--- source_url: "https://apiserpent.com/blog/serp-api-no-minimum-free-tier" title: "SERP APIs With No Minimum & a Free Tier (2026, 7 Compared)" mirrored_at: 2026-08-10T03:04:40.163Z host: apiserpent.com cited_in_42a: true mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/apiserpent.com/blog/serp-api-no-minimum-free-tier" --- > **Original source:** https://apiserpent.com/blog/serp-api-no-minimum-free-tier ![Light streaming through an open door, representing a SERP API with no minimum deposit and a free tier](https://apiserpent.com/blog/images/serp-api-no-minimum-hero.jpg) **Bottom line up front:** I signed up for seven SERP APIs to find out which ones actually let you start — no $50 minimum, no credit card, no monthly commitment — and which make you pay to even get in the door. The split is clear: - **Lowest barrier overall:** [Serpent API](https://apiserpent.com/) — 10 free searches with no card, then a one-time **$10** deposit to go paid (no subscription). - **Most generous free sandbox:** Serper (2,500 one-time credits) and ScraperAPI (5,000-credit trial). - **Best recurring free allowance:** SerpApi (250/month) and ScraperAPI (1,000/month after the trial). - **Highest barrier:** DataForSEO — no standing free tier and a **$50** minimum first deposit. If you just want to validate an integration before paying, almost all of these will do it. The differences show up in _how much_ free you get, whether a card is required, and how small the first real payment can be. Every figure below was checked against each provider's live 2026 pricing page. ## The 7 providers at a glance Provider Free allowance Card to start? Minimum to go paid **Serpent API** 10 searches (one-time) **No** **$10 deposit** Serper 2,500 credits (one-time) No $50 pack SerpApi 250 / month No $25 / month ScraperAPI 5,000 trial, then 1,000 / month No $49 / month Scrapingdog 200 credits (one-time) No $40 / month Apify $5 / month usage No $29 / month DataForSEO ~$1 trial credit only — **$50 deposit** Six of the seven let you create a working key with no credit card. DataForSEO is the outlier: a tiny registration trial credit, then a hard $50 deposit before you can really use it. And notice the right-hand column — the gap between Serpent API's $10 one-time deposit and everyone else's $25–$50 monthly subscription or pack is the real story for anyone starting small. ## Pick the right starting point - **Want the smallest possible first payment?** Serpent API — $10, once, no subscription. - **Want the biggest free sandbox before paying anything?** Serper (2,500) or ScraperAPI's 5,000-credit trial. - **Want free searches every month, forever?** SerpApi (250/mo) or ScraperAPI (1,000/mo). - **Already on the SEO-data stack and fine with a deposit?** DataForSEO — just budget the $50 minimum. ## Free tiers, compared honestly ![A developer testing a free SERP API tier before paying](https://apiserpent.com/blog/images/scrape-google-free-hero.jpg) "Free tier" means different things across these providers, and the shape matters more than the headline number: - **One-time sandbox** — Serpent API (10), Serper (2,500), Scrapingdog (200). You get a fixed allotment once, to kick the tyres. Serper's 2,500 is unusually generous for a one-time grant. - **Recurring monthly free** — SerpApi (250/month), ScraperAPI (1,000/month after a 5,000 trial), Apify ($5/month in platform usage). These are the closest thing to "free forever" for tiny workloads, because the allowance refills every cycle. - **Trial credit only** — DataForSEO (~$1 at registration). Enough to fire a few test calls, not enough to build on; the real start is the $50 deposit. If your goal is to run a genuinely small workload at zero cost indefinitely, a recurring allowance (SerpApi 250/mo, ScraperAPI 1,000/mo) beats a larger one-time grant. If your goal is a thorough pre-purchase test, the one-time sandboxes are bigger. For DIY routes that avoid a paid API entirely, we covered the realistic options in [free Google Search APIs, tested honestly](https://apiserpent.com/blog/free-google-search-api-tested) and [how to scrape a Google SERP for free](https://apiserpent.com/blog/scrape-google-serp-for-free). ## The minimum-deposit question (where it gets expensive to start) The free tier gets you testing; the _minimum to go paid_ decides how cheaply you can run a small but real workload. Ranked from lowest barrier up: Provider Smallest paid step Commitment **Serpent API** **$10** deposit None — one-time top-up SerpApi $25 / month Monthly subscription Apify $29 / month Monthly subscription Scrapingdog $40 / month Monthly subscription ScraperAPI $49 / month Monthly subscription Serper $50 pack None — prepaid pack DataForSEO $50 deposit None — prepaid balance Two things stand out. First, Serpent API is the only provider where you can move from free to paid for **$10**, and it is a deposit rather than a recurring bill — spend it whenever, top up when you want. Second, "no minimum subscription" is not the same as "cheap to start": Serper and DataForSEO have no monthly commitment but still ask for $50 up front. If protecting cash flow at the start matters, the deposit size and the commitment type both count. ## Card or no card? Requiring a credit card just to test is friction, and most of these providers have dropped it. Serpent API, Serper, SerpApi, Scrapingdog and Apify all let you generate a working key with no card. DataForSEO's flow centres on the $50 deposit rather than a free key. If "no card to try" is a hard requirement for you — common in regulated teams or quick proofs-of-concept — you have plenty of options here; DataForSEO is the one to plan around. ## So which should you start with? ![Comparison of SERP API free tiers and minimum deposits](https://apiserpent.com/blog/images/api-comparison.jpg) ### Start with Serpent API if… You want the lowest possible barrier — free to test with no card, then a $10 one-time deposit to go live across Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo and Brave, with credits that never expire. Best for solo devs, side projects and lean teams who hate subscriptions. ### Start with Serper or ScraperAPI if… You want the biggest free sandbox to validate thoroughly before paying. Serper's 2,500 one-time credits (Google-only) or ScraperAPI's 5,000-credit trial give you real room to test. ### Start with SerpApi if… You want a recurring free allowance and may need its long tail of engines later. 250 free searches a month, no card, and the broadest engine coverage if you grow into it. ### Start with DataForSEO if… You are already buying SEO data (backlinks, on-page, keyword volume) and the $50 deposit is a rounding error for you. The deposit never expires, so it is not wasted — just a higher entry step. Whichever you pick, keep your integration portable. These APIs are close enough in shape that a thin adapter lets you start on one free tier and move later without a rewrite — the full picture is in [Serpent API vs SerpApi vs DataForSEO vs Serper](https://apiserpent.com/blog/serpent-api-vs-serpapi-dataforseo-serper) and our [pricing comparison](https://apiserpent.com/blog/serp-api-pricing-comparison). ## Start free, pay $10 only when you're ready Serpent API has the lowest barrier of any SERP API in this test: 10 free Google searches with no credit card, then a one-time $10 deposit — no subscription, and credits that never expire. **Try it now, free.** [Start Free — 10 Searches, No Card](https://apiserpent.com/login) Explore: [Pricing](https://apiserpent.com/pricing) · [SERP API](https://apiserpent.com/serp-api) · [Cheapest SERP API 2026](https://apiserpent.com/blog/serp-api-pricing-comparison) ## FAQ ### Which SERP API has a free tier with no credit card? Serpent API (10 searches), Serper (2,500 credits), SerpApi (250/month), Scrapingdog (200 credits) and Apify ($5/month usage) all start with no card. DataForSEO has no standing free tier and requires a $50 deposit. ### Which SERP API has no minimum deposit? Serpent API has the lowest barrier at a $10 one-time deposit. DataForSEO and Serper both require $50; ScraperAPI, Scrapingdog and Apify start at monthly subscriptions. ### Does DataForSEO have a free tier? Only a small one-time registration trial credit (around $1). Production use requires a $50 minimum first deposit; there is no recurring free allowance. ### Which gives the most free searches? For a one-time sandbox, Serper (2,500) and ScraperAPI (5,000 trial). For recurring free, SerpApi (250/month) and ScraperAPI (1,000/month). ### Is there a truly free SERP API? No production-grade SERP API is unlimited and free, but recurring monthly allowances (SerpApi 250/mo, ScraperAPI 1,000/mo) come closest for tiny workloads. For DIY free routes, see our free Google Search API guide. ### What's the cheapest way to start? Test on a no-card free tier, then deposit only what you need. Serpent API's $10 minimum is the smallest step from free to paid, and it is a one-time top-up, not a subscription.