# DataForSEO vs Majestic API

> DataForSEO scores 64.9 (B) to Majestic's 33.4 (F) for keyword data. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-majestic
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-majestic.md (~2,450 tokens)
- Slim: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-majestic.min.md (~730 tokens, same facts, less prose, for token-sensitive contexts)
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-majestic.json (this page as data, same URL with Accept: application/json)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (full text: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- Updated: 2026-10-09

DataForSEO scores 64.9 (B) on agent readiness against Majestic API's 33.4 (F), and leads in every scored category. Both do keyword data.

- DataForSEO: grade B, 64.9/100, rank #333 of 950. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/dataforseo.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/dataforseo.json
- Majestic API: grade F, 33.4/100, rank #937 of 950. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/majestic.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/majestic.json
- Best SEO and search visibility data for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/seo/index.md
- All 45 seo comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/seo/index.md

## Which one, for what

### DataForSEO (B)

Good for: Agents and products that need raw SEO data in bulk at a low unit price, across SERPs, keyword volumes, backlinks, ranked keywords and traffic estimates, and that can work with a task queue.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 84 against 17
- Schema & documentation, 86 against 44
- Agent ergonomics, 84 against 54
- Security & auth, 45 against 32
- Payments & pricing, 40 against 15
- Maintenance & community, 82 against 22
- Transparency & trust, 74 against 53

Also in its favour:
- Runs on your own machine

Watch for: The REST API takes one account-wide login and password over HTTP Basic, with no scopes or read-only credential

### Majestic API (F)

Good for: An agent that needs backlink, referring domain, anchor text and Trust Flow data in volume for an owner who already pays for the API plan.

Also in its favour:
- No incidents deducted, where DataForSEO loses 6 points for them

Watch for: Clause 14.1(f) of the supply terms forbids querying Majestic's database or servers with automated tools without prior permission. This matters before any probe is run


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | DataForSEO | Majestic API | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 84 | 17 | DataForSEO +67 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 86 | 44 | DataForSEO +42 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 84 | 54 | DataForSEO +30 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 45 | 32 | DataForSEO +13 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 40 | 15 | DataForSEO +25 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 82 | 22 | DataForSEO +60 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 74 | 53 | DataForSEO +21 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | -6 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **64.9 · B** | **33.4 · F** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | DataForSEO | Majestic API |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |
| Vendor | DataForSEO OÜ | Majestic (Majestic-12 Limited) |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://api.dataforseo.com/v3/` | `https://api.majestic.com` |
| Transports | HTTP, Streamable HTTP, stdio | HTTP |
| Auth | OAuth or key | API key |
| Pricing | Pay per use | Paid |
| Price for keyword data | $0.06 per call | not published |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | Proprietary service under DataForSEO's terms of service. The MCP server is Apache-2.0 and the Python client is MIT | Proprietary service under Majestic's Terms and Conditions. The Python 3 connector on GitHub carries a BSD-style licence file |
| Tools exposed | 4 | none |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | yes | yes |
| Last release | 2026-10-06 | none |
| Terms last updated | 2026-06-12 | no date given |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-07-24 | 2026-04-01 |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict automated access | not found in the text | yes |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | yes |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Popularity | 251 stars, 32k npm/wk, 50k PyPI/wk | 3 stars |

## Verdicts

**DataForSEO.** Per-request prices are public for every endpoint, a $1 credit and a free sandbox need no payment, and the status feed shows no incident since 15 June 2026. The REST API accepts one account-wide login and password with no scopes, and no SLA or security certification was found in the reviewed pages.

**Majestic API.** Each command's cost in units is published and a sandbox endpoint returns sample data without spending allowance. API access starts at $399.99 a month with no trial, and no OpenAPI file, status page, numeric rate limit, SLA or API changelog was found. The supply terms require permission before querying with automated tools.

## Before you call either

### DataForSEO

1. Check `status_code` on the response and on every task. HTTP 200 is returned for most errors, and 20000 or 20100 means success
2. Append `.ai` to Live and Task GET paths to get the trimmed response. The MCP `api_request` tool does this unless `noAiMode` is true
3. Build against https://sandbox.dataforseo.com/v3/ first. It is free and returns dummy data in the production structure
4. Use the standard queue (`task_post`, then `task_get` or a `postback_url`) for bulk work. Live Google Ads endpoints allow 12 requests a minute
5. Ask the account owner to set daily cost limits and an IP whitelist, since the credentials carry the whole prepaid balance

### Majestic API

1. Send requests by HTTPS POST with `app_api_key` in the body. The docs show GET URLs for demonstration only and plain HTTP still works
2. Always set `datasource=fresh` or `datasource=historic`. Without it the Historic Index is used when the plan includes it
3. Call `GetSubscriptionInfo` (no cost) before a large pull. `GetBackLinkData` spends 5,000 analysis units a call plus one retrieval unit a row
4. Read columns by header name, not position. The docs say column order can change between requests and Majestic may vary rows and columns at any time
5. Develop against `https://developer.majestic.com/api/json`, which costs no units, then switch the host to `api.majestic.com`
6. Ask the owner to confirm Majestic's permission for automated querying first. Clause 14.1(f) of the terms requires it

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, DataForSEO or Majestic API?

DataForSEO scores 64.9 (B) on agent readiness against Majestic API's 33.4 (F), and leads in every scored category.

### Do DataForSEO and Majestic API need an API key?

DataForSEO takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in. Majestic API needs an API key.

### Can an agent call DataForSEO and Majestic API without installing anything?

Yes. DataForSEO has a hosted endpoint at https://api.dataforseo.com/v3/ and Majestic API at https://api.majestic.com.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-majestic.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-majestic.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "dataforseo", "b": "majestic"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare dataforseo majestic`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/dataforseo.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/majestic.json

## Other comparisons with DataForSEO or Majestic API

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- [Ahrefs vs Majestic API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ahrefs-vs-majestic.md)
- [DataForSEO vs Google Search Console API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-google-search-console.md)
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- [DataForSEO vs Moz API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dataforseo-vs-moz-api.md)
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- [Google Search Console API vs Majestic API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/google-search-console-vs-majestic.md)
- [Keywords Everywhere API + MCP vs Majestic API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/keywords-everywhere-vs-majestic.md)
- [Majestic API vs Similarweb](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/majestic-vs-similarweb.md)
- [Majestic API vs Manifold](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/majestic-vs-manifold-mcp.md)
- [Majestic API vs Moz API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/majestic-vs-moz-api.md)
- [Majestic API vs SE Ranking API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/majestic-vs-se-ranking.md)
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