If you are shopping for a Google Search API, you have likely come across Zenserp and Scale SERP. They are solid mid-market options, often positioning themselves as cheaper alternatives to SerpApi.
But in 2026, a new standard for affordability has emerged.
In this review, we compare SearchCans against these incumbents to see who truly offers the best value for developers and startups.
1. Zenserp: The “Enterprise Lite” Option
Zenserp positions itself on reliability and uptime. They offer features like “Location-based search” and “Image search”.
Pricing:
- Their “Small” plan starts around $29.99/month for 5,000 searches.
Cost per 1k
Approximately $6.00.
The Catch
Like many legacy providers, they use a monthly subscription model. If you have a slow month, your unused credits disappear.
Pros:
- Reliable uptime
- Good documentation
- Multiple search engines
Cons:
- High cost per request
- Subscription lock-in
- Credits expire
For a detailed breakdown of all SERP API pricing, see our comprehensive 2026 comparison.
2. Scale SERP: The Budget Incumbent
Scale SERP has long been a go-to for budget-conscious devs. They focus on infrastructure scalability.
Pricing:
- Generally cheaper than Zenserp, often starting at $5-10/month for small volumes.
The Catch
Rate limits on lower tiers can be restrictive for AI applications that need burst concurrency.
Pros:
- Lower entry price
- Decent performance
- Pay-as-you-go options
Cons:
- Rate limits on budget tiers
- Limited support
- Less comprehensive documentation
3. SearchCans: The 2026 Disruptor ($0.56/1k)
SearchCans was built to solve the “subscription fatigue” problem. We realized that for AI Agents and RAG applications, developers need massive volume without the massive monthly commitment.
Pricing:
- $0.56 per 1,000 searches. Period.
The Difference
That is 10x cheaper than Zenserp’s entry tier.
No Expiration
Our credits never expire. Buy them once, use them forever.
Features:
- Unlimited concurrent requests
- Google & Bing support
- Real-time results
- JSON response format
- Global location targeting
- No monthly commitments
Feature Comparison Matrix
| Feature | SearchCans | Zenserp | Scale SERP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing (per 1k) | $0.56 | ~$6.00 | ~$2.00 - $5.00 |
| Billing Model | Pay-As-You-Go | Subscription | Subscription |
| Rate Limits | Unlimited | Tiered | Tiered |
| Credits Expire | Never | Monthly | Varies |
| Output | JSON | JSON | JSON |
| Proxy Rotation | Included | Included | Included |
| Free Trial | 100 searches | Limited | Varies |
| Support | Email + Docs |
Cost Analysis: Real-World Scenarios
Scenario 1: Small Blog (1,000 searches/month)
SearchCans
$0.56
Zenserp
$29.99 (forced into monthly plan)
Scale SERP
~$5-10
Winner: SearchCans (96% cheaper than Zenserp)
Scenario 2: Growing Startup (50,000 searches/month)
SearchCans
$28
Zenserp
$150+ (need “Medium” plan)
Scale SERP
~$75-100
Winner: SearchCans (81% cheaper than Zenserp)
Scenario 3: Enterprise (1M searches/month)
SearchCans
$560
Zenserp
Custom pricing (likely $2,000+)
Scale SERP
~$1,000-1,500
Winner: SearchCans (70%+ cheaper)
Performance Comparison
We tested all three services with 1,000 concurrent requests:
| Metric | SearchCans | Zenserp | Scale SERP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Response Time | 1.2s | 1.5s | 1.8s |
| Success Rate | 99.8% | 99.5% | 98.9% |
| Rate Limit Errors | 0 | 0 | 12 (on budget tier) |
| Concurrent Limit | Unlimited | 100/sec | 50/sec (budget tier) |
API Quality Comparison
Response Format
All three provide JSON, but the structure varies:
SearchCans:
SearchCans Response Format
{
"code": 0,
"msg": "success",
"data": [
{
"title": "Example Result",
"url": "https://example.com",
"description": "Snippet text",
"rank": 1
}
]
}
Zenserp/Scale SERP: Similar structure but with different field names and nesting.
Documentation Quality
SearchCans
Clear, concise with code examples in multiple languages
Zenserp
Comprehensive but verbose
Scale SERP
Basic but functional
Use Case Recommendations
Choose SearchCans if:
- You want the lowest cost per request
- You need unlimited concurrency
- You prefer pay-as-you-go
- You’re building AI agents or RAG systems
- You want credits that never expire
Choose Zenserp if:
- You prefer established brands
- You need 24/7 phone support
- Cost is not a primary concern
- You want guaranteed SLAs
Choose Scale SERP if:
- You’re already in their ecosystem
- You need their specific features
- You qualify for their startup program
Migration from Zenserp/Scale SERP
Switching to SearchCans is straightforward:
1. Get Your API Key
Sign up at SearchCans.com
2. Update Your Code
Old (Zenserp):
Migration Code Example
response = requests.get(
"https://app.zenserp.com/api/v2/search",
params={"apikey": "...", "q": "test"}
)
New (SearchCans):
response = requests.get(
"https://www.searchcans.com/api/search",
params={"q": "test", "engine": "google", "num": 10},
headers={"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_KEY"}
)
3. Test & Deploy
Run parallel tests for a few days, then switch over.
For more integration examples, see our Python guide or Node.js tutorial.
Support & Reliability
SearchCans
Uptime
99.9% SLA
Support
Email support with 24h response time
Status Page
Public status monitoring
Documentation
Comprehensive guides
Competitors
Both Zenserp and Scale SERP offer similar support levels, with Zenserp providing slightly faster response times at higher price tiers.
Conclusion
If you prefer signing monthly contracts and paying for unused credits, Zenserp is a fine choice. But if you want maximum flexibility and the lowest price per request on the market, the choice is clear.
Switch to the API built for the modern stack. For more comparisons, check out our complete pricing analysis or explore our documentation.