Official docs on the API reference state that get_trends is accepted as an alias of get_time_series. Prefer get_time_series. The alias exists so an older client that still posts mode get_trends keeps working. It is not a fourth product. The HTTP call is still POST https://api.trendsapi.ai/api.
What the alias does
POST https://api.trendsapi.ai/api
Authorization: Bearer <api_key>
Content-Type: application/json
{"mode":"get_trends","source":"google search","keyword":"bitcoin"}
That body is equivalent to mode get_time_series with the same source and keyword. After the second parse, body is still an array of {date, value, keyword, source} points. volume appears when the source has it. The envelope is still {statusCode, body}.
Do not add percent_growth. Do not add type. Those fields belong to get_growth and get_top_trends.
What it does not change
Auth is still Authorization: Bearer <api_key>. A missing key is still 401. The alias does not bypass quota. Caps stay on pricing.
It does not turn a keyword series into a live board. type Google Trends remains a get_top_trends call.
Prefer the canonical name
The product MCP server at https://api.trendsapi.ai/mcp lists get_time_series, not get_trends. Official Python and JavaScript SDKs map to the three named modes. New samples in this site use get_time_series. Request shape for that mode is on get_time_series. How to parse body is on parse the body.