# Brave Search API + MCP vs Exa API + MCP (slim)

> Brave Search API + MCP has a score of 68.1 (B) against Exa API + MCP's 66.1 (B). Both do web search. The largest gap is agent ergonomics, 24 points. Exa API + MCP accepts x402. Brave Search API + MCP doesn't. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side by side.

- Full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/brave-search-mcp-vs-exa-mcp.md (~1,750 tokens) · this version ~380 tokens · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/brave-search-mcp-vs-exa-mcp.json · canonical https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/brave-search-mcp-vs-exa-mcp
- Index: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt · API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json · Updated: 2026-10-04

Brave Search API + MCP has a score of 68.1 (B) against Exa API + MCP's 66.1 (B). Both do web search. The largest gap is agent ergonomics, 24 points. Exa API + MCP accepts x402. Brave Search API + MCP doesn't.

- Brave Search API + MCP: B 68.1, rank #132 of 452 · https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/brave-search-mcp.min.md
- Exa API + MCP: B 66.1, rank #163 of 452 · https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/exa-mcp.min.md
- Pick Brave Search API + MCP for security & auth (+15), transparency & trust (+17). Pick Exa API + MCP for reliability (+12), schema & documentation (+14), agent ergonomics (+24), payments & pricing (+20).

| Category | Brave Search API + MCP | Exa API + MCP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability (16%) | 55 | 67 |
| Performance (10%) | pending | pending |
| Schema & documentation (13%) | 72 | 86 |
| Agent ergonomics (13%) | 72 | 96 |
| Security & auth (14%) | 58 | 43 |
| Payments & pricing (10%) | 70 | 90 |
| Task success (10%) | pending | pending |
| Maintenance & community (7%) | 87 | 88 |
| Transparency & trust (7%) | 82 | 65 |