{ "data": { "a": { "slug": "exa-mcp", "name": "Exa API + MCP", "vendor": "Exa", "vendorUrl": "https://exa.ai", "kind": "mcp", "category": "search", "summary": "Exa's REST API over its own web index, with the official MCP server in front of it.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/exa-mcp", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/exa-mcp.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/exa-mcp.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/exa-mcp.json", "dns": "exa-mcp.grade.anchorterminal.com", "repo": "https://github.com/exa-labs/exa-mcp-server", "license": "MIT", "transports": [ "stdio", "streamable-http", "http" ], "remoteUrl": "https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp", "packages": [ { "registry": "npm", "name": "exa-js" }, { "registry": "pypi", "name": "exa-py" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "exa-mcp-server" } ], "auth": "mixed", "authNotes": "API key as `Authorization: Bearer` or `x-api-key` header, created at dashboard.exa.ai. POST /search and /contents also accept an x402 `PAYMENT-SIGNATURE` header instead of a key. MCP server: Anonymous use with rate limits; optional API key via ?exaApiKey=, Authorization: Bearer or x-api-key header; OAuth login at https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp?login.", "pricing": "freemium", "pricingNotes": "$10 free credit a month (resets on the 1st) plus a one-time $10 sign-up bonus, no payment method required. Pay as you go per 1,000 requests, lite search $4, auto $7, deep-lite and deep $12, each with up to 10 results and $1 per 1,000 extra results. Legacy types keep their prices, instant $4, fast $7, deep-reasoning $15. Contents $1 per 1,000 pages per content type, answer $5 per 1,000, monitors $15 per 1,000. Agent API $0.012 to $1.00 a run by effort, ultra usage-based. Dynamic Highlights and the 19 October index additions at no extra charge. Enterprise volume pricing by quote (https://exa.ai/pricing).", "priceSummary": "$0.007 / call", "where": "both", "x402": { "level": "yes", "evidence": "Official 'Pay with x402' guide. POST /search and /contents accept x402 with USDC on Arc, Base (eip155:8453), World Chain or Solana, including Circle Gateway nanopayments, and the guide prices `lite` at $0.004 a request. An unpaid POST /search returned 402 on 2026-09-30; the guide was re-read on 2026-10-21 without a probe (https://exa.ai/docs/integrations/payments/x402/quickstart.md)", "endpoints": [ { "url": "https://api.exa.ai/search", "priceUsd": 0.007, "network": "eip155:8453" }, { "url": "https://api.exa.ai/contents", "priceUsd": 0.001, "network": "eip155:8453" } ] }, "toolCount": 4, "popularity": { "githubStars": 4900, "npmWeekly": 1076635, "pypiWeekly": 1406207, "asOf": "2026-09-30" }, "docsUrl": "https://exa.ai/docs", "llmsTxt": "https://exa.ai/docs/llms.txt", "openapi": "https://exa.ai/docs/exa-spec.yaml", "registryName": "ai.exa/exa", "capabilities": [ "web.search", "web.fetch", "web.extract", "search.answer", "search.research", "search.news" ], "tags": [ "official", "hosted", "local", "open-source", "x402", "freemium", "llms-txt", "no-card", "openapi", "python", "typescript", "enterprise", "webhooks", "mcp" ], "lastRelease": "2026-10-30", "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 67.8, "grade": "B", "agentReady": false, "rank": 304, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 1510, "categoryRank": 8, "methodology": "0.7", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 96, "maintenance": 88, "payments": 90, "reliability": 77, "schema": 86, "security": 43, "transparency": 61 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "medium", "date": "2026-11-01" }, "negative": -9, "negativeNotes": [ "2026-04-15. Exa's own fix (#292) says Agnost analytics on the hosted MCP captured headers, query parameters and full URLs from every request and sent them to api.agnost.ai, which leaked user API keys passed as `x-api-key` or `?exaApiKey=`. Fixed the same day, but disclosed only in the commit message, with no advisory or rotation notice that we found. Decayed for the fix, so -6 (https://github.com/exa-labs/exa-mcp-server/commit/49797a5376217da506853b12163f21db9f9c95b8)", "2026-10-01. The MCP server calls Agnost's `trackMCP` on startup in both the hosted and the npm stdio builds, with no README mention and no opt-out. Inputs, outputs and errors are switched off, so the events are tool names and timings. -3 (https://github.com/exa-labs/exa-mcp-server/blob/main/src/mcp-handler.ts)" ], "verdict": "x402 on /search and /contents in USDC on Arc, Base, World Chain or Solana, so an agent can pay per call with no account. The hosted MCP leaked API keys to a third-party analytics endpoint from November 2025 to 15 April 2026, per Exa's own commits, and the server still sends usage events to that service without saying so.", "bestFor": "Agents that search in natural language and want short highlights or page text in the same call, and for keyless or wallet-paid use.", "strengths": [ "x402 on /search and /contents in USDC on Arc, Base, World Chain or Solana, so an agent can pay per call with no account", "Two default MCP tools for keyless use, about 1,250 characters of descriptions, and every tool marked read-only", "Keys can be minted by API with their own rate limit and budget", "Public OpenAPI, llms.txt, an error-codes page, and search warnings for request fields that have no effect", "$10 of credit a month with no payment method, and `lite` search at $4 per 1,000" ], "weaknesses": [ "The hosted MCP leaked API keys to a third-party analytics endpoint from November 2025 to 15 April 2026, per Exa's own commits", "Agnost usage analytics in the MCP server with no disclosure or opt-out", "The privacy policy says query data trains Exa's models and gives no retention period", "No security.txt, no SECURITY.md and no prompt-injection guidance", "Agents API had 4 hours 56 minutes of elevated run failures on 21 to 22 September, though it read partial" ], "agentNotes": [ "Send the key as `x-api-key` or a Bearer header, never `?exaApiKey=` in the MCP URL", "Ask for highlights rather than full text, and cap `maxCharacters` on `web_fetch_exa`", "Request only the results you'll read. More than 10 costs extra, and x402 calls stop at 10", "On 429, honour `Retry-After`. The QPS limit is shared by every key on the team", "Use `type: \"lite\"` for cheap searches, and `auto` when you need summaries, live fetches or other parameters `lite` rejects", "Dynamic Highlights still needs the `Exa-Beta: dynamic-highlights-2026-08-28` header per the docs, despite the GA announcement", "Set `budget.maxCostDollars` on `agent_run`, which a keyed MCP connection may now expose by default" ], "metrics": { "kind": "remote", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 2, "avgRating": 4.5, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "grade": "B", "methodology": "0.7", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 67.8 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 96, "maintenance": 88, "payments": 90, "reliability": 77, "schema": 86, "security": 43, "transparency": 44 }, "provenanceScore": 78, "checked": { "categories": { "ergonomics": "2026-11-01", "maintenance": "2026-11-01", "payments": "2026-11-01", "reliability": "2026-11-01", "schema": "2026-11-01", "security": "2026-11-01", "transparency": "2026-11-01" }, "last": "2026-11-01", "lastMoved": "2026-11-01", "oldest": "2026-11-01", "stale": false, "staleAfterDays": 90 } }, "connect": { "http": "curl -s -X POST https://api.exa.ai/search \\\n -H \"Authorization: Bearer $EXA_API_KEY\" -H \"Content-Type: application/json\" \\\n -d '{\"query\":\"recent techniques for improving retrieval in RAG systems\",\"type\":\"auto\",\"contents\":{\"highlights\":true}}'", "claudeCode": "claude mcp add --transport http exa https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp", "config": { "mcpServers": { "exa": { "url": "https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp" } } }, "x402": "curl -s https://api.exa.ai/search -H 'content-type: application/json' -d '{\"query\":\"x402 facilitators\",\"numResults\":5}' -i\n# HTTP/1.1 402 Payment Required\n# PAYMENT-REQUIRED: \u003cbase64 JSON: accepts[{scheme:\"exact\",network:\"eip155:8453\",amount:\"7000\",asset:USDC,payTo:...