switch402

SerpAPI Credits Explained (2026): Expired Searches, Early Renewal and Cost per Search

SerpAPI sells month-to-month search plans with a fixed monthly search allowance. Per serpapi.com/pricing (checked Nov 6, 2026), only successful searches count toward that allowance: cached, errored and failed searches do not, and returning 100 organic results costs the same one search as an empty result set. There is no separate JavaScript credit the way scraper APIs bill render=true; instead, optional speed modes multiply the whole plan price (Ludicrous Speed 2×, Ludicrous Speed Max 4×). Unused searches on a cancelled plan stay usable until the renewal date, then the plan does not renew — and there is no month-to-month rollover for leftover searches on the self-serve FAQ. When the bucket empties mid-cycle, Automatic Early Renewal (or a manual early renew) replenishes the full allowance, moves the renewal date and charges the plan price again. switch402's /v1/search is $0.008 per successful call with no plan; /v1/scrape is $0.008 per successful page ($0.003 on lite) if you need the page behind a result.

See also: Tavily credits explained · Web search API, pay per call · Exa vs Tavily pricing

  • 1 successful search = 1 credit

    Per SerpAPI's pricing FAQ, only successful searches count. Cached, errored and failed searches do not. The number of organic results does not change the cost: 100 results or an empty set both count as 1 search.

  • No JS multiplier — speed modes instead

    Unlike scraper APIs that charge more credits for JavaScript rendering, SerpAPI keeps one search per successful call. Optional speed modes multiply the plan price: Best Effort is included (1×), Ludicrous Speed is 2× and Ludicrous Speed Max is 4×.

  • Unused searches do not roll over

    On self-serve plans, leftover monthly searches are not described as rolling into the next cycle. If you cancel before renewal, remaining searches stay usable until the renewal date, then the plan stops. Downgrades move leftovers into an Extra Credits balance.

  • Running out means early renewal

    There is no small overage pack of extra searches on the public pricing page. Automatic Early Renewal or a manual early renew replenishes the full plan allowance, updates the renewal date and starts a new paid cycle — effectively another full plan charge that month.

SerpAPI plans vs switch402 /v1/search, as of Nov 6, 2026 (Best Effort)

SerpAPI planPrice / searches$ per search if fully usedswitch402 at that volumeCheaper when fully used
Free$0 / 250—$2.00SerpAPI free
Starter$25 / 1,000$0.025$8.00switch402
Developer$75 / 5,000$0.015$40.00switch402
Production$150 / 15,000$0.010$120.00switch402
Big Data$275 / 30,000$0.00917$240.00switch402
Searcher$725 / 100,000$0.00725$800.00SerpAPI
Volume$1,475 / 250,000$0.0059$2,000.00SerpAPI

Plain answer: even when you use 100% of Starter through Big Data, the published per-search rate is still above switch402's $0.008 ($0.025 down to about $0.009). Searcher ($0.00725) and Volume ($0.0059) cost less per search than switch402 once you actually use most of the pool — break-even vs $0.008 is 90,625 searches a month on Searcher and 184,375 on Volume. Below those volumes, or in a quiet month that still pays the plan, switch402 costs less because there is no monthly minimum. Ludicrous Speed doubles every SerpAPI plan price above. switch402 /v1/search returns up to 10 ranked results (title, URL, snippet); it is not a full SERP JSON parser and has no Legal Shield or ZeroTrace add-ons.

Sources, checked Nov 6, 2026: serpapi.com/pricing. Prices can change; check the source before you decide.

Example: 800 successful searches in a month on Starter still cost the full $25 ($0.03125 each). The same 800 on switch402 cost $6.40, and a month with no calls costs $0. If those 800 empty the Starter bucket and you renew early, you pay another $25 for a fresh 1,000.

Code example

Before: SerpAPI Google search, 1 successful search (curl)

curl -s "https://serpapi.com/search.json?engine=google&q=x402+payment&api_key=$SERPAPI_KEY"
# 1 successful search toward the monthly allowance; failed/cached do not count

After: switch402 web search, paid per call (JavaScript)

// npm i @x402/fetch @x402/evm viem
import { wrapFetchWithPaymentFromConfig } from '@x402/fetch'
import { ExactEvmScheme } from '@x402/evm'
import { privateKeyToAccount } from 'viem/accounts'

const account = privateKeyToAccount(process.env.AGENT_KEY)
const fetchWithPayment = wrapFetchWithPaymentFromConfig(fetch, {
  schemes: [{ network: 'eip155:8453', client: new ExactEvmScheme(account) }],
})

const res = await fetchWithPayment('https://api.switch402.com/v1/search', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json', 'User-Agent': 'my-agent/1.0' },
  body: JSON.stringify({ q: 'x402 payment', limit: 10 }),
})
const { results } = await res.json() // rank, title, url, snippet; $0.008, charged only on results

FAQ

Is switch402 web search live?
Yes. POST https://api.switch402.com/v1/search with {"q": "...", "limit": 10} returns up to 10 ranked results (title, URL, snippet) for $0.008 USDC on Base per call, paid over x402 and charged only when at least one result comes back. An unpaid call answers HTTP 402 with the exact terms.
How much does SerpAPI cost?
As of Nov 6, 2026, per serpapi.com/pricing: Free $0 (250 searches), Starter $25 (1,000), Developer $75 (5,000), Production $150 (15,000), Big Data $275 (30,000), Searcher $725 (100,000) and Volume $1,475 (250,000), with larger Cloud plans listed on the same page. Enterprise and custom volume are quoted separately. Ludicrous Speed multiplies the plan price by 2; Ludicrous Speed Max by 4.
Do SerpAPI credits expire?
Self-serve leftover searches are not described as rolling month to month on the pricing FAQ. If you cancel, remaining searches stay usable until the renewal date, then the plan does not renew. When you run out mid-cycle, early renewal charges the plan again for a full refill.
Does SerpAPI charge for JavaScript rendering?
No separate JS credit. One successful search is one credit regardless of how many organic results come back. Faster delivery is sold as speed modes that multiply the plan price, not extra credits per request.
Is SerpAPI cheaper than switch402?
At the top published volumes when you use most of the pool, yes: Searcher and Volume work out under $0.008 per search. On Starter through Big Data, the fully used per-search rate stays above $0.008, so switch402 costs less per search even at 100% use — and much less in a quiet month that still pays the plan. SerpAPI also ships full SERP JSON, geotargeting, Legal Shield and ZeroTrace on higher plans, which switch402 does not.
Where do these numbers come from?
SerpAPI's public pricing page (plans, search counts, successful-search rule, speed modes, upgrade/downgrade/cancel and Automatic Early Renewal FAQ), fetched Nov 6, 2026, plus switch402's live payment terms. Prices can change; check the source before you decide.

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