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# Serply alternatives in 2026: the most accurate search at $5 per 1,000

Compared on Nov 10, 2026. The page: https://specstream.ai/alternatives/serply

Serply sells Google results as JSON in prepaid packs, from $5 for 2,500 searches to $375 for 500,000. A call returns at most 10 results with their snippets, and reading the pages behind them is a second vendor's job.

SpecStream is the live web data engine. Its Search API returns the answer with the page it was read on and up to 100 results a call, at $5 per 1,000 searches, and scores 97.9 on [SimpleQA Verified](https://specstream.ai/benchmarks?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=serply). It answers Serply's own call too.

[Get an API key](https://specstream.ai/signup?src=alternatives-serply&utm_source=alternatives-md&utm_campaign=serply&returnTo=%2Fworkspace%2Fsearch%3Froute%3Dserply) New accounts get $10 of credit, no card. It covers 2,000 searches.

## SpecStream and Serply side by side

| | SpecStream | Serply |
|---|---|---|
| What you change | One line. `https://api.specstream.ai/serply` in place of `https://api.serply.io`, and a SpecStream key in `X-Api-Key`. `GET /v1/search` and its `results[]` keep their shape | `GET https://api.serply.io/v1/search/?q=` with the key in the `X-Api-Key` header |
| What a call returns | `GET /v1/web-search` returns an `answer` with the value, the page it was read on and the time it was read, `rows` with the facts the question asks for, and `sources` in rank order with `url`, `title` and `snippet` | Google's results page as JSON: `results[]` with `title`, `link` and `description`, plus blocks such as `ads`, `answers`, `knowledge_graph` and `related_questions` |
| Price per 1,000 searches | $5 for up to 10 results, the same rate on every account. `num=100` costs $0.059 a call | Prepaid packs: Micro $5 for 2,500 credits, $2.00 per 1,000, down to Pro $375 for 500,000, $0.75 per 1,000 |
| Results per call | Up to 100 with `num` on `/v1/web-search`. Each started block of 10 past the first adds $0.006. The Serply route keeps Serply's ceiling of 10 | `num` up to 10 |
| Speed and volume | A median of 0.82 s at 1 search a second and 1.07 s at 20 a second on production on Nov 9, 2026. No limit per key and no daily limit. A busy call gets `429` with `Retry-After` and is not charged | `429` Too Many Requests when the rate limit is exceeded |
| Free to start | $10 of credit, no card. That is 2,000 searches, or 12,500 pages | 2,500 successful requests to use in the first 30 days, no credit card required |
| Benchmarks | 97.9 F-score on all 1,000 SimpleQA Verified questions (978 correct), 64.0 item F1 and 43.4 row F1 on all 200 WideSearch tasks | Google's ranking for the query |
| The text of the pages | Add `passages=true` and each source carries an excerpt of its page, up to about 3,500 characters. The Extract API reads up to 20 pages or documents a call at $0.80 per 1,000 pages | The `description` Google shows for each result |
| Data already held | Public databases read every morning at [specstream.ai/data](https://specstream.ai/data?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=serply): every company that filed a Form D since 2023 with its filing history, nearly 2 million US nonprofits, every US bank failure since 1934, federal rules, open federal contracts and grants, and local businesses. Signals such as funding rounds, new executives and layoffs at [specstream.ai/signals](https://specstream.ai/signals?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=serply) | Search results pages, one query at a time |
| Every match as structured rows | Deep Search: a request in plain words returns every match on the live web as rows that meet each condition you wrote, at 5¢, 15¢ or $1 a row, plus 5¢ for an email and 15¢ for a phone. The most a run can cost is quoted before it starts, and nothing runs until you approve it | One results page per call, 10 results at most |
| Reruns and change labels | Hourly to yearly. Each row comes back labeled changed, unchanged or no longer matching. A changed or new row costs half its rate, an unchanged row 1¢ | Each call is a new search that takes a credit |
| Where the data goes | Google Sheets, Excel, Airtable, Notion, monday.com, HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Attio, Slack, Teams, Zapier, Make, n8n and signed webhooks. Agents use the MCP server, the REST API, the Python and TypeScript SDKs, a CLI and A2A | A JSON response to the code that called the API, and the `serply` Python package |