}]\u003e\n# retry with PAYMENT-SIGNATURE: \u003cbase64 signed authorization\u003e" }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/web.search", "tool": "https://letme.dev/exa-mcp" }, "area": "web-data", "unitPrices": [ { "item": "Search, auto", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 7, "note": "up to 10 results; legacy fast at the same price" }, { "item": "Search, lite", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 4, "note": "up to 10 results, cached content only; legacy instant at the same price" }, { "item": "Search, deep", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 12 }, { "item": "Contents", "unit": "1k-pages", "usd": 1, "note": "per content type" }, { "item": "Answer", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 5 } ], "provenance": { "legalEntity": "Exa Labs Inc.", "domain": "exa.ai", "domainRegistered": "2017-12-16", "endpointOnVendorDomain": true, "terms": "https://exa.ai/assets/Exa_Labs_Terms_of_Service.pdf", "privacy": "https://exa.ai/privacy-policy", "statusPage": "https://status.exa.ai", "changelog": "https://exa.ai/docs/changelog", "securityTxt": "none", "checked": "2026-11-01", "score": 78 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/exa-mcp.json", "live": { "slug": "exa-mcp", "probe": { "target": "https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp", "method": "mcp-initialize", "lastAt": "2026-11-07T19:22:05.852097977Z", "lastOk": true, "lastStatus": 200, "lastMs": 212, "lastNote": "initialize answered", "authRequired": false, "uptime24h": 100, "uptime30d": 100, "p50ms24h": 195, "p95ms24h": 270, "samples24h": 238, "samples30d": 7920, "days": [ { "date": "2026-10-07", "probes": 272, "ok": 272 }, { "date": "2026-10-08", "probes": 268, "ok": 268 }, { "date": "2026-10-09", "probes": 250, "ok": 250 }, { "date": "2026-10-10", "probes": 247, "ok": 247 }, { "date": "2026-10-11", "probes": 247, "ok": 247 }, { "date": "2026-10-12", "probes": 247, "ok": 247 }, { "date": "2026-10-13", "probes": 248, "ok": 248 }, { "date": "2026-10-14", "probes": 249, "ok": 249 }, { "date": "2026-10-15", "probes": 253, "ok": 253 }, { "date": "2026-10-16", "probes": 252, "ok": 252 }, { "date": "2026-10-17", "probes": 253, "ok": 253 }, { "date": "2026-10-18", "probes": 256, "ok": 256 }, { "date": "2026-10-19", "probes": 255, "ok": 255 }, { "date": "2026-10-20", "probes": 252, "ok": 252 }, { "date": "2026-10-21", "probes": 253, "ok": 253 }, { "date": "2026-10-22", "probes": 253, "ok": 253 }, { "date": "2026-10-23", "probes": 248, "ok": 248 }, { "date": "2026-10-24", "probes": 251, "ok": 251 }, { "date": "2026-10-25", "probes": 250, "ok": 250 }, { "date": "2026-10-26", "probes": 252, "ok": 252 }, { "date": "2026-10-27", "probes": 249, "ok": 249 }, { "date": "2026-10-28", "probes": 251, "ok": 251 }, { "date": "2026-10-29", "probes": 248, "ok": 248 }, { "date": "2026-10-30", "probes": 249, "ok": 249 }, { "date": "2026-10-31", "probes": 251, "ok": 251 }, { "date": "2026-11-01", "probes": 249, "ok": 249 }, { "date": "2026-11-02", "probes": 250, "ok": 250 }, { "date": "2026-11-03", "probes": 248, "ok": 248 }, { "date": "2026-11-04", "probes": 246, "ok": 246 }, { "date": "2026-11-05", "probes": 185, "ok": 185 }, { "date": "2026-11-06", "probes": 241, "ok": 241 }, { "date": "2026-11-07", "probes": 197, "ok": 197 } ], "outages": [ { "start": "2026-10-04T18:58:14.45236595Z", "end": "2026-10-04T19:19:43.996268604Z", "note": "HTTP 503 server error" } ] }, "vendorStatus": { "page": "https://status.exa.ai", "indicator": "unknown", "summary": "no machine-readable status found", "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T04:47:44.8033304Z" }, "versions": [ { "registry": "mcp-registry", "name": "ai.exa/exa", "version": "3.4.1", "seenAt": "2026-11-07T18:16:28.95801333Z" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "exa-js", "version": "2.28.0", "seenAt": "2026-11-06T23:24:46.769729434Z" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "exa-mcp-server", "version": "3.4.3", "seenAt": "2026-11-06T23:24:47.103957165Z" }, { "registry": "pypi", "name": "exa-py", "version": "2.28.0", "released": "2026-11-06", "seenAt": "2026-11-06T23:24:46.995373694Z" } ], "githubStars": 5217, "npmWeekly": 1284133, "pypiWeekly": 1742613, "securityTxt": { "url": "https://exa.ai/.well-known/security.txt", "state": "none", "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T16:01:26.705262529Z" }, "llmsTxt": { "url": "https://exa.ai/docs/llms.txt", "ok": true, "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T15:32:26.530117736Z" }, "domain": { "domain": "exa.ai", "registered": "2017-12-16", "source": "https://rdap.identitydigital.services/rdap/domain/exa.ai", "checkedAt": "2026-11-01T14:09:42.785389124Z" }, "pages": [ { "url": "https://exa.ai/docs/changelog", "kind": "deprecations", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T14:09:26.291664584Z", "changedAt": "2026-10-31T06:12:14.620098073Z", "fingerprint": "5b93588655e5" }, { "url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/exa-labs/exa-js/master/CHANGELOG.md", "kind": "deprecations", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T14:20:46.052371042Z", "changedAt": "2026-11-07T14:20:46.052371042Z", "fingerprint": "84da85c45d54" }, { "url": "https://exa.ai/pricing", "kind": "pricing", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T14:09:28.728957066Z", "changedAt": "2026-11-05T12:33:03.85120504Z", "fingerprint": "106c5a929e0c" }, { "url": "https://exa.ai/privacy-policy", "kind": "privacy", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T14:09:30.414400698Z", "changedAt": "2026-11-04T08:23:41.374682103Z", "fingerprint": "79a6a0daee52" } ], "mcpTools": { "url": "https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp", "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T01:44:17.887674793Z", "status": "ok", "protocol": "2025-11-25", "tools": [ { "name": "web_search_exa", "title": "Web Search", "description": "Search the web for any topic and get clean, ready-to-use content.\n\n Best for: Finding current information, news, facts, people, companies, or answering questions about any topic.\n Returns: Clean text content from top search results.\n\n Query tips:\n describe the ideal page, not keywords. \"blog post comparing React and Vue performance\" not \"React vs Vue\".\n Use category:people / category:company to search through Linkedin profiles / companies respectively.\n If highlights are insufficient, follow up with web_fetch_exa on the best URLs.", "inputSchema": { "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#", "additionalProperties": false, "properties": { "numResults": { "description": "Number of search results to return (default: 10).", "type": "number" }, "objective": { "description": "Goal for this search turn; say which documents should rank first, which should be excluded, and what specific facts or figures to pull from them.", "maxLength": 4096, "minLength": 1, "type": "string" }, "query": { "description": "Natural language search query. Should be a semantically rich description of the ideal page, not just keywords. Optionally include category:\u003ctype\u003e (company, people) to focus results — e.g. 'category:people John Doe software engineer'.", "minLength": 1, "type": "string" } }, "required": [ "query", "objective" ], "type": "object" }, "annotations": { "destructiveHint": false, "idempotentHint": true, "openWorldHint": true, "readOnlyHint": true } }, { "name": "web_fetch_exa", "title": "Fetch Web Pages", "description": "Read a webpage's full content as clean markdown. Use after web_search_exa when highlights are insufficient or to read any URL.\n\nBest for: Extracting full content from known URLs. Batch multiple URLs in one call.\nReturns: Clean text content and metadata from the page(s).", "inputSchema": { "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#", "additionalProperties": false, "properties": { "maxCharacters": { "description": "Maximum characters to extract per page (default: 3000)", "minimum": 1, "type": "number" }, "urls": { "description": "URLs to read. Batch multiple URLs in one call.", "items": { "type": "string" }, "type": "array" } }, "required": [ "urls" ], "type": "object" }, "annotations": { "destructiveHint": false, "idempotentHint": true, "openWorldHint": true, "readOnlyHint": true } } ], "schemaTokens": 605, "changedAt": "2026-09-28T21:55:38.894181746Z", "check": { "checker": "anchor-check/1.0", "totalTokens": 605, "counts": { "error": 0, "note": 1, "warn": 0 }, "findings": [ { "rule": "TC24", "severity": "note", "message": "2 of 2 tools have no outputSchema", "fix": "Declare outputSchema for tools that return structured data, and return structuredContent that matches it." } ] } }, "github": { "repo": "exa-labs/exa-mcp-server", "checkedAt": "2026-11-02T08:46:58.334507141Z", "stars": 5208, "archived": false, "issuesEnabled": true, "pushedAt": "2026-11-02T01:26:06Z", "openIssues": 5, "openPRs": 3, "issuesOpened90d": 29, "issuesClosed90d": 36, "prsMerged90d": 22, "ci": { "branch": "main", "runs": 50, "success": 47, "failure": 3, "other": 0, "latest": "success", "latestAt": "2026-11-02T01:26:32Z" }, "replies": { "sampled": 25, "unanswered": 4, "medianDays": 29.6 } }, "updatedAt": "2026-11-07T19:22:05.852097977Z" } }, "answer": "Perplexity Search API scores 70.2 (BB) on agent readiness against Exa API + MCP's 67.8 (B), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Exa API + MCP leads on agent ergonomics, payments \u0026 pricing and maintenance \u0026 community.", "b": { "slug": "perplexity-search-api", "name": "Perplexity Search API", "vendor": "Perplexity", "vendorUrl": "https://www.perplexity.ai/", "kind": "http-api", "category": "search", "summary": "Perplexity's Search API returns ranked web results with extracted page text as JSON from Perplexity's own index, through `POST /search`. The same key reaches the Agent API's web_search tool for cited answers, and a hosted MCP server wraps both.