Credits & Billing
The SerpWatch API uses a credit-based system. Each API call consumes credits based on the endpoint type and request parameters.
How Credits Work
Credits are deducted when you make API requests. The cost varies by endpoint and the complexity of the request. Credits are deducted at the time of request, not when results are delivered.
Failed Requests
If a task fails due to a system error (not invalid input), credits are automatically refunded to your account within 24 hours. Client errors like invalid parameters or authentication failures are not refunded.
Credit Costs
Here's what each endpoint type costs in credits:
SERP Endpoints
| Endpoint | Base Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google SERP (v1) | 1 credit | Top 10 results |
| Google SERP (v2) - depth 10 | 1 credit | Top 10 results |
| Google SERP (v2) - depth 20 | 1 credit | Top 20 results |
| Google SERP (v2) - depth 50 | 5 credits | Top 50 results |
| Google SERP (v2) - depth 100 | 10 credits | Top 100 results |
| Bing SERP | 1 credit | Top 10 results |
| Yahoo SERP | 1 credit | Top 10 results |
Keyword Endpoints
| Endpoint | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword Search Volume | 1 credit per keyword | Submit multiple keywords in one request |
| Keyword Ideas | 1 credit | Per request (up to 10 seeds) |
| Autocomplete Suggest | 1 credit | Per request |
Cost Examples
Here are some common usage scenarios and their credit costs:
| Scenario | Calculation | Total Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Track 100 keywords (top 10) | 100 × 1 credit | 100 credits |
| Track 100 keywords (top 50) | 100 × 5 credits | 500 credits |
| Track 100 keywords (top 100) | 100 × 10 credits | 1,000 credits |
| Track 50 keywords × 5 locations | 250 × 1 credit | 250 credits |
| Get search volume for 500 keywords | 500 × 1 credit | 500 credits |
| Research 10 seed keywords | 1 × 1 credit | 1 credit |
Checking Your Usage
Check your current credit usage with the usage endpoint:
curl "https://engine.v2.serpwatch.io/api/v1/common/usage" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $SERPWATCH_API_KEY"Response
{
"limit": 90000,
"usage": 14232,
"remaining": 75768
}Response Fields
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
limit |
integer | Total credit allocation for your plan |
usage |
integer | Credits used in current billing period |
remaining |
integer | Credits remaining (limit - usage) |
Low Balance Handling
When credits are exhausted, API requests return a 402 Payment Required
error. Build your integration to handle this gracefully by checking your usage
before large batch operations.