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GoogleMapsAPI.io vs SerpApi · ValueSERP · ScaleSERP

$29/mo vs $75/mo
entry plan ($0.20–$0.50/1K places vs $15/1K calls).

SerpApi is a general-purpose search engine scraper that charges $75/month for just 5,000 searches ($15.00 per 1,000 requests), bills per request even when only a handful of places are returned, and lacks website email enrichment. GoogleMapsAPI.io is purpose-built for Google Maps intelligence—delivering up to 100 places per call at $0.20–$0.50 per 1,000 places, plus non-expiring Pay-As-You-Go packs from $10.

Cost per 1,000 Google Maps Business Records (with Phone, Website & Hours)

GoogleMapsAPI.io (Business $0.20 · Base $0.50)$0.20 – $0.50
Official Google Places API (Text Search Pro + Contact SKU)$32.00

$1.00 = 10,000 Credits (5 Credits / place). Empty search results (0 matches) cost 0 Credits. Crypto top-ups automatically include +5% Bonus Credits.

Side-by-side comparison.

GoogleMapsAPI.io compared with SerpApi, Official Google Places, and Outscraper
CapabilityGoogleMapsAPI.ioserpapi.comOfficial Google PlacesOutscraper
Entry pricing$10 PAYG or $29/mo (350,000 Credits)$75/mo (5,000 searches)$32.00 / 1,000 calls$2.85 / 1,000 places
Cost for 100,000 Google Maps places$20 – $50 total$75+ (requires 5,000+ paginated calls)$3,200+$100 – $285
Billing unitPer returned record (0 Credits if empty)Per HTTP request (even if 1 result)Per HTTP request + FieldMask SKUsPer returned record
Website email & social link extractionBuilt-in (/v1/leads/enrich)Not availableNot availablePaid add-on
Non-expiring Pay-As-You-Go creditsYes ($10 / $50 / $100 / $500)No (credits expire every 30 days)NoYes

Competitor pricing verified from public pricing pages as of November 2026. Actual costs may vary based on plan tier, concurrency add-ons, and overage rates. All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners. GoogleMapsAPI.io rates: $0.20 / 1K places (Business), $0.25 / 1K places (Pro), $0.50 / 1K places (Base PAYG).

Why engineering teams switch from SerpApi.

Stop Paying $0.015 for Sparse or Empty Map Viewport Calls

When scanning a geographic grid with SerpApi (engine=google_maps), every single coordinate check costs 1 full search credit ($0.015)—even if the viewport is over a residential area with 0 or 2 businesses. GoogleMapsAPI.io charges strictly per returned business record (and 0 Credits when a viewport returns 0 results).

Up to 100 Places per Request Instead of 20

SerpApi forces you to paginate 20 results at a time using start=0, 20, 40, burning 5 API calls to retrieve 100 places. GoogleMapsAPI.io returns up to 100 places in a single /v1/places/search or /v1/places/nearby call.

Enrich Decision-Maker Emails Without a Second Vendor

SerpApi stops at the raw SERP HTML. GoogleMapsAPI.io includes /v1/leads/enrich to extract verified emails and social media handles directly from the business's domain.

Switch from SerpApi engine=google_maps to GoogleMapsAPI.io

Replace SerpApi's generic search endpoint with dedicated, typed Google Maps routes:

Before (SerpApi — $75/mo for 5,000 calls, 20 results/call)
import requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://serpapi.com/search.json",
    params={
        "engine": "google_maps",
        "q": "plumbers in Chicago",
        "ll": "@41.8781,-87.6298,14z",
        "api_key": "serpapi_secret_key",
    },
)
places = res.json().get("local_results", [])
After (GoogleMapsAPI.io — Up to 100 Places/Call + E.164 Phone & Domain)
import requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://api.googlemapsapi.io/v1/places/nearby",
    headers={"x-api-key": "gm_live_your_api_key"},
    params={
        "q": "plumbers",
        "lat": 41.8781,
        "lng": -87.6298,
        "zoom": 14,
        "limit": 100,
    },
)
places = res.json()["data"]

Interactive Engineering Workbench · Benchmark vs SerpApi

Verify real-time latency, credit math & JSON schema

5,000 places/day
5,000 reviews/day
500 domains/day
HTTP Calls / Day
600
Up to 100 items/call
Credit Unit
$1 = 10,000
Unified across 8 routes
Empty Result Fee
0 Credits
$0.00 for 0 matches
Estimated Monthly Pipeline Cost (30 Days)
$54.00/ mo on Business ($76.95 on Pro)
Monthly consumption: 1,350,000 Credits (45,000 Credits/day)
GoogleMapsAPI.io (Business $0.20/1K):$54.00 / mo
Official Google Places API ($32/1K):$5175.00 / mo
Empty search / unfound email fee:$0.00 (0 Credits)

Frequently asked questions

Do my credits expire at the end of the month like SerpApi?
Pay-As-You-Go credit packs ($10, $50, $100, $500) never expire. Monthly subscription plans grant high-volume bonus credits (+20% to +150%) for teams with recurring monthly pipelines.
Does GoogleMapsAPI.io support Google Maps Reviews like SerpApi's google_maps_reviews engine?
Yes. Call GET /v1/places/reviews?place_id=...&sort=newest&limit=100 at 2 Credits ($0.00008–$0.0002) per review—up to 90% cheaper than SerpApi.

Test it against SerpApi for free.

Every new account receives 2,000 free Credits immediately — no card required.