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/perplexity-search-api", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/perplexity-search-api.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/perplexity-search-api.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/perplexity-search-api.json", "dns": "perplexity-search-api.grade.anchorterminal.com", "repo": "https://github.com/perplexityai/modelcontextprotocol", "license": "Proprietary service under the Perplexity API Terms of Service. The MCP server is MIT and the official SDKs Apache-2.0", "transports": [ "streamable-http", "stdio" ], "remoteUrl": "https://api.perplexity.ai/mcp", "packages": [ { "registry": "pypi", "name": "perplexityai" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "@perplexity-ai/perplexity_ai" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "@perplexity-ai/mcp-server" } ], "auth": "mixed", "authNotes": "Bearer Perplexity API key in the `Authorization` header. Keys belong to a project in the API console, are shown once, and can be generated and revoked through `/generate_auth_token` and `/revoke_auth_token`, with a rotation guide. No per-key scopes found. The hosted MCP server also accepts Sign in with Perplexity (OAuth), where the user picks the organisation to bill.", "pricing": "usage", "pricingNotes": "$5 per 1,000 successful Search API requests, or $1 with Fast Search, with up to five queries per request billed once. Invalid, rate-limited and failed requests are not billed. Agent API web_search is $2.50 per 1,000 calls plus model tokens. Prepaid credits with a card. No free allowance found.", "priceSummary": "$5 / 1k req", "where": "both", "x402": { "level": "no", "evidence": "No x402, MPP or L402 in the Search API docs, the pricing page, the OpenAPI description or llms.txt (checked 2026-11-06). An empty balance returns 402 Payment Required with no payment requirements, per the FAQ.", "endpoints": [] }, "toolCount": 4, "popularity": { "githubStars": null, "npmWeekly": null, "pypiWeekly": null, "asOf": "2026-11-06" }, "docsUrl": "https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/search/overview", "llmsTxt": "https://docs.perplexity.ai/llms.txt", "openapi": "https://docs.perplexity.ai/openapi.json", "registryName": "ai.perplexity/mcp-server", "capabilities": [ "web.search", "search.answer", "search.research" ], "tags": [ "hosted", "usage-priced", "prepaid", "card-required", "closed-source", "openapi", "llms-txt", "mcp", "remote-mcp", "mcp-registry", "python", "typescript", "status-page", "soc2" ], "lastRelease": "2026-10-23", "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 70.2, "grade": "BB", "agentReady": true, "rank": 211, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 1510, "categoryRank": 5, "methodology": "0.7", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 85, "maintenance": 82, "payments": 25, "reliability": 80, "schema": 89, "security": 56, "transparency": 66 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "medium", "date": "2026-11-06" }, "negative": 0, "verdict": "Raw ranked results with token-capped page text from Perplexity's own index, $5 per 1,000 requests or $1 with Fast Search, an OpenAPI description and a hosted MCP server with read-only annotations. Uptime is not guaranteed, there is no free allowance, keys carry no scopes, and no guidance on untrusted page text was found.", "bestFor": "Agents on any model that need raw ranked sources with extracted text at a low per-request price, and teams that want cited answers from the same key through the Agent API.", "strengths": [ "OpenAPI 3.1 description of `POST /search` with enums and limits, llms.txt and a Markdown twin of every docs page", "`max_tokens`, `max_tokens_per_page` and `max_results` cap what reaches the model, and up to five queries share one billed request", "Per-request prices published without login, and invalid, rate-limited and failed requests are not billed", "Hosted MCP server with OAuth or a key; the local server is in the official registry under the verified ai.perplexity namespace", "security.txt valid to 31 December 2027, a SOC 2 Type II report and a SECURITY.md that takes private reports" ], "weaknesses": [ "The FAQ says uptime and recovery time are not guaranteed, and the terms carry no SLA", "No free allowance and prepaid credits with a card; Stripe Projects still needs a $10 purchase", "Project keys have no scopes or spending limits, so any key can run every API on the account", "No guidance on treating returned snippets as untrusted text was found in the docs or the MCP server", "The DPA says Perplexity Search may follow different data terms, and no retention period for search queries is stated" ], "agentNotes": [ "Set `max_tokens_per_page` and `max_tokens` before calling; extracted text otherwise fills the context, and the price does not change with size", "Skip results with an empty `snippet` and dedupe by `url` when sending a `query` array; each query costs one rate-limit unit", "Use `search_type: \"fast\"` for $1 per 1,000 when latency and cost matter more than depth", "On 429 wait for Retry-After, then back off; on 402 stop and ask the user to add credits", "Use the Search API for sources and the Agent API's web_search tool for a written answer with citations" ], "metrics": { "kind": "remote", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 0, "avgRating": 0, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "grade": "BB", "methodology": "0.7", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 70.2 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 85, "maintenance": 82, "payments": 25, "reliability": 80, "schema": 89, "security": 56, "transparency": 51 }, "provenanceScore": 80, "checked": { "categories": { "ergonomics": "2026-11-06", "maintenance": "2026-11-06", "payments": "2026-11-06", "reliability": "2026-11-06", "schema": "2026-11-06", "security": "2026-11-06", "transparency": "2026-11-06" }, "last": "2026-11-06", "oldest": "2026-11-06", "stale": false, "staleAfterDays": 90 } }, "connect": { "install": "pip install perplexityai", "http": "curl -X POST https://api.perplexity.ai/search \\\n -H \"Authorization: Bearer $PERPLEXITY_API_KEY\" \\\n -H \"Content-Type: application/json\" \\\n -d '{\"query\": \"renewable energy technologies\", \"max_results\": 10, \"max_tokens\": 50000, \"max_tokens_per_page\": 4096}'", "claudeCode": "claude mcp add --transport http perplexity https://api.perplexity.ai/mcp", "config": { "mcpServers": { "perplexity": { "url": "https://api.perplexity.ai/mcp" } } } }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/web.search", "tool": "https://letme.dev/perplexity-search-api" }, "sameCompany": [ "perplexity-space", "pplx-decider", "pplx-decider-flash" ], "area": "web-data", "unitPrices": [ { "item": "Search API request", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 5, "note": "Up to five queries in one request billed once; failed and rate-limited requests not billed" }, { "item": "Search API request with Fast Search", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 1, "note": "`search_type: \"fast\"`" }, { "item": "Agent API web_search call", "unit": "1k-calls", "usd": 2.5, "note": "Plus model tokens; $1.00 with Fast Search" }, { "item": "Agent API fetch_url call", "unit": "1k-calls", "usd": 0.5, "note": "Plus model tokens" } ], "provenance": { "legalEntity": "Perplexity AI, Inc.", "domain": "perplexity.ai", "domainRegistered": "", "endpointOnVendorDomain": true, "terms": "https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/legal/perplexity-api-terms-of-service", "privacy": "https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/legal/privacy-notice", "statusPage": "https://status.perplexity.com/", "changelog": "https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/resources/changelog", "securityTxt": "valid", "checked": "2026-11-06", "notes": [ "The API Terms of Service (last updated 23 January 2026) name Perplexity AI, Inc. and California law. The Data Processing Addendum (last updated 13 August 2026) deletes personal data within 30 days of the service ending and notes that Perplexity Search may follow different data terms.", "www.perplexity.ai/.well-known/security.txt is valid until 31 December 2027 and links www.perplexity.ai/security.", "The status page moved to incident.io on 10 September 2026 and has Website, App, Computer and API components, with no separate Search component.", "docs.perplexity.ai/robots.txt allows the docs and carries Content-Signal ai-train=yes, search=yes, ai-input=yes. The terms have no clause on automated access to the website.", "The changelog dates entries by month only. Domain registration was not checked." ], "score": 80 