Locus product guide · Updated November 10, 2026

Rank tracking API options and how keyword checks are billed

The main rank tracking API options are SERP APIs such as DataForSEO, Serper and SerpApi, suites such as SE Ranking, and the free Google Search Console API. A SERP API shows where any domain ranks in Google for a keyword, location and device, and bills per results page or per search. Checking 500 keywords daily in the top 10 takes about 15,000 pages a month. SE Ranking includes a rank tracking API in plans from $129 a month. Search Console reports average position by query for your own site. Prices checked November 10, 2026.

What kinds of rank tracking API are there?

Three kinds, and they measure different things.

Live SERP checks: you fetch Google’s results for a keyword and find your domain’s position. Works for any domain, any location.
Rank databases: a vendor estimates which keywords a domain ranks for from its own crawls, such as DataForSEO Labs ranked keywords. Good for competitor research, less exact.
First-party data: Google Search Console reports the average position of your own verified site for each query.

What are the rank tracking API options?

Billing terms come from each vendor’s page, checked November 10, 2026.

What are the rank tracking API options?
Option	What it measures	How you pay	Catch
Google Search Console API	Average position, clicks and impressions for your verified site	Free	Returns top rows, not all data. Up to 25,000 rows per request.
DataForSEO SERP API	Live Google position for any domain	Per results page from a prepaid balance, in queued, priority or live mode	$50 minimum top-up. Each 10 results past the first page costs another page.
Serper	Google results as JSON	Prepaid query packs, cheaper per query in larger packs	Credits expire after 6 months
SerpApi	Google and other engines	Monthly plans by search volume	Monthly quota. Only successful searches count.
SE Ranking API	Daily positions, SERP features and history for tracked projects	Included in monthly plans. The Data API is pay as you go with prepaid credits.	Rank tracking runs through its Project API, tied to projects you set up in SE Ranking

How many checks does daily keyword tracking take?

Daily checks of the top 10 results take one SERP page per keyword per day, about 30 pages a month. Tracking the top 100 needs 10 pages per check on DataForSEO, since it bills each block of 10 results as a page. Multiply these counts by your vendor’s rate per page or per search to get the monthly bill.

How many checks does daily keyword tracking take?
Keywords checked daily	Pages a month, top 10	Pages a month, top 100
100	3,000	30,000
500	15,000	150,000
2,000	60,000	600,000

How is rank tracking billed through Locus Pro?

Per call, from one prepaid credit balance. A live Google check through DataForSEO is priced per 10 results, so a deeper check costs more. The endpoints below come from the Locus catalog on November 10, 2026.

Locus offers DataForSEO’s live checks but not its Standard queue, so a nightly tracker with hundreds of keywords can cost less with your own DataForSEO account and API key. Locus fits an agent that checks a few dozen keywords on demand, or mixes rank checks with keyword research and content work on one balance.

How is rank tracking billed through Locus Pro?
Locus endpoint	How it is priced	Use it for	Status
DataForSEO Google organic live	Per 10 results	Live position for any domain	Reviewed vendor
Serper search	Fixed price per search	Google results as JSON	Third-party listing, not reviewed
SerpApi search	Fixed price per search	Google and other engines	Third-party listing, not reviewed
DataForSEO Labs ranked keywords	Per task, set by the request	Keywords a domain ranks for, estimated	Reviewed, final charge from DataForSEO
DataForSEO Labs historical rank overview	Per task	Ranking and traffic history for a domain	Reviewed, priced by request

Why do rank tracking numbers disagree?

Two tools can both be right and still show different positions.

Location and device: a SERP check is one snapshot for one location code and device. Set both to match your audience.
Averages: Search Console reports average position across every impression, so it rarely matches a single snapshot.
SERP features: answer boxes and local packs shift what position 1 means. DataForSEO returns these features with each result.
Depth: a top-10 check cannot see a page ranked 37th. Raise depth, and cost, to see further.
Missing rows: Search Console returns top rows by clicks and does not promise every query.

How do I set up a rank check with an agent?

Give the agent your domain, keywords, location and device. Tell it: "Install Locus Pro by following https://paywithlocus.com/SKILL.md". Then ask: "Check where example.com ranks in the US on mobile for these 20 keywords and put the results in a table."

Plan on one call per keyword. The Free plan allows 5 tool calls a minute, so 20 keywords take about 4 minutes. Plus, at $20 a month with $20 of credits included, allows 15 a minute. Daily tracking of hundreds of keywords suits a scheduled script better than an agent chat.

Plans and limits

Which rank tracking API should I choose?

Pick by whose rankings you track and how often.

Your own site, free: the Search Console API.
Hundreds or thousands of keywords nightly: DataForSEO’s Standard queue.
Real-time checks inside an app: DataForSEO Live or Serper.
A full rank tracker with dashboards and history: an SE Ranking subscription.
An agent that checks a handful of keywords on demand: Locus Pro.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free rank tracking API?

For your own site, yes: the Google Search Console API is free and reports average position by query. For other domains, Serper gives 2,500 free queries and DataForSEO gives new accounts $1 of trial credit.

Can I track a competitor’s rankings by API?

Yes. A SERP API shows where any domain appears for a keyword. DataForSEO Labs also estimates every keyword a competitor ranks for from its own data.

Why does Search Console show a different position than a SERP API?

Search Console averages position across all impressions unless you filter by country or device. A SERP API returns one snapshot for one location and device.

How is checking the top 100 results billed?

By depth. DataForSEO bills results past the first page in blocks of 10, so one top-100 check counts as 10 pages. Through Locus Pro, a live check is also priced per 10 results.

Implementation references

Use these first-party references for current request contracts and account requirements. Tool availability, prices, and negotiated terms can change.

Sources

Third-party details were checked on November 10, 2026. Vendors change pricing and features often, so confirm on their site before you decide.