DataForSEO

SERP Data

Enterprise-grade SEO data APIs for building custom tools

Overview

DataForSEO positions itself as the infrastructure layer for SEO tools, providing raw data through APIs rather than a polished interface. Founded in 2017, the London-based company has built one of the most comprehensive SEO data ecosystems available, powering hundreds of third-party tools and agency dashboards. Unlike SERPApi which focuses primarily on search result scraping, DataForSEO offers the full spectrum of SEO data types needed to build complete analysis platforms.

The platform's strength lies in its breadth of data sources and developer-friendly approach. DataForSEO doesn't compete with end-user tools like Ahrefs or Semrush — instead, it supplies the underlying data that powers many competing platforms. This positioning has made it a go-to choice for agencies building custom reporting dashboards and entrepreneurs developing SEO SaaS products.

The company processes over 100 million API requests monthly across its suite of eight different APIs, from basic SERP data to complex domain authority calculations. Their infrastructure handles both real-time requests and bulk processing for large-scale SEO operations.

Score breakdown

Composite Score

38.5

#2 of 2 in SERP Data#17 of 508 overall

Feature Depth44.0

Ease of Use35.0

Data Quality10.0

Value for Money55.0

Integration75.0

Market Traction18.0

Our review

DataForSEO is a comprehensive SEO data API provider powering hundreds of SEO tools and agencies worldwide. It offers APIs for SERP tracking, keyword data, backlink analysis, on-page SEO, and domain analytics at scale with competitive pricing.

Pros

✓Comprehensive API covering all major SEO data categories
✓Highly competitive pay-as-you-go pricing
✓Real-time SERP data from 200+ Google locations
✓Powers many well-known SEO tools behind the scenes

Cons

—API-only — no visual dashboard for end users
—Requires technical integration skills
—Documentation has a learning curve

Best for

SEO tool builders needing reliable data APIsAgencies building custom SEO dashboardsEnterprise teams wanting raw SEO data at scale

Key features

SERP API

Real-time Google SERP data across 200+ locations with structured results including featured snippets, People Also Ask, and local packs.

Keywords Data API

Keyword difficulty, search volume, CPC data, and related keywords with monthly updates and historical trends.

Backlinks API

Complete backlink profiles with authority metrics, anchor text analysis, and referring domain data for any website.

On-Page API

Technical SEO auditing capabilities including page speed, meta tags, internal linking, and content analysis.

Domain Analytics API

Domain authority metrics, organic traffic estimates, and competitive positioning data across multiple search engines.

Merchant API

Google Shopping results, product data, and e-commerce SERP features for retail SEO analysis.

Pricing

Plan	Price	Includes
Free Tier	$0	100 free credits, basic SERP data, keyword data
Standard	$0.001-0.1 per request	All APIs, bulk processing, real-time data
Business	Volume discounts	Dedicated support, custom rate limits, priority processing
Enterprise	Custom pricing	White-label options, dedicated infrastructure, custom endpoints

Price verified 2025-02-01 · USDView vendor pricing

FAQ

How accurate is DataForSEO's SERP data compared to manual searches?

DataForSEO uses real browser environments and rotating IP addresses to collect SERP data, achieving 95%+ accuracy compared to manual searches. Results include geolocation-specific data and mobile/desktop variations.

What's the difference between DataForSEO and SERPApi?

DataForSEO offers broader SEO data beyond just SERP results, including backlinks, keyword difficulty, and domain metrics. SERPApi focuses primarily on SERP scraping with faster response times for basic search results.

Can I use DataForSEO to build a commercial SEO tool?

Yes, DataForSEO offers white-label licensing and reseller programs for agencies and tool builders. Enterprise plans include commercial usage rights and dedicated infrastructure.

How often is keyword difficulty data updated?

Keyword difficulty scores are updated monthly, with search volume data refreshed every 2-4 weeks. Real-time SERP data is available for current rankings and featured snippets.

Does DataForSEO support languages other than English?