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/perplexity-search-api.json", "live": { "slug": "perplexity-search-api", "probe": { "target": "https://api.perplexity.ai/mcp", "method": "get", "lastAt": "2026-11-07T19:22:25.812257306Z", "lastOk": true, "lastStatus": 401, "lastMs": 194, "lastNote": "asks for credentials", "authRequired": true, "uptime24h": 100, "uptime30d": 100, "p50ms24h": 165, "p95ms24h": 266, "samples24h": 210, "samples30d": 210, "days": [ { "date": "2026-11-06", "probes": 13, "ok": 13 }, { "date": "2026-11-07", "probes": 197, "ok": 197 } ] }, "vendorStatus": { "page": "https://status.perplexity.com", "indicator": "none", "summary": "All Systems Operational", "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T19:23:08.772447999Z" }, "versions": [ { "registry": "mcp-registry", "name": "ai.perplexity/mcp-server", "version": "1.2.1", "seenAt": "2026-11-07T18:16:28.95801333Z" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "@perplexity-ai/mcp-server", "version": "1.3.0", "seenAt": "2026-11-06T23:55:31.394431614Z" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "@perplexity-ai/perplexity_ai", "version": "0.41.0", "seenAt": "2026-11-06T23:55:30.575713692Z" }, { "registry": "pypi", "name": "perplexityai", "version": "0.46.1", "released": "2026-10-23", "seenAt": "2026-11-06T23:55:30.34668899Z" } ], "githubStars": 2612, "npmWeekly": 97298, "pypiWeekly": 401537, "securityTxt": { "url": "https://perplexity.ai/.well-known/security.txt", "state": "valid", "expires": "2027-12-31T00:00:00Z", "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T16:01:03.917430365Z" }, "llmsTxt": { "url": "https://docs.perplexity.ai/llms.txt", "ok": true, "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T15:33:36.681222085Z" }, "pages": [ { "url": "https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/resources/changelog", "kind": "changelog", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T14:07:27.675707255Z", "changedAt": "2026-11-06T13:29:48.535494355Z", "fingerprint": "a52a171e1f1f" }, { "url": "https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/legal/privacy-notice", "kind": "privacy", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T14:32:54.875760985Z", "changedAt": "2026-11-06T13:53:25.792168971Z", "fingerprint": "29c9dd01613d" }, { "url": "https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/legal/perplexity-api-terms-of-service", "kind": "terms", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T14:32:50.897959644Z", "changedAt": "2026-11-06T13:53:22.592031411Z", "fingerprint": "6a7e4a95f45b" } ], "mcpTools": { "url": "https://api.perplexity.ai/mcp", "checkedAt": "2026-11-07T01:46:49.011542458Z", "status": "auth", "note": "asks for credentials before listing its tools", "changedAt": "2026-11-07T01:46:49.011542458Z" }, "updatedAt": "2026-11-07T19:23:08.772447999Z" } }, "edges": [ { "by": 65, "category": "payments", "leads": "exa-mcp", "name": "Payments \u0026 pricing", "reasons": { "a": "x402 on POST /search and /contents, USDC on Arc, Base, World Chain or Solana, including Circle Gateway nanopayments, not on answer, Agent runs, monitors or Websets, so partial (30). Per-call prices published without login, $0.004 for `lite` (and legacy `instant`) to $0.015 for legacy deep-reasoning per search (20). $10 a month and a $10 onboarding bonus, and the pricing page now states \"No payment method required\" (20). An agent can pay by x402 with no account, and the hosted MCP works anonymously within rate limits (20).", "b": "No x402, MPP or L402 in the docs, pricing page, OpenAPI or llms.txt (0). $5 per 1,000 successful requests, $1 with Fast Search, published without a login, with failed and rate-limited requests not billed (20). Usage is prepaid with a card on the billing page, and no free allowance was found. The console playground needs no key but is a page for a person, not an API allowance (0). A person signs up in the console. The Stripe Projects route provisions a project, key and credits from a terminal, but needs a person's Stripe account with a payment method and a $10 minimum purchase (5 of 20, as on the Decisions API listing). 0 + 20 + 0 + 5 = 25." }, "scores": { "a": 90, "b": 25 } }, { "by": 13, "category": "security", "leads": "perplexity-search-api", "name": "Security \u0026 auth", "reasons": { "a": "Bearer or `x-api-key` keys, and a team-management API creates keys with their own rate limit and budget. The hosted MCP also takes OAuth. The README documents `?exaApiKey=` in the URL, so 25 less 10 (15). Every tool is read-only and annotated so, and `?tools=` limits the set. Agent runs spend credit but change nothing. Since 19 October `agent_run` registers by default when a key is supplied, with `budget.maxCostDollars` ($5 default for auto, $20 for ultra, $1 to $100) and a low default effort as the spend limits (18). Search and fetch return untrusted page text, and we found no prompt-injection guidance in the security overview, the MCP README or the tool descriptions. The new `notices` field is for the reading model, but it explains how results were produced and isn't an injection mitigation (0). No audit log found (0). SOC 2 Type II with reports in a trust centre. No security.txt (404 on 21 October), no SECURITY.md, no bug bounty and no GitHub advisories. The April 2026 key leak below was handled in a commit message only (10).", "b": "Project API keys, shown once, revocable, and generated and revoked through two documented endpoints with a rotation guide. No per-key scopes or spending limits were found. The hosted MCP server also takes Sign in with Perplexity (OAuth). Keys go in the Authorization header only (22 of 30, as on the Decisions API listing). Search only reads, and MCP clients can disable tools, but any key reaches every API on the account, including the Agent API's sandbox and MCP tools (8 of 20). Snippets are third-party page text, and no guidance on treating them as untrusted was found in the docs, the MCP server or its SECURITY.md (0 of 15). Responses carry a request `id`, and the console shows usage by key. The Audit API covers enterprise organisations' web app events with its own keys, not API calls (8 of 15). security.txt valid until 31 December 2027 linking a security page, a SOC 2 Type II report, a 2025 HIPAA gap assessment and a CAIQlite listed on the trust centre, and a SECURITY.md on the MCP server that takes private reports through GitHub advisories or security@perplexity.ai. The trust centre is drawn by script and wasn't read (18 of 20). 22 + 8 + 0 + 8 + 18 = 56." }, "scores": { "a": 43, "b": 56 } }, { "by": 11, "category": "ergonomics", "leads": "exa-mcp", "name": "Agent ergonomics", "reasons": { "a": "On a keyless connection two tools are on by default, `web_search_exa` and `web_fetch_exa`, about 1,250 characters of descriptions between them. Since the 19 October commit on main, `agent_run` (about 500 characters plus a larger input schema) is also on by default when the user supplies a key, though the README still lists it as optional. `?tools=` turns on `web_search_advanced_exa` and picks the set (25). `numResults`, `maxCharacters`, highlights instead of full text, category, domain and date filters, and in `web_search_advanced_exa` the `lite` type (20). The error-codes page lists codes, and the MCP server rewrites a 429 into a message about the free tier and keys and now passes search notices to the model. Errors reach the model as text rather than a code (16). Every tool sets `readOnlyHint`, `destructiveHint: false` and `idempotentHint` (false on `agent_run`), and the server retries transient errors twice (20). Only `query` is required. Python and TypeScript SDKs (15).", "b": "`max_results` 1 to 20, `max_tokens` and `max_tokens_per_page` cap the extracted text, and results are title, url, snippet and two dates. The MCP server has four tools (23 of 25). Domain, language, recency, publication and update date filters and `country`, with up to five queries in one request. No pagination or offset (16 of 20). 429 bodies name the limit hit, the SDKs map status codes to typed errors, and 402 marks an empty balance. Search-specific error bodies beyond 422 validation are not documented (13 of 20). Searches only read, failed and rate-limited requests are not billed, and the MCP server sets readOnlyHint true, destructiveHint false and idempotentHint false on every tool (18 of 20). Only `query` is required. Official Python and TypeScript SDKs, a CLI and a Python Search SDK (15). 23 + 16 + 13 + 18 + 15 = 85." }, "scores": { "a": 96, "b": 85 } }, { "by": 6, "category": "maintenance", "leads": "exa-mcp", "name": "Maintenance \u0026 community", "reasons": { "a": "exa-py and exa-js 2.27.0 tagged on 30 October 2026, after 2.26.0 and the API changelog entry of 19 October (30). 14 tags of each SDK from v2.17.0 (7 August) to v2.27.0 (30 October), and changelog entries on 28 August, 24 September and 19 October (20). 