# SerpApi alternative Google results, paid per search. Compare SerpApi with three search APIs you can call through TaskFuel. Choose Google results or an independent index, then pay for the request you need. The worked example uses Serper. Search1API and Brave are also available through TaskFuel from the same balance. Provider in the worked example: Serper via Orthogonal. Price shown for this route: 0.2¢ per search. ## Compare SerpApi and its alternatives. TaskFuel provides access to the providers below. SerpApi and direct Serper accounts are included for context. We publish this comparison and sell access through TaskFuel. Search API options, billing and trade-offs. Prices as of 30 October 2026. | Option | Price and billing | Strength | Good to know | Available through TaskFuel | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | SerpApi (Direct provider account) | $25 / month. Monthly search allowance. 1,000 searches included. Free plan: 250 searches/month. | A broad set of search-engine and specialised SERP endpoints. | Keep it if your integration depends on its fields, SDKs or engine-specific features. | No | | Serper (Direct provider account) | $50 / top-up. Prepaid provider credits. 50,000 credits; credits valid for six months. | Google results for a steady volume of searches. | You buy a provider credit pack and manage that account separately. | No | | Serper (Via Orthogonal) | $0.002 / search. Per call from your TaskFuel balance. Google web search, 5 results, US / English. | Google web results for an occasional agent research task. | This price covers the tested web-search tool. | Yes | | Search1API (Google search tool) | $0.003 / search. Per call from your TaskFuel balance. Google, 5 results, no page crawling. | Choose a search engine in the request. The example uses Google. | This price excludes optional result-page crawling. | Yes | | Brave Search (Via Locus) | $0.035 / search. Per call from your TaskFuel balance. Brave web search, 5 results, US / English. | Web results from an independent index. | It ranks results with its own index, so results differ from Google’s. | Yes | - [SerpApi: provider reference](https://serpapi.com/pricing). Checked 2026-10-30. - [Serper: provider reference](https://serper.dev/). Checked 2026-10-30. - [Serper: provider reference](https://serper.dev/). Checked 2026-10-30. - [Search1API: provider reference](https://s1.dev/). Checked 2026-10-30. - [Brave Search: provider reference](https://brave.com/search/api/). Checked 2026-10-30. ## What it can do ### Search Google with Serper Return ranked titles, links and snippets. Our test requested five results in US English. Price: $0.002 / search. ### Choose an engine with Search1API Request Google or another documented engine. This comparison prices five Google results with page crawling turned off. Price: $0.003 / search. ### Search the Brave index Return results from Brave’s independent index. Use it when you want a different source of web rankings. Price: $0.035 / search. ## A real example Tested on 2026-10-30 through Serper via Orthogonal. We asked for the official Stripe Checkout quickstart. One paid Google search returned five links, including the hosted and embedded checkout guides. Your agent asked: Find the official Stripe Checkout quickstart on docs.stripe.com Returned in this test: - Results returned: 5 - First result: Build a Stripe-hosted checkout page - Source URL: https://docs.stripe.com/checkout/quickstart - Also returned: Embed a checkout page in your site Charged in this test: $0.002. One Google search returning five results in US English. The response held titles, links and snippets. ## Try the API request Use your TaskFuel API key as TASKFUEL_API_KEY in your terminal or server. Keep it out of browser code. ### 1. Check the price This request checks the price without paying. These are the exact inputs used for the test below. Quote again before executing; the displayed test charge is historical. ```sh curl --fail-with-body https://app.taskfuel.ai/v1/call \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TASKFUEL_API_KEY" \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ --data-binary @- <<'TASKFUEL_REQUEST' { "url": "https://mpp.orthogonal.com/serper/search", "method": "POST", "body": { "q": "site:docs.stripe.com checkout quickstart", "num": 5, "gl": "us", "hl": "en" }, "dryRun": true } TASKFUEL_REQUEST ``` ### 2. Run the request Review amount_usd in the quote. To pay and run, change dryRun to false and add maxAmountUsd with that approved amount inside the same JSON object. Keep the inputs unchanged; this limit applies to one call. ### 3. Read the result Read organic for the ranked results. Each returned entry in our test had a title, link, snippet and position. Fetching the linked pages is a separate operation. [Setup and API reference](https://taskfuel.ai/docs/) · [Job polling and timeout recovery](https://app.taskfuel.ai/using.md) ## Connect your agent Read the [setup guide](https://taskfuel.ai/docs/setup/) and choose the connection your agent supports. Use one TaskFuel account and prepaid balance. Inspect the provider and request quote before a paid call, then review the returned response and recorded charge. ## When to use it ### Start with Serper through TaskFuel. Choose the Google search tool when you need a few source links inside an agent task and already use a TaskFuel balance. ### Choose the engine your task needs. Search1API exposes an engine choice. Brave searches its own index. Compare actual results before changing your research workflow. ### Pay for one search, not a plan. One Google search for five links cost $0.002 in our test, billed from your TaskFuel balance with no monthly allowance to use up. ## Questions ### What is a useful SerpApi alternative for an AI agent? For Google web results, Serper through TaskFuel is one option. Search1API offers a documented engine choice, and Brave uses an independent index. Pick the tool that returns the fields your task needs; there is no single best option for every search. ### Can I use SerpApi itself through TaskFuel? SerpApi is the direct-provider reference on this page. The providers available through TaskFuel here are Serper, Search1API and Brave, all paid from one TaskFuel balance. ### Is this a drop-in replacement for the SerpApi API? Your agent can switch between them, but each provider has its own inputs and response format, so it adapts the request and parsing. ### Does SerpApi have a free plan? SerpApi lists 250 searches per month on its Free plan, checked 30 October 2026. Its Starter plan lists $25 per month for 1,000 searches. If the free plan covers your needs, it may be enough. ### Should I buy Serper directly or use TaskFuel? Serper lists a $50 top-up for 50,000 credits, valid for six months, as published 30 October 2026. Direct purchase may suit steady search volume. Through TaskFuel you use supported providers alongside other paid tools from one balance, and our test search cost $0.002 on 30 October 2026. Your agent shows the price for your own request before it pays. ### Do these search calls return the full webpage? The Serper example returns titles, links and snippets. Fetch the source page separately when you need its full text. Search1API offers optional result crawling, which is excluded from the price shown here and can add cost. ### What do I need to connect? Connect your existing agent to a TaskFuel account with a balance. Your agent pays from that balance, so there is nothing else to sign up for. The direct SerpApi and Serper options use their own accounts. ## Related tool guides - [Compare Tavily alternatives for source excerpts](https://taskfuel.ai/tools/tavily-alternative/) - [Extract full pages after finding them in search](https://taskfuel.ai/tools/extract-webpage/) - [Compare Firecrawl alternatives for reading the source pages](https://taskfuel.ai/tools/firecrawl-alternative/) - [Search public posts alongside the web](https://taskfuel.ai/tools/x-search/) - [Inspect metadata for a result URL](https://taskfuel.ai/tools/url-metadata/) ## Reference - [Read this guide on the website](https://taskfuel.ai/tools/serpapi-alternative/). - [Browse providers and capabilities](https://taskfuel.ai/catalog/). - [Pricing](https://taskfuel.ai/pricing/). - [Agent instructions](https://taskfuel.ai/llms.txt).