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Most buyers should pick YepAPI.
Choose YepAPI if your app needs SEO or SERP data, scraping, social and e-commerce data, or a mix of those with AI models behind one usage-billed API. Its $5 signup credit and published per-call examples make initial cost checks easier. Choose ZenMux if your workload is primarily AI inference and you want one gateway compatible with OpenAI, Anthropic and Google Vertex AI protocols, plus dashboards, routing and provider failover. Check model pricing before committing.
01Side by side
| YepAPI | ZenMux | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per-call billing; no subscriptions or monthly minimums | Metered calls; subscription prices not published |
| Free access | $5 signup credit; no card required | Grok 4.5 marked free to try |
| API and SDKs | JSON API for data endpoints and AI models | OpenAI, Anthropic, and Vertex AI-compatible APIs |
| CLI and docs | Docs, llms.txt, MCP server, and agent skills | Agent skills and an npx install command |
| Integrations | Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and MCP | OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Vertex AI protocols |
| Deployment model | Hosted API with usage-based billing | Hosted gateway with usage-based billing |
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Limits and scaling | No rate limits | Provider failover when upstream rate limits hit |
YepAPI Choose YepAPI if
- Choose YepAPI if you need SEO, SERP, scraping, or social data APIs.
- Choose YepAPI if one API key across data and AI endpoints fits your stack.
- Choose YepAPI if per-call prices and a $5 signup credit help you start.
ZenMux Choose ZenMux if
- Choose ZenMux if your application mainly calls AI models.
- Choose ZenMux if OpenAI, Anthropic, or Vertex AI protocol compatibility matters.
- Choose ZenMux if model routing, usage dashboards, and provider failover fit your needs.
02Pricing at real usage
YepAPI uses prepaid, usage-based billing with no subscriptions or monthly minimums. The homepage prices Google SERP at $0.01 per call and keyword overview from $0.03; the pricing page lists failed calls as free and no rate limits. Its $5 signup credit is usable without a card. Your bill grows with calls and other metered units, but there is no seat or monthly fee listed.
ZenMux describes per-call metered billing and promotes 5% off the service fee on top-up. Its pricing page publishes no monthly or annual prices, so check the cost of your intended models and service fee before routing production traffic. The homepage labels Grok 4.5 free to try; treat that as a model offer, not a published account-wide free plan. Neither product has a published subscription price to compare.
03API, SDKs and integration
YepAPI is a hosted API with POST endpoints and JSON responses. The homepage shows calls for keyword data, Google SERP results, scraping, and AI media generation, all using one API key. The docs include an llms.txt file, and the homepage points to an MCP server and agent skills. It also names Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex as integrations. The homepage does not name language-specific SDKs, so check the docs before planning around a particular client library.
ZenMux puts multiple AI model providers behind one gateway. Its API is compatible with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Vertex AI protocols, and its web GUI supports chat, image, and video generation. The homepage also lists usage dashboards, model routing, and provider failover. ZenMux offers agent skills installed with npx skills add ZenMux/skills. Neither homepage names language-specific SDKs; verify the precise endpoints and request formats in the API docs before switching an existing client.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Neither vendor publishes an open-source license or self-hosting option on its homepage. Both products are presented as hosted services: YepAPI exposes a metered API, while ZenMux provides a gateway to models from official providers or authorized cloud partners.
The vendors do not document data-export procedures on their homepages. Before adopting either service, ask what request logs and usage records you can export, how long data is retained, and what happens to prepaid balances or account data when you leave. Migration effort depends on what you use: YepAPI combines data endpoints and model calls behind its own API, while ZenMux targets compatibility with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Vertex AI protocols. Compatibility can reduce client changes, but does not establish that model behavior, routing, billing, or provider-specific features will transfer unchanged.
Questions people ask
Is YepAPI cheaper than ZenMux?
YepAPI publishes some endpoint prices, including Google SERP at $0.01 per call, and offers $5 in signup credit. ZenMux describes metered billing but does not publish monthly or annual subscription prices in its pricing details. Compare the actual models and endpoints your application will call before deciding which costs less.
Which is better for SEO and scraping APIs?
YepAPI is the fit for those workloads: it lists keyword, backlink, domain, Google results, local listing, and web-scraping endpoints. ZenMux is positioned as an AI model gateway, with model access, routing, and provider failover rather than SEO or scraping data APIs.
Can I use ZenMux with an OpenAI-compatible client?
ZenMux says its API is compatible with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Vertex AI protocols. Confirm the exact endpoint, authentication, request fields, and model names in its docs before switching a production client; protocol compatibility alone does not guarantee identical model behavior.
Can I self-host YepAPI or ZenMux?
Neither vendor publishes a self-hosting option on its homepage. Both are presented as hosted services: YepAPI as a usage-billed API and ZenMux as a model gateway. If self-hosting or a specific open-source license is a requirement, ask the vendor before building around the service.