How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- The Semrush API itself needs a Business plan before you can touch an endpoint, with API units on top, which prices out smaller teams.
- DataForSEO gives the cheapest raw data at scale, from $0.0006 per SERP call with a $50 minimum deposit and no subscription.
- SE Ranking gives the most predictable cost, since API credits come bundled in every plan, starting around $129 per month.
- Pure SERP APIs like SerpApi return live results only, while full SEO APIs add keywords, backlinks, and audits, so pick by data need, not price alone.
Quick comparison
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The best Semrush API alternatives
Starting price$50 minimum deposit
Free planYes
DataForSEO provides raw SEO and SERP data via API at $0.0006 per SERP call on normal priority, with a $50 minimum deposit and no fixed monthly fee. At 1 million monthly requests, guides estimate about $600, versus roughly $7,000 for a subscription SERP tool at the same volume, which is why tool builders choose it for pipelines. Endpoints cover SERP, Labs, backlinks, on-page, and merchant data, each priced independently, with up to 2,000 requests per minute.
The trade-offs are workflow and polish. DataForSEO uses an async submit, wait, and retrieve pattern that needs handling in code or through n8n and Make integrations, and there is no dashboard for casual browsing. Non-English coverage is thinner than Ahrefs. For developers building SEO tools at scale, DataForSEO is the cheapest credible data layer.
What we like- Pay per request from $0.0006 per SERP
- No subscription lock-in
- SERP, Labs, backlinks, and on-page endpoints
Watch out for- Async task workflow takes setup
- No dashboard
- Non-English coverage thinner than Ahrefs
Starting price$129 per month
Free planNo
SE Ranking leads 2026 cost rankings for agencies because API and MCP access come bundled into every plan, removing the separate metered invoice that makes Semrush costs unpredictable. Plans start around $129 per month with 25,000 credits, or pay-as-you-go from $50, with rate limits up to 10 requests per second. Coverage spans SERP, keywords, backlinks, domain data, audits, and AI search visibility.
The backlink index, at 2.7 trillion plus links, trails Ahrefs and Semrush, so link forensics teams should look elsewhere. Credit planning also matters, since heavy rank tracking can exhaust a plan faster than expected. For agencies that want one predictable bill covering platform and API, SE Ranking is the most practical Semrush replacement.
What we like- API credits bundled in every plan
- SERP, keywords, backlinks, audit, and AI search
- MCP server support
Watch out for- Backlink index smaller than Ahrefs
- Credit system needs volume planning
Starting price$129 per month
Free planNo
Ahrefs API version 3 gives the deepest backlink dataset in this list, with a 35 trillion plus link index, plus keyword, rank tracking, and site audit endpoints. Lite plans list at $129 per month with 100,000 units, but guides note that full API access requires Enterprise plans at $1,499 per month and above, which is a real budget commitment.
Metering adds complexity, with a 50-unit minimum per request and unit budgets that cap throughput. Teams that need link forensics, competitor link history, and the freshest index will still pay it, since no cheaper API matches Ahrefs link depth. For backlink-led analysis, Ahrefs remains the reference dataset.
What we like- Best-in-class backlink index at 35 trillion plus
- Keyword and rank data
- Audit endpoints
Watch out for- API needs top-tier plans for full access
- Metered units with 50-unit minimum per request
- Enterprise pricing steep
Starting price$25 per month
Free planYes
SerpApi returns structured JSON from live search results across 15 plus engines, making it the fastest route to real-time SERP data for developers. Plans start at $25 per month for 1,000 searches, with a free plan covering 100 searches per month, and integration is a simple REST call with no async workflow.
The limit is scope. SerpApi returns live results only, with no keyword volumes, backlink profiles, or audit data, so it suits rank checking and SERP monitoring rather than full SEO analysis. Starter rate limits of 200 requests per hour also cap burst workloads. For live SERP data at low cost, SerpApi is the simplest choice.
What we like- Structured JSON from 15 plus engines
- Fast developer integration
- Free plan with 100 searches
Watch out for- Live SERP only, no keywords or backlinks
- Starter rate limit of 200 per hour
Starting price$20 per month
Free planYes
Moz Links API is the authority-metrics specialist, returning Domain Authority, Page Authority, and link data that agencies still use in client reporting. Starter plans list at $20 per month, with a free tier covering 50 rows per month, making it the cheapest entry point in this list for link-quality work.
Scope is narrow. Moz returns links and authority only, with no live SERP data and limited keyword volumes, so it complements rather than replaces a full SEO API. The free tier rate limit of one request per 10 seconds also rules out bulk work. For agencies that report DA and PA to clients, Moz is the standard source.
What we like- Domain Authority and Page Authority metrics
- Cheapest entry at $20
- Free tier with 50 rows
Watch out for- Links and authority only, no SERP or keyword volumes
- Free tier rate limit of 1 request per 10 seconds
Starting price$50 per month
Free planNo
Serpstat API bundles keywords, domain data, backlinks, rank tracking, and site audits into one credit system, which suits mid-market teams consolidating several data needs into one vendor. Plans start at $50 per month, though guides note that usable API credits require $100 plus plans, with rate limits from 1 to 10 requests per second.
