SerpApi vs Context.dev for AI agents
SerpApi is an API that scrapes and parses Google and other search engines into 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
- SerpApi: Structured results from many search engines and verticals, including Google Maps and Shopping, through one API.
- Context.dev: One credit pool for search, scraping and extraction, with page Markdown attached to results.
Side by side
| SerpApi | Context.dev | |
|---|---|---|
| Searches | Google (many verticals) plus Bing, Baidu, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, Yandex, Naver, Brave, and sites like Amazon, eBay, YouTube, Walmart, Tripadvisor. | Ranked web results (the provider does not name the engine; its country option maps to Google's gl parameter). |
| Returns | Structured JSON (or Markdown): organic results, maps and local results, shopping, direct answers, knowledge graph, with links, addresses, prices, ratings and reviews. | 10 to 100 results with URL, title and snippet; optional page Markdown or relevant passages per result. |
| Before the first call | An account and an API key. | An account and API key (Bearer); no card for the free tier. |
| Free | 250 searches a month. | 1,000 credits a month, no credit card (search costs 1 credit per 10 results). |
| Paid | $25/month for 1,000 searches (Starter); only successful searches count. | 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 | Not stated on its pages | Terms bar systematically retrieving data from the service to compile a database without written permission. |
| AI in its terms | Not stated on its pages | 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.serpapi.com/mcp (code: https://github.com/serpapi/serpapi-mcp) | Official MCP server: https://mcp.context.dev/mcp (OAuth or API key) |
Questions people ask
What do I need before I can use SerpApi?
An account and an API key.
Is SerpApi free?
250 searches a month.
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.
SerpApi, read on October 15, 2026:
- serpapi.com/pricing: “Only successful searches are counted toward your monthly searches. Cached, errored, and failed searches are not.”
- serpapi.com: “Regular organic results are available as well as Maps, Local, Stories, Shopping, Direct Answer, and Knowledge Graph.”
- github.com/serpapi/serpapi-mcp: “A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server implementation that integrates with SerpApi”
- serpapi.com/pricing: “Free $ 0 / month Get Started 250 searches per month”
- serpapi.com/pricing: “Starter $ 25 / month Get Started 1,000 searches per month”
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”