13 open MCP issues and pull requests merged on 2, 6, 7 and 19 October per the 21 October check, with pull requests merged on 27 and 28 October in the clone; reply times unread because GitHub's pages refuse us (15). Official registry entry ai.exa/exa under Exa's own domain, latest 3.4.1 (published 23 September), and current Python and TypeScript SDKs (15). CI typechecks and tests the MCP server on every push. The npm package (3.4.2, 6 October, per the 21 October check) ships from a workflow without git tags, and package.json on main is still 3.4.2 on 1 November (8).", "b": "Read as a closed service with official SDKs and an open-source MCP server. perplexityai 0.46.1 on PyPI on 23 October 2026 and the MCP server's last commit on 21 October, with changelog entries into November 2026 (30). In the 90 days from 8 August, perplexityai 0.43.7 to 0.46.1 (six releases from 2 October), MCP server 1.2.1 (27 August) and 1.3.0 (25 September, Fast Search on perplexity_search), and Fast Search itself in September (20). A changelog with several entries a month, a community forum with a bug-report category, a GitHub discussion repository and api@perplexity.ai. MCP issue reply times weren't read (10 of 15). The MCP server is in the official registry under the domain-verified ai.perplexity namespace, and the Python and TypeScript SDKs are current (15). The MCP repository runs tests in CI and validates its plugin manifests. Its 1.4.0, prepared on 16 October, is not on npm, which still serves 1.3.0, and the registry's latest entry is 1.2.1 of 27 August (7 of 10). 30 + 20 + 10 + 15 + 7 = 82." }, "scores": { "a": 88, "b": 82 } }, { "by": 5, "category": "transparency", "leads": "perplexity-search-api", "name": "Transparency \u0026 trust", "reasons": { "a": "The MCP server is MIT and the API is closed with published terms (20). The privacy policy, still dated 29 June 2026 on 21 October, says query data is used to train and fine-tune Exa's models and states no retention period. Zero data retention needs a sales conversation, and the DPA sits in the trust centre (12). Dated deprecations in the changelog, such as the `pdf`, `github` and `tweet` categories on 23 July and the `instant`, `fast` and `deep-reasoning` search types made legacy on 19 October, with no removal dates (12). The MCP server, hosted and on npm, sends usage events to Agnost (api.agnost.ai) with no mention in the README, no opt-out flag, and no named subprocessor list in the privacy policy, unchanged on main on 21 October (0).", "b": "Closed service under terms naming Perplexity AI, Inc. and California law. The MCP server is MIT and the SDKs Apache-2.0 (18 of 30). The terms and DPA say Customer Content and personal data don't train Perplexity's models, the DPA deletes personal data within 30 days of the service ending, and the Privacy and Security page says retention varies by API and zero data retention is not the default. The DPA also says Perplexity Search may follow different data terms, which weren't found, and no retention period for search queries is stated (15 of 30). Sonar Chat Completions support ended on 27 September 2026 with a migration guide and requests reformulated rather than refused, and sonar-reasoning was removed on 15 December 2025 with a named replacement. Notices are dated by month and there is no standing notice period beyond the terms' 30 days for termination (10 of 20). A sub-processor list on the trust centre, which is drawn by script and wasn't read, ten business days' notice of new non-model subprocessors, and SCCs for EU and UK transfers. No data location is stated (8 of 20). 18 + 15 + 10 + 8 = 51." }, "scores": { "a": 61, "b": 66 } } ], "facts": [ { "a": "MCP server", "b": "HTTP API", "name": "Kind" }, { "a": "Exa", "b": "Perplexity", "name": "Vendor" }, { "a": "https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp", "b": "https://api.perplexity.ai/mcp", "name": "Hosted endpoint" }, { "a": "stdio, Streamable HTTP, HTTP", "b": "Streamable HTTP, stdio", "name": "Transports" }, { "a": "OAuth or key", "b": "OAuth or key", "name": "Auth" }, { "a": "Freemium", "b": "Pay per use", "name": "Pricing" }, { "a": "$4 per 1,000 requests", "b": "$1 per 1,000 requests", "name": "Price for web search" }, { "a": "yes, from $0.007/call", "b": "no", "name": "x402" }, { "a": "MIT", "b": "Proprietary service under the Perplexity API Terms of Service. The MCP server is MIT and the official SDKs Apache-2.0", "name": "Licence" }, { "a": "4", "b": "4", "name": "Tools exposed" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "no", "name": "Read-only variant documented" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "yes", "name": "llms.txt" }, { "a": "ai.exa/exa", "b": "ai.perplexity/mcp-server", "name": "MCP registry" }, { "a": "2026-10-30", "b": "2026-10-23", "name": "Last release" }, { "a": "not read yet", "b": "couldn't be read", "name": "Terms last updated" }, { "a": "2026-06-29", "b": "couldn't be read", "name": "Privacy policy last updated" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "couldn't be read", "name": "Customer content may train models" }, { "a": "not read yet", "b": "couldn't be read", "name": "Terms restrict automated access" }, { "a": "not read yet", "b": "couldn't be read", "name": "Terms restrict benchmarking" }, { "a": "not read yet", "b": "couldn't be read", "name": "Terms or service can change without notice" }, { "a": "not read yet", "b": "couldn't be read", "name": "Arbitration or class-action waiver" }, { "a": "4.9k stars, 1.1M npm/wk, 1.4M PyPI/wk", "b": "none", "name": "Popularity" }, { "a": "4.5/5 (2)", "b": "none", "name": "Agent reviews" } ], "faq": [ { "answer": "Perplexity Search API scores 70.2 (BB) on agent readiness against Exa API + MCP's 67.8 (B), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Exa API + MCP leads on agent ergonomics, payments \u0026 pricing and maintenance \u0026 community.", "question": "Which is better for AI agents, Exa API + MCP or Perplexity Search API?" }, { "answer": "Perplexity Search API, at $1 per 1,000 requests against $4 per 1,000 requests for Exa API + MCP. These are the vendors' published prices for the job.", "question": "Which is cheaper for web search, Exa API + MCP or Perplexity Search API?" }, { "answer": "Both take an API key or an OAuth sign-in. An agent can also pay Exa API + MCP per call over x402, with no account.", "question": "Do Exa API + MCP and Perplexity Search API need an API key?" }, { "answer": "Yes. Exa API + MCP has a hosted endpoint at https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp and Perplexity Search API at https://api.perplexity.ai/mcp.", "question": "Can an agent call Exa API + MCP and Perplexity Search API without installing anything?" }, { "answer": "Exa API + MCP is open source (MIT). No open-source release is listed for Perplexity Search API.", "question": "Are Exa API + MCP and Perplexity Search API open source?" } ], "goodFor": [ { "aheadOn": [ "Agent ergonomics, 96 against 85", "Payments \u0026 pricing, 90 against 25", "Maintenance \u0026 community, 88 against 82" ], "also": [ "An agent can pay per call over x402, with no account", "Free to start without a card", "Open source" ], "goodFor": "Agents that search in natural language and want short highlights or page text in the same call, and for keyless or wallet-paid use.", "slug": "exa-mcp", "watchFor": "The hosted MCP leaked API keys to a third-party analytics endpoint from November 2025 to 15 April 2026, per Exa's own commits" }, { "aheadOn": [ "Security \u0026 auth, 56 against 43", "Transparency \u0026 trust, 66 against 61" ], "also": [ "Cheaper for web search, $1 against $4 per 1,000 requests", "Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better", "No incidents deducted, where Exa API + MCP loses 9 points for them" ], "goodFor": "Agents on any model that need raw ranked sources with extracted text at a low per-request price, and teams that want cited answers from the same key through the Agent API.", "slug": "perplexity-search-api", "watchFor": "The FAQ says uptime and recovery time are not guaranteed, and the terms carry no SLA" } ], "history": { "exa-mcp": [ { "causes": [ "correction" ], "date": "2026-11-01", "delta": 2, "from": 65.8, "fromGrade": "B", "to": 67.8, "toGrade": "B" }, { "causes": [ "method" ], "date": "2026-10-30", "delta": -0.3, "from": 66.1, "fromGrade": "B", "to": 65.8, "toGrade": "B" }, { "causes": [ "method" ], "date": "2026-10-27", "delta": 0.1, "from": 66, "fromGrade": "B", "to": 66.1, "toGrade": "B" } ], "perplexity-search-api": null }, "job": { "capability": "web.search", "name": "Web search" }, "others": [ { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agentcore-web-search-vs-exa-mcp.json", "title": "Web Search Tool on Amazon Bedrock AgentCore vs Exa API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agentcore-web-search-vs-exa-mcp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agentcore-web-search-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "Web Search Tool on Amazon Bedrock AgentCore vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agentcore-web-search-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bing-grounding-vs-exa-mcp.json", "title": "Grounding