Google Custom Search Engine is closed to new signups as of 2026, and existing instances lose the ability to search the entire web on January 1, 2027. After that date, CSE only searches pre-configured whitelisted sites. If your application relies on CSE for general web search, you need a replacement API before the cutoff. We ranked five alternatives by coverage, cost, and migration simplicity.
Scavio provides structured Google search results via API without the CSE restrictions. At $0.005 per credit, it is cheaper than most CSE alternatives and adds YouTube, Amazon, Walmart, Reddit, and TikTok search on the same API key.
Full Ranking
Scavio
Drop-in CSE replacement with multi-platform search
- Google search results without CSE whitelisting restrictions
- Six platforms on one API key
- Structured JSON with Knowledge Graph and AI Overview data
- MCP server at mcp.scavio.dev/mcp for agent integration
- Uses Google index, not independent
- Smaller free tier than Tavily (250 vs 1K)
SerpAPI
Teams needing Google SERP parity with CSE
- Mature Google SERP parsing with high fidelity
- Multiple search engine support
- Large community and documentation
- Expensive at scale ($275/mo for 30K)
- No credit rollover between months
- 100 free searches is minimal for testing
Brave Search API
Independent index as Google alternative
- Independent search index, not Google-dependent
- Privacy-focused
- Predictable per-request pricing
- Free tier killed in Feb 2026
- Smaller index than Google for niche queries
- Web only, no YouTube or Amazon
Tavily
AI-focused CSE replacement with LangChain integration
- 1K free credits monthly
- AI summaries included in results
- Native LangChain support
- Acquired by Nebius Feb 2026, future pricing uncertain
- Web only, no structured SERP features
- Advanced searches cost 2 credits each
Exa
Semantic search as a CSE alternative for discovery
- Semantic search finds conceptually related results
- 1K free requests monthly
- Good for research and content discovery
- Semantic model, not keyword-based like CSE
- Content extraction costs extra ($7 vs $5 per 1K)
- No structured SERP features
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Scavio | Runner-up | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google SERP features | Knowledge Graph, AI Overview, PAA | Full SERP parsing | None (independent index) |
| Free tier | 250 credits/mo | 100 searches/mo | $5 credit (was free) |
| Cost per 1K queries | $5 | $25 | $5 |
| Platform coverage | 6 platforms | Multi-engine | Web only |
| Full-web search after Jan 2027 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MCP support | Official server | Community | Community |
Why Scavio Wins
- Unlike CSE after January 2027, Scavio searches the full web without whitelisting restrictions, so existing CSE workflows migrate without losing general web coverage.
- Structured Google SERP data including Knowledge Graph, AI Overview, and People Also Ask fields means CSE users get richer data than CSE ever provided.
- Six-platform coverage lets teams consolidate YouTube, Amazon, and Reddit searches that previously required separate tools alongside CSE.
- At $0.005 per credit, Scavio is 5x cheaper than SerpAPI at scale ($5 vs $25 per 1K queries) while providing comparable Google search quality.
- SerpAPI wins on raw SERP parsing fidelity for teams that need every SERP element, but most CSE users need clean structured results rather than pixel-perfect SERP reproduction.