Yes, DataForSEO supports 200+ locations and multiple languages including Spanish, French, German, and Japanese with localized search results and keyword data.

Capabilities

AI Visibility Metrics

✓Citation Tracking

✓Competitor Tracking

✓Position Ranking

✓Trend Tracking

✓Geo/Location Filter

✓Language Filter

✓Content Recommendations

—Crawler Analytics

✓Traffic Attribution

Content & Optimization

—Content Editor

—Content Generation

—Content Briefs

✓Content Audit

—Schema Generator

✓Site Audit

Entity SEO

—Entity Extraction

—Internal Linking

Traditional SEO

✓Keyword Rank Tracking

✓Local Rank Tracking

✓Mobile Rank Tracking

✓SERP Features Tracking

—Search Intent Classification

✓Keyword Difficulty

✓Keyword Research

✓Market Share Analysis

✓SERP HTML Archive

Technical & Integrations

✓API

✓Webhooks

✓CSV Export

—Chrome Extension

—WordPress Plugin

✓JS Library

✓Google Sheets

✓MCP Server

—Open Source

Deployment: cloud

Integrations

Zapiern8nPabblyLindy.aiGoogle SheetsMakePostmanAirtableChatGPTLangChain

Social Proof

Notable Customers

SamsungVodafoneAmazonAirbnbNeil Patel DigitalAdobeHubSpotOracle

Testimonials

“We have enjoyed working with DataForSEO. We can recommend it to any company that needs SEO related APIs. We have been satisfied with the speed, cost, and accuracy”
Kaspers Milbergs at On the Map Marketing

“DataForSEO have been great to work with right from the start. They offer a wide range of different APIs and are constantly adding to their offerings. They are always on hand to help with any questions or queries that we have. I would recommend to anyone looking for SEO data.”
Kieran Headley at theWebShed

How does DataForSEO compare?

vs serpapiCompare →

View all comparisons →

aiseo.is Score

38.5

#2 of 2 in SERP Data

Garrett SmithExpert reviewer

20+ yrs in SEO3+ yrs AI for SEO20K+ campaigns

Review Sentiment

G2★★★★½4.6 Capterra★★★★☆4.8

Overall★★★★½4.7

102 reviews across 2 sources

People love

+Comprehensive API suite covering SERP data, keywords, backlinks, and on-page analysis
+Pay-per-use pricing model is cost-effective for developers building custom SEO tools
+Reliable data quality with coverage across 200+ Google databases worldwide

Common complaints

–Requires development resources to implement — no user-facing dashboard included
–Documentation can be complex for non-technical users trying to integrate the API
–Some API endpoints have rate limits that can bottleneck high-volume data pulls

🟠Reddit sentiment

mixed

10 threads in SEO, bigseo, localseo

Pay-per-use pricing modelAPI-based service for SEO dataData accuracy comparisons with competitorsUsed for automation and workflow integration

“Use it and love it!!! Paying for what I need, when I need it fits me perfectly.”
r/SEO

“Look at where the DataForSEO pulls their data from. It pulls from Google, so if you feel the data Google provides in the Keyword Planner is...”
r/SEO

🔵𝕏 sentiment

positive

7 posts

AI integration with Claude/MCPCost-effective alternative to AhrefsRank tracking and backlink analysisSEO workflow automation

“I built an SEO consultant inside Claude Code... Claude connects to the same tools (@dataforseo or @ahrefs MCP)... builds your entire site map in 30 minutes. $3 in API calls via Ahrefs MCP or Data for SEO.”
@GaelBreton

“Claude x @dataforseo backlinks MCP is insane. Imagine how long this would have taken in the past.”
@simonch00

Last updated Feb 2026

Quick Facts

CategorySERP Data

Starting pricePay-per-use

Free tierNo

Free trialYes

EnterpriseAvailable

Founded2017

HQKyiv, Ukraine

StageBootstrapped

Websitedataforseo.com

LinkedInProfile ↗

Twitter@DataForSEO

Target Market

Industries

SEO software developmentdigital marketingecommercemarket research