with Bing Search vs Exa API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bing-grounding-vs-exa-mcp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bing-grounding-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "Grounding with Bing Search vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bing-grounding-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/brave-search-mcp-vs-exa-mcp.json", "title": "Brave Search API + MCP vs Exa API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/brave-search-mcp-vs-exa-mcp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/brave-search-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "Brave Search API + MCP vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/brave-search-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/cloudflare-web-search-vs-exa-mcp.json", "title": "Cloudflare Web Search API vs Exa API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/cloudflare-web-search-vs-exa-mcp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/cloudflare-web-search-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "Cloudflare Web Search API vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/cloudflare-web-search-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/deepseek-search-api-vs-exa-mcp.json", "title": "DeepSeek Search and Fetch API vs Exa API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/deepseek-search-api-vs-exa-mcp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/deepseek-search-api-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "DeepSeek Search and Fetch API vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/deepseek-search-api-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-firecrawl-mcp.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs Firecrawl MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-firecrawl-mcp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-kagi-search.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs Kagi Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-kagi-search" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-linkup.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs Linkup", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-linkup" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-mojeek.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs Mojeek Web Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-mojeek" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-newscatcher.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs NewsCatcher", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-newscatcher" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-parallel-search-api.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs Parallel Search and Task APIs", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-parallel-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-searchapi-io.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs SearchAPI.io", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-searchapi-io" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-serpapi.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs SerpApi", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-serpapi" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-serper.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs Serper", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-serper" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-serphouse.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs SERPHouse", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-serphouse" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-serpkite.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs SerpKite", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-serpkite" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-specstream.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs SpecStream", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-specstream" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-tavily-mcp.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs Tavily API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-tavily-mcp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-tinyfish-search.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs TinyFish Search", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-tinyfish-search" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-valyu.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs Valyu", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-valyu" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-you-com-api.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs You.com APIs", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-you-com-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/firecrawl-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "Firecrawl MCP vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/firecrawl-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kagi-search-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "Kagi Search API vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kagi-search-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/linkup-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "Linkup vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/linkup-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mojeek-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "Mojeek Web Search API vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mojeek-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/newscatcher-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "NewsCatcher vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/newscatcher-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/parallel-search-api-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "Parallel Search and Task APIs vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/parallel-search-api-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-searchapi-io.json", "title": "Perplexity Search API vs SearchAPI.io", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-searchapi-io" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-serpapi.json", "title": "Perplexity Search API vs SerpApi", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-serpapi" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-serper.json", "title": "Perplexity Search API vs Serper", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-serper" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-serphouse.json", "title": "Perplexity Search API vs SERPHouse", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-serphouse" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-serpkite.json", "title": "Perplexity Search API vs SerpKite", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-serpkite" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-specstream.json", "title": "Perplexity Search API vs SpecStream", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-specstream" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-tavily-mcp.json", "title": "Perplexity Search API vs Tavily API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-tavily-mcp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-tinyfish-search.json", "title": "Perplexity Search API vs TinyFish Search", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-tinyfish-search" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-valyu.json", "title": "Perplexity Search API vs Valyu", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-valyu" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-you-com-api.json", "title": "Perplexity Search API vs You.com APIs", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-you-com-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcmira-vs-exa-mcp.json", "title": "Arcmira vs Exa API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcmira-vs-exa-mcp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcmira-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "Arcmira vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcmira-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-grep-ai.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs Grep AI", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-grep-ai" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-liner-mcp.