## Why Serply users move to SpecStream

### The answer, its page and 100 results in one call

A Serply call returns what Google shows for a query, 10 results at most. A SpecStream call takes the question in everyday words and returns the value with the page it was read on, the rows the question asks for, and up to 100 sources in rank order.

```
import requests

reply = requests.get(
    "https://api.specstream.ai/v1/web-search",
    params={"q": "Who is the CEO of Mistral AI", "num": 100},
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {SPECSTREAM_KEY}"},
    timeout=30,
).json()["data"]

print(reply["answer"])
for source in reply["sources"]:
    print(source["url"], source["title"])
```

`num=100` costs $0.059 for one call. A call of up to 10 results costs $0.005.

### 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, and 64.0 item F1 and 43.4 row F1 on all 200 official WideSearch tasks. The Extract API scores 0.908 F1 on WCXB. The scores and the method are at [specstream.ai/benchmarks](https://specstream.ai/benchmarks?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=serply).

### About one second a search, with no limit per key

Every drop-in route, Serply's included, runs the fast search. On November 9, 2026 production took 1 to 20 fast searches a second and answered 718 of 720: the median was 0.82 s at 1 search a second and 1.07 s at 20 a second, and the 95th percentile stayed between 1.09 and 1.73 s. There is no limit per key and no daily limit; a busy call gets `429` with `Retry-After` and is not charged.

### The pages behind the results, on the same key

A Serply result ends at its snippet. On SpecStream `passages=true` adds an excerpt of each page to its source, and the [Extract API](https://specstream.ai/extract-api?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=serply) returns the main text of up to 20 pages or documents (PDF, Word, Excel) a call at $0.80 per 1,000 pages. A page with no text is not charged, so a search and its pages are one bill from one balance.

### One rate from the first search

A search of up to 10 results costs $0.005 on every account, from the first call to the millionth, and credit you buy never expires. Set `spend_cap_cents` on a key and that key never spends past it. New accounts get $10 of credit, no card, which is 2,000 searches with no 30 day limit.

### Whole datasets as rows, kept up to date

When your product needs every match in place of ten links, the same key returns them. [Deep Search](https://specstream.ai/deep-search?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=serply) takes a request in plain words, such as "the pricing page of every European project management software company, with each plan's name and monthly price", and returns every match on the live web as structured rows at 5¢, 15¢ or $1 a row, with a source URL on every value. The most a run can cost is approved before it starts. Save the request and it reruns hourly to yearly: a changed or new row costs half its rate and an unchanged row 1¢. Rows go to Sheets, a CRM, Slack, a signed webhook or your agent through the MCP server at `https://api.specstream.ai/mcp`.

### Zero retention on any key

Set `zero_retention` when you create a key, or later. A call made with that key keeps no request text and no answer after the reply, and `spend_cap_cents` is the most the key can spend.

```
curl -X POST https://api.specstream.ai/v1/account/keys \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SPECSTREAM_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"name": "production", "scopes": ["account:read", "finds:spend"], "spend_cap_cents": 500000, "zero_retention": true}'
```

## Other Serply alternatives

### SpecStream

The live web data engine for teams and agents. The Extract API reads pages at $0.80 per 1,000 and scores 0.908 F1 on WCXB, the Search API costs $5 per 1,000 searches and scores 97.9 F-score on all 1,000 SimpleQA Verified questions, and Deep Search returns every match as structured rows at 5¢, 15¢ or $1 a row. One key, one balance that never expires.

### Serper

Google results as JSON in credit packs from $1.00 per 1,000 on the 50k pack, with credits valid for 6 months. SpecStream answers Serper's call at `https://api.specstream.ai/serper`, and its credit never expires.

### SerpApi

Search engine results pages as JSON on monthly plans: Starter is $25 a month for 1,000 searches. On SpecStream $25 pays for 5,000 searches, and SpecStream answers SerpApi's call at `https://api.specstream.ai/serpapi`.