The index is smaller than Ahrefs, and credit math takes planning, since different endpoints consume credits at different rates. For mid-market teams that want one API covering most SEO data without enterprise pricing, Serpstat is a credible consolidation pick.
What we like- Keywords, domain, backlinks, rank, and audit in one API
- Plan-bundled credits
- Competitive pricing
Watch out for- API credits need $100 plus plans for real use
- Smaller index than Ahrefs
- Rate limits of 1 to 10 per second
Starting price$1.50 per 1,000
Free planYes
Bright Data SERP API prices per 1,000 successful results at $1.50, with 5,000 free results per month, and scales through proxy infrastructure for high-volume scraping. That model suits teams running large rank tracking or price monitoring workloads where per-request costs on other APIs would explode.
Bright Data returns SERP data only, with no keyword volumes or backlink metrics, and scraping carries compliance considerations that teams must review against search engine terms. Setup is also infrastructure-heavy compared with a simple REST API. For large-scale SERP collection, Bright Data offers the lowest per-result cost here.
What we like- Per-successful-result pricing
- 5,000 free monthly results
- Proxy infrastructure scales
Watch out for- SERP only, no SEO metrics
- Scraping compliance needs care
- Setup is infrastructure-heavy
Starting price$399.99 per month
Free planNo
Majestic API is the link-quality specialist, with Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics that measure link trust and influence rather than raw counts, plus a 21 trillion plus index and deep historical data. It suits legacy audits and forensic link analysis where a link history matters more than fresh crawl speed.
Only one plan, at $399.99 per month, includes API access, making it the most expensive entry here, and it returns no SERP or keyword data. Teams that need Trust Flow for link quality decisions will pay it, while teams that need broad SEO data should pair Majestic with a cheaper SERP or keyword API.
What we like- Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics
- 21 trillion plus index
- Historical link data
Watch out for- Only one plan includes API access
- Highest entry price here
- No SERP or keyword data
How we chose
We compared 2026 SEO API cost rankings and vendor pricing pages for each tool, checking pricing models, entry points, rate limits, and data scope. We favored APIs with published pricing and a distinct data strength, and we flagged where guides disagree on entry prices, since API pricing changes often. Where a vendor does not publish a clear starting price, we listed See website. We did not claim hands-on testing.
Picking by data need, not price
Start from the data you actually need. If you need live rankings only, a SERP API like SerpApi or Bright Data costs far less than a full SEO suite API. If you need keywords, backlinks, and audits together, a full API like SE Ranking or Serpstat consolidates the bill. If backlinks are the core need, pay for Ahrefs or Majestic depth rather than settling for a thin index.
Watch the metering model
Pricing models hide the true cost. Subscription plus units, like Semrush, can spike with volume, while pay-per-request, like DataForSEO, scales linearly but needs volume forecasting. Credit systems bundle value but punish uneven usage, since different endpoints consume credits at different rates. Model your actual monthly request mix through a trial before committing, and set spend alerts on every API key from day one.
Free data has limits
The Search Console API is free and accurate, but it returns only your own site's Google organic data, with no competitor keywords or backlink profiles at production volume. No free API returns competitor data at scale, since that data costs money to crawl and maintain. Use Search Console for your own performance, and pay for competitor data separately.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free Semrush API alternative?
Only for your own data. The Google Search Console API is free and accurate for your own site, but no free API returns competitor keyword volumes or backlink profiles at production volume. DataForSEO offers trial credit, and SerpApi and Moz offer small free tiers for testing.
What is the cheapest Semrush API alternative at scale?
DataForSEO is cheapest at scale, from $0.0006 per SERP call with no subscription, working out to roughly $600 per month at 1 million requests in guides. SE Ranking is cheapest for predictable agency billing, since API credits come bundled in plans from $129 per month.
Do I need a full SEO API or just a SERP API?
A SERP API suffices for rank tracking, local checks, and live result monitoring. A full SEO API is needed for keyword volumes, backlink profiles, audits, and competitor analysis, since SERP APIs return search results only.
How do API units and credits actually work?
Units and credits are metering tokens that convert requests into billable amounts, with different endpoints costing different amounts. A backlink pull may cost many times a single SERP call, so compare effective cost per useful data pull, not headline credit counts, before choosing.
Why is the Semrush API so expensive?
Semrush requires a Business plan before API access, with API units billed on top, which reflects its large index and dashboard business. Teams that only need raw data can get the same underlying SERP data far cheaper from DataForSEO or SE Ranking, while teams that need Semrush reports should stay on the platform.
Sources we checked (10)
- https://dataforseo.com
- https://seranking.com
- https://ahrefs.com
- https://serpapi.com
- https://moz.com
- https://serpstat.com
- https://brightdata.com
- https://majestic.com
- https://serpwatch.io/blog/the-8-best-seo-apis-ranked-by-what-they-actually-cost-to-run-in-2026/
- https://getdadseo.com/blog/semrush-api-alternatives
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.
DataForSEO
SE Ranking API
Ahrefs API
SerpApi
Moz Links API
Serpstat API
Bright Data SERP API
Majestic API