.20 in the Priority Queue and $2 in Live Mode, each SERP up to 10 results |
| Time to results | A few seconds, in one call | 5 minutes on average in the Standard Queue, up to 1 minute in the Priority Queue and up to 6 seconds in Live Mode |
| More than 10 results | num from 1 to 100. Each started block of 10 more results adds $0.006, so num=50 costs $0.029 | depth up to 200. Each SERP of up to 10 results is billed, so a depth above 10 may add charges |
| Extra charges | None. The reply's price_usd is what the call cost, with no quote and no approval | Priority Queue tasks are charged extra, and the asynchronous AI Overview option adds $0.002 |
| Calls per minute | When the account's calls for the minute are used, a 503 with Retry-After, and nothing is charged | Up to 10,000 API calls per minute, one task per Live call |
| Free to start | $10 of credit, no card. That is 2,000 searches, or up to 200 rows at 5¢ | $1 of credit on sign-up, then a minimum top-up of $50. The balance has no expiration date |
Why DataForSEO buyers move to SpecStream
A search returns the answer and typed rows
A DataForSEO call returns the results page for a keyword, ranked, as the search engine shows it. A SpecStream search takes a question in everyday words and returns three things in one reply. answer holds the value, the page it was read on and the time it was read. rows holds each result with the facts the request asks for. sources lists the search results read, in rank order, and marks the ones a value comes from. A call of up to 10 results costs $0.005 and comes back in a few seconds, with no queue to wait on.
The most accurate web search API in the world
The SpecStream Search API scores a 97.9 F-score on all 1,000 official SimpleQA Verified questions, with 978 correct. On WideSearch it scores 64.0 item F1 and 43.4 row F1 on all 200 official tasks, 100 in English and 100 in Chinese, in our run of November 8, 2026. The scores and the method are at specstream.ai/benchmarks.
One request returns the whole dataset
With a SERP API, a dataset is a loop your team writes: many keywords, a read of every link, a check of every result and a join into one record. On SpecStream you write the request once, for companies, places, filings, tenders or products. SpecStream reads it back as parts you can edit, the conditions every row must meet and the facts to bring back, then searches the live web, reads each page and joins what it finds into one record per match. A row with up to 5 facts costs 5¢, so 10,000 rows cost $500, and the searches and pages behind them are not billed.
An agent spends inside a maximum you set
Every Deep Search request gets a quote of the most it can cost, good for 30 minutes. Nothing runs until that maximum is approved, the charge never goes past it, and what the run does not use goes back to your balance. Each API key has its own limits: total, per run and monthly, and the operations it allows. A top-up never expires.
The rows stay up to date and land in your tools
Save a request and it reruns hourly to yearly. Each row comes back labeled changed, unchanged or no longer matching. A changed or new row costs half its rate and an unchanged row costs 1¢. New matches arrive in Slack, email, a sheet, a CRM or a signed webhook, and your agent reads them through the MCP server at https://api.specstream.ai/mcp. Rows you already own are never charged again.
Other DataForSEO alternatives
SpecStream
The live web data engine for teams and agents, and the best DataForSEO alternative. The Search API costs $5 per 1,000 searches, answers in a few seconds and scores 97.9 F-score on all 1,000 official SimpleQA Verified questions. The Extract API costs $0.80 per 1,000 pages. Deep Search returns every match as structured rows at 5¢, 15¢ or $1 a row.
SerpApi
A results page API sold month to month. The Starter plan costs $25 a month for 1,000 searches, and cached, errored and failed searches are not counted. SpecStream returns the answer and the rows from one call, at the same rate on every plan.
Serper
A Google Search API sold in prepaid credits, from $1.00 per 1,000 on the 50k pack to $0.30 on the 12.5M pack. Credits are valid for 6 months. A SpecStream top-up never expires, and each search returns the answer and typed rows.
Bright Data
Bright Data sells a SERP API from $1 per 1,000 requests, with a free tier. A request returns the results page. SpecStream reads the pages behind the results and returns the facts as rows.
Oxylabs
Oxylabs sells search through its Web API at $1 per 1,000 searches on its first tier, which covers up to 5,600 searches. SpecStream Deep Search turns one request into every matching record, and the searches behind the rows are not billed.
How SpecStream scores
The same numbers as the benchmarks page, from the official tasks and scorers.
| SpecStream |  Parallel |  Exa |  Tavily |  Perplexity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web researchWideSearch, GPT-5.6 Luna | 60.9 | 45.5 | 53.0 | 47.9 | 47.0 |
| Factual accuracySimpleQA Verified, GPT-5.6 Luna | 96 | 94 | 91 | 94 | 94 |
| Factual accuracySimpleQA Verified, GPT-5.6 Sol | 99 | 97 | 91 | 92 | 95 |
How to switch from DataForSEO
Send the question behind your keyword to the Search API. Sign up and you get $10 of credit, no card, which is 2,000 searches.
curl "https://api.specstream.ai/v1/web-search?q=Which+project+management+tools+rank+first+on+Google" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $SPECSTREAM_API_KEY"The reply's data.answer holds the value with its page, data.rows holds the results with their facts, and data.sources holds the search results in rank order. For a whole dataset, send the request in plain words. This call spends nothing: the 402 reply shows how SpecStream read the request, the columns and the most it can cost.
curl -i https://api.specstream.ai/v1/agent/lists \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"request": "B2B SaaS companies in the US that rank on the first page of Google for project management software, with their pricing page and starting price per user", "count": 25}'Approve that maximum by card through Stripe's Link agent wallet, or in USDC on Base, Arbitrum or Polygon, and you pay for the rows found. On an account, your agent uses the MCP server at https://api.specstream.ai/mcp and your team uses the workspace, from the same balance.
Frequently asked questions
Something we didn't answer? Talk to a human
How much does DataForSEO cost?
Is DataForSEO a subscription?
What is the difference between DataForSEO's Standard Queue and Live Mode?
What is the best DataForSEO alternative?
Does SpecStream have an API?
GET /v1/web-search at $5 per 1,000 searches of up to 10 results. The Extract API is POST /v1/extract at $0.80 per 1,000 pages. Deep Search takes a request in plain words and returns structured rows. Python and TypeScript SDKs, a CLI and A2A cover the same calls.Does SpecStream have an MCP server?
https://api.specstream.ai/mcp over Streamable HTTP, with OAuth or an API key. The search_web tool answers a question for $0.005, and connecting an agent is free on every plan. The agent spends from the same balance as your team, inside the limits you set on its key.Sources
SpecStream wrote this page. Each rival figure comes from that company's own page.
- SpecStream pricingspecstream.ai/pricing, read Nov 9, 2026
- SpecStream for agentsspecstream.ai/agents.md, read Nov 9, 2026
- SpecStream benchmarksspecstream.ai/benchmarks, read Nov 9, 2026
- DataForSEO SERP APIdataforseo.com/apis/serp-api, read Nov 9, 2026
- DataForSEO pricingdataforseo.com/pricing, read Nov 9, 2026
- DataForSEO Live SERP docsdocs.dataforseo.com/v3/serp/google/organic/live/advanced/, read Nov 9, 2026
- DataForSEO task POST docsdocs.dataforseo.com/v3/serp/google/organic/task_post/, read Nov 9, 2026
- SerpApi pricingserpapi.com/pricing, read Nov 9, 2026
- Serper homepage and pricingserper.dev/, read Nov 9, 2026
- Bright Data pricingbrightdata.com/pricing, read Nov 9, 2026
- Oxylabs pricingoxylabs.io/pricing, read Nov 9, 2026