Linkup vs Context.dev for AI agents
Linkup is a web search API for AI that returns ranked URLs, a sourced answer, or structured JSON. Context.dev is a web data API for AI agents (scrape, search, crawl, extract) whose search endpoint can return page content with each result.
The short answer
- Linkup: Grounding answers with sources under European (EU) legal terms, with a cheap standard tier.
- Context.dev: One credit pool for search, scraping and extraction, with page Markdown attached to results.
Side by side
| Linkup | Context.dev | |
|---|---|---|
| Searches | Linkup's own index of the web (it offers to run the full index inside a customer's cloud). | Ranked web results (the provider does not name the engine; its country option maps to Google's gl parameter). |
| Returns | Ranked search results, or a sourced answer, or structured JSON to a schema you supply. | 10 to 100 results with URL, title and snippet; optional page Markdown or relevant passages per result. |
| Before the first call | A free account and API key; or pay per request in USDC via x402 with no account. | An account and API key (Bearer); no card for the free tier. |
| Free | $20 credit at sign-up with a professional email, topped back up to $20 each month for eligible accounts (about 4,000 standard searches). | 1,000 credits a month, no credit card (search costs 1 credit per 10 results). |
| Paid | $0.005 a standard search; $0.05 a deep search. | Developer plan $19/month for 7,500 credits; overage $2.20 per 1,000 credits. |
| Acting on a result | Through the web page each result links to | Through the web page each result links to |
| Limits on keeping or showing results | Open web content may be kept only as long as needed for text-and-data-mining purposes (EU exception). | Terms bar systematically retrieving data from the service to compile a database without written permission. |
| AI in its terms | Answers are for internal use only, not for resale or acting as a wrapper of the API; Linkup may use client data, including prompts, to train its service. | Context.dev may use customer data to train and improve its machine-learning models, unless a separate no-training agreement applies. |
| MCP server | Official MCP server: https://mcp.linkup.so/mcp (code: https://github.com/LinkupPlatform/linkup-mcp-server) | Official MCP server: https://mcp.context.dev/mcp (OAuth or API key) |
Questions people ask
What do I need before I can use Linkup?
A free account and API key; or pay per request in USDC via x402 with no account.
Is Linkup free?
$20 credit at sign-up with a professional email, topped back up to $20 each month for eligible accounts (about 4,000 standard searches).
What do I need before I can use Context.dev?
An account and API key (Bearer); no card for the free tier.
Is Context.dev free?
1,000 credits a month, no credit card (search costs 1 credit per 10 results).
Sources
Every line about another company comes from its own pages. Prices and terms change, so check the source before you rely on one.
Linkup, read on October 15, 2026:
- docs.linkup.so/pages/documentation/development/pricing: “We will top up eligible accounts back to $20 each month.”
- docs.linkup.so/pages/documentation/development/pricing: “When you first sign up with a professional email address, your account is automatically credited with $20.”
- linkup.so/pricing: “Run 4,000 queries for free.”
- docs.linkup.so/pages/documentation/get-started/introduction: “Query → ranked URLs, sourced answer, or structured JSON”
- docs.linkup.so/pages/documentation/get-started/introduction: “the full Linkup index runs inside your VPC and queries never leave your environment”
- docs.linkup.so/pages/documentation/development/authentication: “pay per request in USDC, no account needed”
- linkup.so/terms-of-use: “retain Open Web Content for as long as is necessary for the purposes of text and data mining only”
- linkup.so/terms-of-use: “acting as a wrapper of the Linkup APIs”
- linkup.so/terms-of-use: “training and improving the Linkup Solution”
- docs.linkup.so/pages/integrations/mcp/mcp: “https://mcp.linkup.so/mcp”
- docs.linkup.so/pages/documentation/development/pricing: “"flash" / "fast" / "standard" "searchResults" $0.005”
- docs.linkup.so/pages/documentation/development/pricing: “"deep" "searchResults" $0.05”
Context.dev, read on October 15, 2026:
- context.dev/pricing: “Start with 1,000 free credits/mo, no credit card required.”
- context.dev/pricing: “Web and news search cost 1 credit per 10 results.”
- docs.context.dev/api-reference/web-scraping/search: “Search the web and optionally return page content or relevant passages with each result.”
- docs.context.dev/api-reference/web-scraping/search: “Number of results to request and return (10–100). Defaults to 10.”
- context.dev/terms: “Systematically retrieve data or other content from the Services to create or compile”
- context.dev/terms: “Context.dev may use Customer IP to train and improve the machine learning”
- docs.context.dev/install-mcp: “https://mcp.context.dev/mcp”
- context.dev/pricing: “$19 /month Start building 7,500 credits per month”