n8n workflow automation relies on search API nodes to power SEO monitoring, lead generation, and content research automations. The best search node returns structured JSON via the HTTP Request node at predictable pricing. Scavio API is the top search data source for n8n workflows at $0.005/query with simple HTTP integration.
Scavio API integrates into n8n via a single HTTP Request node with POST to api.scavio.dev and an x-api-key header, providing multi-platform search data at $0.005/query for any n8n automation.
Full Ranking
Scavio API (HTTP Request)
Most cost-effective multi-platform search for n8n workflows
- $0.005/query for 6 platforms
- Simple HTTP Request node setup
- JSON output maps directly to n8n data
- Free 250/mo for workflow testing
- No dedicated n8n community node
- Requires HTTP Request node configuration
- No n8n template gallery integration
- 250 free/mo limits complex workflow testing
SerpAPI (HTTP Request)
Most comprehensive Google SERP data for n8n rank tracking
- Best Google SERP feature extraction
- Simple GET request in n8n
- Free 250/mo
- Well-documented for integration
- $25/mo for 1K is expensive in n8n automations
- Google-focused
- No marketplace data
- Higher per-query cost limits automation frequency
Google Custom Search API
Official Google search for n8n with highest daily free limit
- Official Google data
- Free 100 queries/day
- Simple REST API
- Programmable search engine customization
- 100/day free limit constrains n8n workflows
- Limited to 10 results per query
- No SERP features or AI overview data
- No marketplace or social data
Brave Search API (HTTP Request)
Independent search data for n8n without Google dependency
- Independent search index
- Simple REST API for n8n
- Web, news, and image search
- Predictable pricing
- No free tier, CC required
- Smaller index
- No marketplace data
- Limited SERP feature data
Exa (HTTP Request)
Neural search for n8n content research and discovery workflows
- Neural search for content quality
- Free 1K/month
- Content extraction in response
- Good for research n8n workflows
- $7/1K at scale
- Different output than traditional SERP
- Not suited for rank tracking
- Web content only
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Scavio | Runner-up | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per 1K queries | $5 | $25 | $5 |
| n8n integration method | HTTP Request (POST) | HTTP Request (GET) | HTTP Request (GET) |
| Platforms in n8n workflow | 6 platforms | Google-focused | Google only |
| Free tier | 250/mo | 250/mo | 100/day (3K/mo) |
| Setup complexity in n8n | Low (1 HTTP node) | Low (1 HTTP node) | Low (1 HTTP node) |
| JSON quality for n8n | Clean, consistent | Clean, detailed | Simple, limited |
Why Scavio Wins
- One HTTP Request node in n8n provides Google, Amazon, YouTube, Walmart, Reddit, and TikTok data at $0.005/query, simplifying multi-platform automation workflows
- At $5/1K queries, n8n automations running hourly SERP checks cost a fraction of SerpAPI's $25/1K or Exa's $7/1K
- SerpAPI wins for n8n workflows that need the most detailed Google SERP feature extraction and are willing to pay 5x more per query
- Google Custom Search wins for n8n workflows that stay under 100 queries/day and only need basic Google results
- Scavio has no dedicated n8n community node; teams wanting drag-and-drop integration need to use the HTTP Request node with manual configuration