Keyword Search Volume & CPC – DataForSEO API

Get keyword search volume, cost per click (CPC), competition and a 12-month trend from Google Ads data for thousands of keywords in one run. This bulk keyword volume checker uses your own DataForSEO API login, so you pay DataForSEO's wholesale rate directly instead of a reseller's mark-up, plus $2 per 1,000 keywords here.

What it does

• Sends your keyword list to DataForSEO's Google Ads search_volume/live endpoint in batches of 1,000 keywords per request.
• Returns one row per keyword: monthly search volume, CPC, competition (LOW/MEDIUM/HIGH and a 0–100 index), low and high top-of-page bids, and the month-by-month trend.
• Cleans the list first: lowercases, trims, removes duplicates, and flags keywords DataForSEO would reject (over 80 characters or 10 words) without charging for them.
• Works for any DataForSEO location and language (country, region or city).
• Saves a SUMMARY record with the number of requests and the DataForSEO cost the run put on your account.

Typical uses: sizing keyword lists for SEO and PPC plans, refreshing volumes in a content calendar, pricing keywords for client proposals.

How to use

1. Create a DataForSEO account and copy the API login and password from Dashboard → API Access.
2. Paste your keywords, one per line.
3. Enter the login and password (secret inputs, stored encrypted by Apify and used only for this run).
4. Pick a location code (2840 = United States) or a full location name, and a language code.
5. Run, then export the dataset as CSV, Excel or JSON, or call the Actor through the Apify API from your own scripts.

Without credentials the run is a free preview: it checks and cleans the keyword list and makes no API calls.

Input

Field	Description
keywords	Keywords, one per line (required).
dataforseoLogin, dataforseoPassword	Your DataForSEO API credentials (secret fields).
locationCode / locationName	DataForSEO location, e.g. 2840 or "London,England,United Kingdom".
languageCode	e.g. en, es, de.
includeMonthlySearches	Add the monthly trend (default on).
dateFrom, dateTo	Optional trend window (yyyy-mm-dd).
searchPartners	Include Google search partners.

{
  "keywords": ["running shoes", "trail running shoes", "marathon training plan"],
  "dataforseoLogin": "you@example.com",
  "dataforseoPassword": "••••••",
  "locationCode": 2840,
  "languageCode": "en"
}

Output

One row per keyword (illustrative values):

{
  "keyword": "running shoes",
  "status": "ok",
  "searchVolume": 201000,
  "cpc": 1.12,
  "competition": "HIGH",
  "competitionIndex": 100,
  "lowTopOfPageBid": 0.71,
  "highTopOfPageBid": 2.43,
  "locationCode": 2840,
  "languageCode": "en",
  "monthlySearches": [{ "year": 2026, "month": 9, "searchVolume": 233160 }]
}

Rows with status missing_credentials, invalid_keyword, no_data or error explain what went wrong and are free.

Pricing

Event	Price	Per 1,000	Charged when
keyword	$0.002	$2.00	DataForSEO returns a row for the keyword

A keyword is charged when DataForSEO returns a row for it, including rows where Google reports no volume (searchVolume: null). Keywords DataForSEO returns nothing for, rejected keywords and failed requests are free.

How much does it cost to check keyword search volume?

• 1,000 keywords: $2.00 here, plus DataForSEO's own fee on your DataForSEO account (it bills per request of up to 1,000 keywords; the example request in its documentation cost $0.075).
• 10,000 keywords: $20.00 here, plus about ten DataForSEO requests.
• Apify adds its standard small run-start fee.

Set a maximum cost per run in the run options: the Actor checks it before saving each keyword and stops before going over it.

FAQ

Why bring my own DataForSEO account?

Keyword volume Actors that resell the data have to charge for it. Here DataForSEO bills you its wholesale price directly and this Actor charges only for the work of running it.

Can I try it without credentials?

Yes. Without a login and password the run is free: it shows the cleaned keyword list and flags keywords DataForSEO would reject.

Is this the same data as Google Keyword Planner?

It is Google Ads keyword planning data, supplied by DataForSEO's Google Ads endpoint. Google groups close variants, so near-duplicates can show the same numbers.

Are my DataForSEO credentials safe?

They are secret inputs, encrypted by Apify, sent only to DataForSEO, and never logged or written to the dataset.

Limits

• DataForSEO allows 12 requests per minute on Google Ads Live endpoints; the Actor sends one request every 5 seconds, so 1,000 keywords take one request and 100,000 keywords take about 8.5 minutes.
• Keywords longer than 80 characters or 10 words are rejected by DataForSEO and flagged here for free.
• Google Ads groups close variants; DataForSEO may return the same figures for near-duplicates.
• The trend cannot include the current month.

Data source

• DataForSEO Keywords Data API, Google Ads Search Volume (Live): https://docs.dataforseo.com/v3/keywords_data/google_ads/search_volume/live/ — read on 2026-10-14 (endpoint, Basic auth, 1,000 keywords per task, 80-character and 10-word limits, 12 requests per minute, per-request billing).
• The data is Google Ads keyword planning data supplied by DataForSEO under your own DataForSEO agreement; this Actor does not resell it.

Privacy

Only your keyword list and credentials are processed. Credentials are used for this run's requests and never logged or stored by the Actor.

Support

Open an issue on the Actor's Issues tab; issues are answered within a few days and fixed within 14 days.