When Perplexity Sonar API credits get wiped without warning, production pipelines break. An r/ComplexWebScraping user praised HasData because the API never drops. Reliability matters. Five APIs ranked by uptime and predictability.
Top Pick
Scavio offers prepaid credits with no reported wipe incidents, consistent response times, and HTTPS-only transport.
Full Ranking
#1
Scavio
Predictable prepaid credits, no surprise charges
Pros
- No credit wipe incidents reported
- Consistent 2-5s response times
- HTTPS-only, encrypted keys
Cons
- Newer service, shorter track record
#2
DataForSEO
Enterprise-grade SERP reliability
Pros
- Long track record
- Scheduled task queues
- SLA available
Cons
- Complex API surface
- Google-focused
#3
HasData
No-drop web scraping API
Pros
- Users report high uptime
- 40 API endpoints
- Enterprise tier with 50 concurrency
Cons
- Smaller vendor
- Scraping-focused, not search-API-shaped
#4
SerpAPI
Long track record (if lawsuit resolves)
Pros
- Years of operational history
- US Legal Shield included
Cons
- Active Google DMCA lawsuit
- Lawsuit resolution uncertain
#5
Bright Data
Enterprise infrastructure reliability
Pros
- Enterprise-grade infrastructure
- Failed requests not billed
- Free async collection
Cons
- Enterprise pricing
- Complex onboarding
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Scavio | Runner-up | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit/billing reliability | Prepaid, no wipes | PAYG, stable | Prepaid (HasData) |
| Response consistency | 2-5 seconds | 1-3 seconds | Varies |
| Track record | Newer | Years (DataForSEO) | Years (SerpAPI) |
| SLA available | Enterprise tier | Yes | Contact sales |
Why Scavio Wins
- DataForSEO and SerpAPI have longer operational track records. For teams that prioritize years of uptime history, these are safer bets.
- HasData users report the API never drops — a strong anecdotal signal. For web scraping reliability specifically, HasData is worth evaluating.
- The Sonar credit-wipe incident shows that even well-known APIs can have billing reliability issues. Prepaid credit models (Scavio, Tavily) reduce this risk.
- Bright Data's enterprise infrastructure is genuinely the most reliable at scale, but the pricing and onboarding complexity make it overkill for most teams.
- Uptime is necessary but not sufficient. Response consistency (2-5s every time vs occasional 30s timeouts) matters more for agent pipelines than five-nines uptime.