Guide
Last updated October 19, 2026
DataForSEO alternative: MCP for SEO, $20 to start
Fig gives your agent the same kind of SEO data through an MCP for SEO; you can start for $20 instead of DataForSEO’s $50 minimum; Fig’s live data comes from DataForSEO. Pick Fig if you want your agent to run the research. Pick DataForSEO directly if you’ll build on the API.
Give this to your agent
Set up Fig - https://figaeo.com/llms.txt
Fig vs DataForSEO at a glance
| Fig | DataForSEO | |
|---|---|---|
| First payment | Start with $20 prepaid credits at Checkout. | DataForSEO’s pricing page states that the minimum payment amount is $50. |
| Setup | GitHub or Google sign-in. The agent calls hosted tools. No API keys. | DataForSEO API keys: the API login and password from API access, passed as credentials to your own client. |
| Works inside | The agent chat you already use, over an MCP for SEO. | Your application, pipeline, or product on the REST API. |
| Data | Keywords, SERPs, backlinks, and local listings; research_ai_visibility for observed mentions on Google AI and ChatGPT. | Broad keyword and SERP APIs, plus On-Page, Merchant, and more. AI Optimization API (LLM Mentions): separate API, you build it. |
Is Fig cheaper than DataForSEO?
Fig costs less to start: $20 at Checkout versus DataForSEO’s $50 minimum payment. Fig’s live lookups use the same DataForSEO data, so per-lookup cost is close—you pay for an MCP for SEO, hosted tools, and skills.
If you will run high volume yourself and own the integration, DataForSEO direct can make sense. If you want your agent to finish the research in chat, Fig is the smaller first step.
What an MCP for SEO does
An MCP for SEO is a hosted tool server your agent calls over Streamable HTTP. Connect https://figaeo.com/mcp after GitHub or Google sign-in. The agent invokes lookups—get_serp, suggest_keywords, backlinks, local results, research_ai_visibility—while you stay in the editor or terminal. When prepaid credits run low, the agent returns a short pay link and you approve Checkout.
Fig uses prepaid credits. Checkout starts at $10, but $20 is recommended to improve your SEO and AEO. Your agent spends the balance on live lookups and asks you to approve Checkout again when it needs more.
FAQ
Is Fig a DataForSEO alternative? For agents, yes. Fig is an MCP for SEO that returns the same kind of live keyword, SERP, and backlink data, sourced from DataForSEO, without you operating the REST API yourself.
What is the cheapest way to try DataForSEO data? Start Fig with $20 prepaid credits for hosted lookups in your agent, or use DataForSEO’s public trial credit and sandbox if you are building on the API. This page compares the first paid top-up ($20 versus $50), not free trials.
Do I need an API key? For Fig, sign in with GitHub or Google and connect the MCP for SEO—no API keys in your agent config. For DataForSEO direct, you use the API login and password from API access in your own client.