### Brave Search API

A search API on Brave's own index at $5 per 1,000 requests. SpecStream answers Brave's call at `https://api.specstream.ai/res/v1/web/search` and reads the pages behind the results on the same key.

## How to switch from Serply

1. Create a key under Agents & API in the workspace. A new account gets $10 of credit, no card, which covers 2,000 searches.

2. Change the address and the key. The query and the `results[]` reply stay as they are:

```
# Before
curl -H "X-Api-Key: $SERPLY_API_KEY" \
  "https://api.serply.io/v1/search/?q=search+api&num=10"

# After
curl -H "X-Api-Key: $SPECSTREAM_API_KEY" \
  "https://api.specstream.ai/serply/v1/search/?q=search+api&num=10"
```

3. In JavaScript, with `fetch`:

```
const reply = await fetch("https://api.specstream.ai/serply/v1/search/?q=search+api&num=10", {
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.SPECSTREAM_KEY },
});
const { results } = await reply.json();
for (const result of results) console.log(result.position, result.title, result.link);
```

4. `q`, `num`, `start`, `gl` and the `X-Proxy-Location` header keep their meaning, and the route also reads the `apikey` header and the `/v1/search/q=...` path that the `serply` Python package sends. Read `429` with `Retry-After` as a call to send again later; it is not charged. Every parameter and field is in the [Serply migration guide](https://specstream.ai/migrate/serply?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=serply).

5. When you want more than 10 results or the answer itself, call `GET https://api.specstream.ai/v1/web-search` with the same key, as in the code above.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does Serply cost?

Serply sells prepaid packs, from Micro at $5 for 2,500 credits, $2.00 per 1,000, to Pro at $375 for 500,000, $0.75 per 1,000. Purchased credits never expire, and new accounts get 2,500 free requests for 30 days. SpecStream costs $5 per 1,000 searches and returns the answer with its page.

### What is the best Serply alternative?

SpecStream, at $5 per 1,000 searches. One call returns the answer with its page and up to 100 results, it scores 97.9 F-score on all 1,000 SimpleQA Verified questions, shown on the [benchmarks](https://specstream.ai/benchmarks?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=serply) page, and it answers Serply's own `GET /v1/search`.

### How many results does a Serply call return?

10 at most: Serply's `num` goes up to 10. A SpecStream call returns up to 100 results with `num`, for $0.059.

### How do I switch from Serply to SpecStream?

Change one address: `https://api.serply.io` becomes `https://api.specstream.ai/serply`, and a SpecStream key goes in `X-Api-Key`. Each search of up to 10 results costs $0.005, and the `results[]` reply keeps its shape.

### Does Serply have a rate limit?

Serply answers `429` Too Many Requests when its rate limit is exceeded. SpecStream has no limit per key and no daily limit, answered 718 of 720 searches at up to 20 a second on Nov 9, 2026, and a busy call is not charged.

### Is there a free Serply alternative?

SpecStream gives $10 of credit on sign up, no card, which covers 2,000 searches with no 30 day limit. Serply gives 2,500 free requests to use in the first 30 days.

### Does SpecStream have an MCP server?

Yes, at `https://api.specstream.ai/mcp` over Streamable HTTP, with OAuth or an API key. The `search_web` tool runs a search for $0.005, and the agent spends from the same balance as your team.

## Sources

SpecStream wrote this page. Each rival figure comes from that company's own page.

- [SpecStream pricing](https://specstream.ai/pricing), read Nov 10, 2026
- [SpecStream for agents](https://specstream.ai/agents.md), read Nov 10, 2026
- [SpecStream benchmarks](https://specstream.ai/benchmarks), read Nov 10, 2026
- [SpecStream data](https://specstream.ai/data), read Nov 10, 2026
- [SpecStream signals](https://specstream.ai/signals), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Serply pricing](https://serply.io/pricing), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Serply Google Search reference](https://serply.io/docs/resources/google-search), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Serper](https://serper.dev/), read Nov 10, 2026
- [SerpApi pricing](https://serpapi.com/pricing), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Brave Search API](https://brave.com/search/api/), read Nov 10, 2026