Why Everyone’s Talking About This

In early September 2025, Google quietly removed the num=100 parameter. For years, this setting allowed SEO and data teams to pull the top 100 search results in a single scrape. 

Now, that shortcut is gone. Instead of one scrape delivering 100 results, it takes 10 separate scrapes to collect the same data depth. Each scrape carries resource costs — and those costs ripple through to vendors and their customers.

This change has caused a scramble across the industry. Many vendors have already announced new pricing models or higher rates. If you’ve seen a surprise price increase from your current provider, this is why.

In this post, we’ll explain the change, what it means for your monitoring, and how Traject Data has prepared to keep your reporting reliable and your costs predictable.

What Changed: From One Pull to Ten

The removal of the num=100 parameter is a fundamental shift in how SERP data is collected.

• Before: One scrape = up to 100 results.
• Now: One scrape = 10 results. To get 100 results, you need 10 scrapes.

That means pulling deep SERP data now requires significantly more resources. Vendors who weren’t ready are scrambling to adjust their systems — and their billing.

The Industry Impact: Rising Costs and Surprised Customers

Across the SEO and data industry, providers are reacting in different ways:

• Some vendors have introduced per-page pricing, where each page of 10 results is billed separately.
• Others are raising rates outright to cover the added scraping overhead.
• Customers are reporting service interruptions or billing confusion as providers adapt.

For example, DataForSEO recently announced that their base rate now only covers the first 10 results. Each additional page (10 more results) is billed at 75% of the base rate. For customers who rely on full 100-result SERPs, that can mean paying close to 8× more than before.

The bottom line: if your provider wasn’t prepared, you’re likely feeling the impact already.

How Traject Data Responded: Stability First

At Traject Data, we anticipated this change earlier in the year and built safeguards into our systems. When Google removed the parameter, our customers were able to adjust their queries immediately and continue receiving results. Our systems were already prepared to handle the change.

Here’s what we’ve done:

• Pagination already built in: Our APIs automatically handle the new multi-scrape approach.
• Core monitoring remains stable: If your focus is on the top 10–20 results, your workflows continue as expected.
• Safeguards in place: Because of the new pagination, occasional anomalies like duplicate results are possible. We’ve built logic to minimize this and continue refining it.

By acting early, we ensured customers didn’t wake up without a solution already available to restore their reports and manage costs effectively.

Why Traject Data is Different

Google’s update hit the entire industry, but not every vendor handled it the same way. Here’s how we stand apart:

• Proactive, not reactive: We prepared months in advance so customers wouldn’t feel disruption.
• Predictable pricing: No surprise hikes. We provide flexible options for deeper SERP coverage when you need it.
• Built for scale: Our infrastructure delivers efficiencies that let us pass cost savings on to customers.
• Customer-first: Our focus is on keeping your workflows reliable and transparent — no hidden shifts, no sudden surprises.

What This Means for You

• If your monitoring needs focus on the top 10–20 results, your reporting is expected to remain consistent with no new costs.
• If you need deeper coverage (full SERPs, 50–100 results), we have options to keep your costs predictable and your analysis efficient.
• If you’ve recently experienced sudden price increases or unexpected billing changes with another provider, Traject Data offers a smarter, more stable alternative.

Conclusion & Call to Action

Google’s removal of the num=100 parameter has shaken the industry. Many vendors are scrambling to adjust — and passing the cost on to customers.

At Traject Data, we anticipated this shift and acted early. That means our customers have stability, foresight, and predictable pricing, even in the face of industry-wide change.

If you’re frustrated with sudden SERP price hikes, now is the time to explore a better path.

Contact us today to see how Traject Data can keep your monitoring reliable and your costs predictable.