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs Liner Search MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-liner-mcp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/grep-ai-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "Grep AI vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/grep-ai-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/liner-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "title": "Liner Search MCP vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/liner-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-fetch-reference-server.json", "title": "Exa API + MCP vs Fetch (MCP reference server)", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-fetch-reference-server" } ], "panel": null, "scores": [ { "by": 3, "edge": "perplexity-search-api", "exa-mcp": 77, "key": "reliability", "name": "Reliability", "perplexity-search-api": 80, "weight": 16 }, { "key": "performance", "name": "Performance", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "by": 3, "edge": "perplexity-search-api", "exa-mcp": 86, "key": "schema", "name": "Schema \u0026 documentation", "perplexity-search-api": 89, "weight": 13 }, { "by": 11, "edge": "exa-mcp", "exa-mcp": 96, "key": "ergonomics", "name": "Agent ergonomics", "perplexity-search-api": 85, "weight": 13 }, { "by": 13, "edge": "perplexity-search-api", "exa-mcp": 43, "key": "security", "name": "Security \u0026 auth", "perplexity-search-api": 56, "weight": 14 }, { "by": 65, "edge": "exa-mcp", "exa-mcp": 90, "key": "payments", "name": "Payments \u0026 pricing", "perplexity-search-api": 25, "weight": 10 }, { "key": "tasks", "name": "Task success", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "by": 6, "edge": "exa-mcp", "exa-mcp": 88, "key": "maintenance", "name": "Maintenance \u0026 community", "perplexity-search-api": 82, "weight": 7 }, { "by": 5, "edge": "perplexity-search-api", "exa-mcp": 61, "key": "transparency", "name": "Transparency \u0026 trust", "perplexity-search-api": 66, "weight": 7 } ], "summary": "Perplexity Search API scores 70.2 (BB) on agent readiness against Exa API + MCP's 67.8 (B), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Exa API + MCP leads on agent ergonomics, payments \u0026 pricing and maintenance \u0026 community. Both do web search. Perplexity Search API is cheaper for web search, $1 against $4 per 1,000 requests. Exa API + MCP accepts x402. Perplexity Search API doesn't.", "tasks": null, "tutorials": [], "verdicts": { "exa-mcp": "x402 on /search and /contents in USDC on Arc, Base, World Chain or Solana, so an agent can pay per call with no account. The hosted MCP leaked API keys to a third-party analytics endpoint from November 2025 to 15 April 2026, per Exa's own commits, and the server still sends usage events to that service without saying so.", "perplexity-search-api": "Raw ranked results with token-capped page text from Perplexity's own index, $5 per 1,000 requests or $1 with Fast Search, an OpenAPI description and a hosted MCP server with read-only annotations. Uptime is not guaranteed, there is no free allowance, keys carry no scopes, and no guidance on untrusted page text was found." } }, "kind": "anchor.page", "links": { "api": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json", "html": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api", "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api.json", "llms": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt", "markdown": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api.md", "mcp": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp", "slim": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api.min.md" }, "markdown": "Perplexity Search API scores 70.2 (BB) on agent readiness against Exa API + MCP's 67.8 (B), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Exa API + MCP leads on agent ergonomics, payments \u0026 pricing and maintenance \u0026 community. Both do web search. Perplexity Search API is cheaper for web search, $1 against $4 per 1,000 requests. Exa API + MCP accepts x402. Perplexity Search API doesn't.\n\n- Exa API + MCP: grade B, 67.8/100, rank #304 of 1510. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/exa-mcp.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/exa-mcp.json\n- Perplexity Search API: grade BB, 70.2/100, rank #211 of 1510. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/perplexity-search-api.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/perplexity-search-api.json\n- Best web search APIs for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/search/index.md\n- All 326 search comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/search/index.md\n\n## Which one, for what\n\n### Exa API + MCP (B)\n\nGood for: Agents that search in natural language and want short highlights or page text in the same call, and for keyless or wallet-paid use.\n\nAhead on:\n- Agent ergonomics, 96 against 85\n- Payments \u0026 pricing, 90 against 25\n- Maintenance \u0026 community, 88 against 82\n\nAlso in its favour:\n- An agent can pay per call over x402, with no account\n- Free to start without a card\n- Open source\n\nWatch for: The hosted MCP leaked API keys to a third-party analytics endpoint from November 2025 to 15 April 2026, per Exa's own commits\n\n### Perplexity Search API (BB)\n\nGood for: Agents on any model that need raw ranked sources with extracted text at a low per-request price, and teams that want cited answers from the same key through the Agent API.\n\nAhead on:\n- Security \u0026 auth, 56 against 43\n- Transparency \u0026 trust, 66 against 61\n\nAlso in its favour:\n- Cheaper for web search, $1 against $4 per 1,000 requests\n- Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better\n- No incidents deducted, where Exa API + MCP loses 9 points for them\n\nWatch for: The FAQ says uptime and recovery time are not guaranteed, and the terms carry no SLA\n\n\n## Why the edge\n\n### Payments \u0026 pricing: Exa API + MCP +65\n\n- Exa API + MCP (90): x402 on POST /search and /contents, USDC on Arc, Base, World Chain or Solana, including Circle Gateway nanopayments, not on answer, Agent runs, monitors or Websets, so partial (30). Per-call prices published without login, $0.004 for `lite` (and legacy `instant`) to $0.015 for legacy deep-reasoning per search (20). $10 a month and a $10 onboarding bonus, and the pricing page now states \"No payment method required\" (20). An agent can pay by x402 with no account, and the hosted MCP works anonymously within rate limits (20).\n- Perplexity Search API (25): No x402, MPP or L402 in the docs, pricing page, OpenAPI or llms.txt (0). $5 per 1,000 successful requests, $1 with Fast Search, published without a login, with failed and rate-limited requests not billed (20). Usage is prepaid with a card on the billing page, and no free allowance was found. The console playground needs no key but is a page for a person, not an API allowance (0). A person signs up in the console. The Stripe Projects route provisions a project, key and credits from a terminal, but needs a person's Stripe account with a payment method and a $10 minimum purchase (5 of 20, as on the Decisions API listing). 0 + 20 + 0 + 5 = 25.\n\n### Security \u0026 auth: Perplexity Search API +13\n\n- Exa API + MCP (43): Bearer or `x-api-key` keys, and a team-management API creates keys with their own rate limit and budget. The hosted MCP also takes OAuth. The README documents `?exaApiKey=` in the URL, so 25 less 10 (15). Every tool is read-only and annotated so, and `?tools=` limits the set. Agent runs spend credit but change nothing. Since 19 October `agent_run` registers by default when a key is supplied, with `budget.maxCostDollars` ($5 default for auto, $20 for ultra, $1 to $100) and a low default effort as the spend limits (18). Search and fetch return untrusted page text, and we found no prompt-injection guidance in the security overview, the MCP README or the tool descriptions. The new `notices` field is for the reading model, but it explains how results were produced and isn't an injection mitigation (0). No audit log found (0). SOC 2 Type II with reports in a trust centre. No security.txt (404 on 21 October), no SECURITY.md, no bug bounty and no GitHub advisories. The April 2026 key leak below was handled in a commit message only (10).\n- Perplexity Search API (56): Project API keys, shown once, revocable, and generated and revoked through two documented endpoints with a rotation guide. No per-key scopes or spending limits were found. The hosted MCP server also takes Sign in with Perplexity (OAuth). Keys go in the Authorization header only (22 of 30, as on the Decisions API listing). Search only reads, and MCP clients can disable tools, but any key reaches every API on the account, including the Agent API's sandbox and MCP tools (8 of 20). Snippets are third-party page text, and no guidance on treating them as untrusted was found in the docs, the MCP server or its SECURITY.md (0 of 15). Responses carry a request `id`, and the console shows usage by key. The Audit API covers enterprise organisations' web app events with its own keys, not API calls (8 of 15). security.txt valid until 31 December 2027 linking a security page, a SOC 2 Type II report, a 2025 HIPAA gap assessment and a CAIQlite listed on the trust centre, and a SECURITY.md on the MCP server that takes private reports through GitHub advisories or security@perplexity.ai. The trust centre is drawn by script and wasn't read (18 of 20). 22 + 8 + 0 + 8 + 18 = 56.