> **For coding agents and LLMs:** This is one Social Fetch marketing page (markdown export). For API orientation start with [`/llms.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms.txt); for auth and crawl rules use [`/agents.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/agents.txt); for every operation use [`/llms-endpoints.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms-endpoints.txt). ## This page - **On-site (HTML):** - **Markdown (.mdx) URL:** --- # Social Fetch vs SerpApi SerpApi returns structured search engine results (Google and 80+ engines). Social Fetch returns structured social entities. Teams sometimes compare them because both deliver JSON over HTTP — that is where the similarity ends. ## At a glance | | Social Fetch | SerpApi | | --- | --- | --- | | Product shape | Social media data API | Search engine results API (80+ engines) | | Primary output | Profiles, posts, comments, transcripts… | Organic results, ads, knowledge panels, etc. | | Entry paid plan | $14 for 1k social credits (PAYG) | $25/mo for 1,000 searches (Starter) | | Billing model | Prepaid credits; packs never expire | Monthly search quota (no rollover on standard plans) | | Platforms / engines | 25 social platforms | Google, Bing, Baidu, Yahoo, and many more | | Best fit | Social enrichment and monitoring in apps | SEO, SERP tracking, search-powered features | ## Pricing (last verified 2026-07-21) **Monthly SERP seats vs prepaid social lookups.** SerpApi: Free ~250/mo; Starter $25/1k searches; Developer $75/5k; Production $150/15k. Monthly allotment, typically no rollover. Social Fetch Scale: $379/230k non-expiring social credits. Different units. | | Social Fetch | SerpApi | Note | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Free tier | 100 credits, no expiry | ~250 searches/month | | | Starter plan | $14 once for 1,000 social credits, no expiry | $25/mo for 1,000 searches, resets monthly | | | 5,000 units | ~$8.25 at Scale rate (social lookups) | $75/mo Developer plan (searches) | | | Unused quota | Stays on PAYG balance forever | Resets with the billing month | | | TikTok profile JSON | First-class route | Only if it appears in a SERP you parse | | | Google organic results JSON | Not our product center | Core product | | SerpApi pricing from serpapi.com/pricing and SerpApi plan docs (July 2026). Confirm current free-tier search counts and Enterprise on-demand rates before budgeting. ## Feature matrix | Feature | Social Fetch | SerpApi | | --- | --- | --- | | Synchronous REST JSON (no actor run polling) | Yes | Yes | | One API key for all platforms | Yes | Yes | | Unified schema across platforms | Yes | No | | Public OpenAPI specification | Yes | Yes | | Official TypeScript SDK | Yes | Yes | | Interactive API playground | Yes | Yes | | TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Reddit, X in one vendor | Yes | No | | Pay-as-you-go without required monthly subscription | Yes | Partial | | PAYG credits never expire | Yes | No | | Web fetch (markdown/HTML) in same product | Yes | No | | Scheduled account / feed monitors | Yes | No | | Signed webhooks when watched accounts post | Yes | No | ## SERP JSON is not social JSON SerpApi's job is to make search engine result pages machine-readable: rankings, ads, local packs, shopping results, across many engines and locales. That powers SEO tools, price monitors, and "what does Google show for this query?" features. Social Fetch's job is public social entities: a TikTok profile, an Instagram post, a LinkedIn company, a YouTube transcript. You do not get that reliably by scraping Google results for the handle and hoping. If a vendor comparison chart puts both under "data APIs," ignore the chart and look at the response schema. ## Why the two 'Starter' plans aren't comparable SerpApi's Starter is $25/mo for 1,000 searches that reset every billing period. Social Fetch's Starter is $14 once for 1,000 social credits that never expire. They are not even priced the same, and the unit economics still favor us: a cheaper entry price on top of credits that never disappear. SerpApi is priced for steady SEO workloads that refill every month. Social Fetch is priced for product traffic that spikes when you launch and goes quiet when you do not. ## When teams accidentally compare them Sometimes a PM says "just search Google for the creator" instead of calling a social API. That can work for a demo. It fails when you need follower counts, comment threads, Ad Library rows, or 25-platform coverage with stable fields. SerpApi remains the better buy for actual SERP products. Social Fetch remains the better buy for social entity products. The mistake is forcing one API to do the other's job. ## Where they win SerpApi is mature, documented, and deep on search engines in a way Social Fetch will not match. If search results are the product, buy SerpApi (or a cheaper SERP specialist if Google-only and price-sensitive). We win when the roadmap mentions TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Reddit entities — not when it mentions ranking positions. ## When SerpApi is the better choice - You need Google/Bing/Baidu/Yahoo SERP JSON as the product - SEO rank tracking, SERP feature extraction, or multi-engine search is the workload - Monthly search volume is predictable and fits a SerpApi tier - You need SerpApi's breadth of engines and locales ## When Social Fetch is the better choice - You need social profiles, posts, comments, or transcripts - PAYG social credits beat monthly SERP seats for your traffic shape - Multi-platform social coverage (25 platforms) - Product UX hydrates creators/brands, not search rankings ## Verdict: Search results API vs social data API SerpApi and Social Fetch both return JSON, but the similarity ends there — SerpApi starts at $25/mo, Social Fetch starts at $14 one-time. Buy SerpApi for SERPs. Buy Social Fetch for social entities. Using Google results as a substitute for a TikTok profile API is a prototype trick, not a production architecture. ## FAQ ### Can SerpApi get Instagram follower counts? Only indirectly if a search result happens to expose them. SerpApi is not a social profile API. Use Social Fetch (or another social vendor) for follower fields. ### Can Social Fetch replace SerpApi for SEO? No. We are not a multi-engine SERP provider. Use SerpApi or a SERP specialist for rankings and search features. ### Which is cheaper? For searches, compare SerpApi to other SERP vendors. For social lookups, compare Social Fetch to other social APIs. Cross-category $/1k comparisons are meaningless. ### Do SerpApi searches roll over? Standard monthly plans generally do not roll unused searches. Social Fetch PAYG pack credits never expire. ### Can I use both? Yes — and many products should. SerpApi for search monitoring; Social Fetch for social graph entities inside the same app.