The affordable Linkup alternative
Serpex is a web search API for AI agents that returns search results and the full page content behind them as LLM-ready markdown in a single request. Linkup is a web search API for AI agents with a standard and a deep search mode. Linkup lists $5.00 – $6.00 per 1,000 searches; Serpex lists $0.50 – $0.80 — about 10× lower.
Pricing verified against Linkup’s public pricing page on 2026-10-01. Source. Prices change — check theirs before deciding.
Pricing compared
| Serpex | Linkup | |
|---|---|---|
| Search, per 1,000 | $0.50 – $0.80 | $5.00 – $6.00 |
| Page content | Included on the same request | A separate Fetch endpoint at $1 to $11 per 1,000 pages, depending on JavaScript rendering and mode. Deep search is a different thing again, at $50 to $55 per 1,000 queries |
| Search + content, 10 results, per 1,000 | $3.00 – $4.80 | $15 and up, depending on Fetch mode |
| Free tier | 200 free credits on signup, no card required | $20 of credit on signup with a professional email, topped back up to $20 each month for eligible accounts |
Where Serpex is different
- Roughly 8× lower cost per standard search
- Page content included on the same request instead of a pricier separate mode
Where Linkup is the better choice
- Deep search mode does substantially more retrieval work per query than a standard search
- A $20 credit topped back up each month for eligible accounts is a real free tier, not a trial
- Licensed premium content partnerships we do not have
Pick Linkup if you need their licensed premium sources, or your workload is low enough to live inside the renewing free credit.
What the Serpex request looks like
One call returns the results and the page content behind them. There is no second request to orchestrate.
curl -X POST https://api.serpex.dev/api/search \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $SERPEX_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"query": "how does retrieval augmented generation work",
"include_content": true,
"content_results": 5
}'We have the answers
Find answers to the most common questions about our pricing, API and features.
Is Serpex cheaper than Linkup?
Yes. Linkup lists $5.00 – $6.00 per 1,000 search requests. Serpex lists $0.50 – $0.80 per 1,000 — roughly 10× lower at list price. Verified against their public pricing page on 2026-10-01.
What is the main difference between Serpex and Linkup?
Linkup is a web search API for AI agents with a standard and a deep search mode. Serpex returns search results and the full page content behind them as LLM-ready markdown in a single API call, which is the difference that matters for most retrieval pipelines.
When should I use Linkup instead of Serpex?
You need their licensed premium sources, or your workload is low enough to live inside the renewing free credit.
Can I get both search results and page content in one request?
With Serpex, yes — set include_content on a normal search call and each result comes back with the page converted to markdown. That costs $3.00 – $4.80 per 1,000 requests for 10 results with content, against roughly $15 and up, depending on Fetch mode for the equivalent on Linkup.
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Contact support (opens in a new tab)Try it against your own queries
Free credits on signup, no card required. Compare the output with Linkup on the queries you actually run.