SERP API: Overview

SERP API encompasses a broad range of endpoints. You can get the full list here.

All major search engines are supported: Google, Bing, Yahoo, Baidu, Naver, and Seznam.

SERP API supports the following search engine types:

• Google Organic, Google Maps, Google Local Finder, Google News, Google Events, Google Images, Search by Image, Google Jobs
• Bing Organic, Bing Local Pack
• Yahoo Organic
• Baidu Organic
• Naver Organic
• Seznam Organic
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The returned results are specific to the indicated keyword, search engine, language and location parameters. We emulate set location and search engine with the highest accuracy so that the results you receive will match the actual search results for the specified parameters at the time of task setting. You can always check the returned results accessing the check_url in the Incognito mode to make sure the received data is entirely relevant. Note that user preferences, search history, and other personalized search factors are ignored by our system and thus would not be reflected in the returned SERP results.

You can indicate the following device types and OS you would like to receive SERP results for when setting a task:

• Mobile. Available OS types: iOS, Android
• Desktop. Available OS types: Windows, macOS.
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Note: Yahoo, Bing Local Pack, Google News/Events/Images/Search By Image/Jobs are currently available for desktop only.

Additional SERP API functionality includes a SERP Screenshot endpoint and an AI Summary endpoint that work with compatible search engines.

To find answers on common questions about SERP API and find guidance on efficient use of its features, visit our Help Center.

SERP functions

SERP API provides search engine results with three standard functions: Regular, Advanced and HTML.

The Regular function is supported in the Organic and Bing Local Pack search engines and provides top 100 organic and paid search results for the specified keyword, search engine, and location.

The Advanced function is supported across all Google SERP API search engines and in the Baidu search engine. This function provides a complete overview of search results.

The HTML function is supported across SERP API and provides a raw SERP HTML page for the specified keyword, search engine, and location.
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Methods

The cost of using SERP endpoints depends on the selected method and priority of task execution. Available methods and priorities are described below.

DataForSEO has two main methods to deliver SERP results: Standard and Live.

If your system requires delivering instant results, the Live method is the best solution for you. Unlike the Standard method, it doesn’t require making separate POST and GET requests to the corresponding endpoints.

If you don’t need to receive data in real-time, you can use the Standard method of data retrieval. This method requires making separate POST and GET requests, but it’s more affordable. Using this method, you can retrieve the results after our system collects them.

‌Alternatively, you can specify pingback_url or postback_url when setting a task, and we will notify you on completion of tasks or send the results to you respectively. Note that if you use the postback_url field, you should also indicate the function that will be applied for data retrieval: regular, advanced or html.

If you use the Standard method without specifying pingback_url or postback_url, you can receive the list of id for all completed tasks using the ‘Tasks Ready’ endpoint. It is designed to provide you with the list of completed tasks, which haven’t been collected yet. Then, you can retrieve the results using the ‘Task GET’ endpoint.

Learn more about task completion and obtaining a list of completed tasks in this help center article.

You can send up to 2000 POST and GET API calls per minute in total, with each POST call containing no more than 100 tasks. Contact us if you would like to raise the limit.

Visit DataForSEO Help Center to get practical tips for request handling depending on your SERP API payload volume.
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Priorities and cost

The Live method delivers results in real-time, and accordingly, the cost of requests made using this method will be the highest.

The Standard method has two different priorities that stand for the relative speed of task execution and have different prices:

1. Normal priority;
2. High priority.

Note: setting depth above the default value will increase the cost of the task. For example, if the default value is 100, you will be billed for every 100 results. So, if you specify "depth": 150, the price for the task will be multiplied by 2 and you will be billed as for 200 results.

The cost can be calculated on the Pricing page. To learn more about the cost of all SERP API methods, priorities, and additional parameters, please refer to this help article. You can check your spending in your account dashboard or by making a separate call to the User Data endpoint.

You can test SERP API for free using DataForSEO Sandbox.