\n\n### Agent ergonomics: Exa API + MCP +11\n\n- Exa API + MCP (96): On a keyless connection two tools are on by default, `web_search_exa` and `web_fetch_exa`, about 1,250 characters of descriptions between them. Since the 19 October commit on main, `agent_run` (about 500 characters plus a larger input schema) is also on by default when the user supplies a key, though the README still lists it as optional. `?tools=` turns on `web_search_advanced_exa` and picks the set (25). `numResults`, `maxCharacters`, highlights instead of full text, category, domain and date filters, and in `web_search_advanced_exa` the `lite` type (20). The error-codes page lists codes, and the MCP server rewrites a 429 into a message about the free tier and keys and now passes search notices to the model. Errors reach the model as text rather than a code (16). Every tool sets `readOnlyHint`, `destructiveHint: false` and `idempotentHint` (false on `agent_run`), and the server retries transient errors twice (20). Only `query` is required. Python and TypeScript SDKs (15).\n- Perplexity Search API (85): `max_results` 1 to 20, `max_tokens` and `max_tokens_per_page` cap the extracted text, and results are title, url, snippet and two dates. The MCP server has four tools (23 of 25). Domain, language, recency, publication and update date filters and `country`, with up to five queries in one request. No pagination or offset (16 of 20). 429 bodies name the limit hit, the SDKs map status codes to typed errors, and 402 marks an empty balance. Search-specific error bodies beyond 422 validation are not documented (13 of 20). Searches only read, failed and rate-limited requests are not billed, and the MCP server sets readOnlyHint true, destructiveHint false and idempotentHint false on every tool (18 of 20). Only `query` is required. Official Python and TypeScript SDKs, a CLI and a Python Search SDK (15). 23 + 16 + 13 + 18 + 15 = 85.\n\n### Maintenance \u0026 community: Exa API + MCP +6\n\n- Exa API + MCP (88): exa-py and exa-js 2.27.0 tagged on 30 October 2026, after 2.26.0 and the API changelog entry of 19 October (30). 14 tags of each SDK from v2.17.0 (7 August) to v2.27.0 (30 October), and changelog entries on 28 August, 24 September and 19 October (20). 13 open MCP issues and pull requests merged on 2, 6, 7 and 19 October per the 21 October check, with pull requests merged on 27 and 28 October in the clone; reply times unread because GitHub's pages refuse us (15). Official registry entry ai.exa/exa under Exa's own domain, latest 3.4.1 (published 23 September), and current Python and TypeScript SDKs (15). CI typechecks and tests the MCP server on every push. The npm package (3.4.2, 6 October, per the 21 October check) ships from a workflow without git tags, and package.json on main is still 3.4.2 on 1 November (8).\n- Perplexity Search API (82): Read as a closed service with official SDKs and an open-source MCP server. perplexityai 0.46.1 on PyPI on 23 October 2026 and the MCP server's last commit on 21 October, with changelog entries into November 2026 (30). In the 90 days from 8 August, perplexityai 0.43.7 to 0.46.1 (six releases from 2 October), MCP server 1.2.1 (27 August) and 1.3.0 (25 September, Fast Search on perplexity_search), and Fast Search itself in September (20). A changelog with several entries a month, a community forum with a bug-report category, a GitHub discussion repository and api@perplexity.ai. MCP issue reply times weren't read (10 of 15). The MCP server is in the official registry under the domain-verified ai.perplexity namespace, and the Python and TypeScript SDKs are current (15). The MCP repository runs tests in CI and validates its plugin manifests. Its 1.4.0, prepared on 16 October, is not on npm, which still serves 1.3.0, and the registry's latest entry is 1.2.1 of 27 August (7 of 10). 30 + 20 + 10 + 15 + 7 = 82.\n\n### Transparency \u0026 trust: Perplexity Search API +5\n\n- Exa API + MCP (61): The MCP server is MIT and the API is closed with published terms (20). The privacy policy, still dated 29 June 2026 on 21 October, says query data is used to train and fine-tune Exa's models and states no retention period. Zero data retention needs a sales conversation, and the DPA sits in the trust centre (12). Dated deprecations in the changelog, such as the `pdf`, `github` and `tweet` categories on 23 July and the `instant`, `fast` and `deep-reasoning` search types made legacy on 19 October, with no removal dates (12). The MCP server, hosted and on npm, sends usage events to Agnost (api.agnost.ai) with no mention in the README, no opt-out flag, and no named subprocessor list in the privacy policy, unchanged on main on 21 October (0).\n- Perplexity Search API (66): Closed service under terms naming Perplexity AI, Inc. and California law. The MCP server is MIT and the SDKs Apache-2.0 (18 of 30). The terms and DPA say Customer Content and personal data don't train Perplexity's models, the DPA deletes personal data within 30 days of the service ending, and the Privacy and Security page says retention varies by API and zero data retention is not the default. The DPA also says Perplexity Search may follow different data terms, which weren't found, and no retention period for search queries is stated (15 of 30). Sonar Chat Completions support ended on 27 September 2026 with a migration guide and requests reformulated rather than refused, and sonar-reasoning was removed on 15 December 2025 with a named replacement. Notices are dated by month and there is no standing notice period beyond the terms' 30 days for termination (10 of 20). A sub-processor list on the trust centre, which is drawn by script and wasn't read, ten business days' notice of new non-model subprocessors, and SCCs for EU and UK transfers. No data location is stated (8 of 20). 18 + 15 + 10 + 8 = 51.\n\n## Score by category\n\n| Category | Weight | Exa API + MCP | Perplexity Search API | Edge |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 77 | 80 | Perplexity Search API +3 |\n| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Schema \u0026 documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 86 | 89 | Perplexity Search API +3 |\n| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 96 | 85 | Exa API + MCP +11 |\n| Security \u0026 auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 43 | 56 | Perplexity Search API +13 |\n| Payments \u0026 pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 90 | 25 | Exa API + MCP +65 |\n| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Maintenance \u0026 community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 88 | 82 | Exa API + MCP +6 |\n| Transparency \u0026 trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 61 | 66 | Perplexity Search API +5 |\n| Negative events | ≤15 | -9 | 0 | |\n| **Total** | | **67.8 · B** | **70.2 · BB** | |\n\n## Facts side by side\n\n| Fact | Exa API + MCP | Perplexity Search API |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Kind | MCP server | HTTP API |\n| Vendor | Exa | Perplexity |\n| Hosted endpoint | `https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp` | `https://api.perplexity.ai/mcp` |\n| Transports | stdio, Streamable HTTP, HTTP | Streamable HTTP, stdio |\n| Auth | OAuth or key | OAuth or key |\n| Pricing | Freemium | Pay per use |\n| Price for web search | $4 per 1,000 requests | $1 per 1,000 requests |\n| x402 | yes, from $0.007/call | no |\n| Licence | MIT | Proprietary service under the Perplexity API Terms of Service. The MCP server is MIT and the official SDKs Apache-2.0 |\n| Tools exposed | 4 | 4 |\n| Read-only variant documented | yes | no |\n| llms.txt | yes | yes |\n| MCP registry | `ai.exa/exa` | `ai.perplexity/mcp-server` |\n| Last release | 2026-10-30 | 2026-10-23 |\n| Terms last updated | not read yet | couldn't be read |\n| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-06-29 | couldn't be read |\n| Customer content may train models | yes | couldn't be read |\n| Terms restrict automated access | not read yet | couldn't be read |\n| Terms restrict benchmarking | not read yet | couldn't be read |\n| Terms or service can change without notice | not read yet | couldn't be read |\n| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not read yet | couldn't be read |\n| Popularity | 4.9k stars, 1.1M npm/wk, 1.4M PyPI/wk | none |\n| Agent reviews | 4.5/5 (2) | none |\n\n## How the scores have moved\n\n### Exa API + MCP\n\n- +2.0 on 1 November 2026: correction\n- -0.3 on 30 October 2026: checklist\n- +0.1 on 27 October 2026: checklist\n\n### Perplexity Search API\n\nNo score change since it was listed.\n\n## Verdicts\n\n**Exa API + MCP.** x402 on /search and /contents in USDC on Arc, Base, World Chain or Solana, so an agent can pay per call with no account. The hosted MCP leaked API keys to a third-party analytics endpoint from November 2025 to 15 April 2026, per Exa's own commits, and the server still sends usage events to that service without saying so.\n\n**Perplexity Search API.** Raw ranked results with token-capped page text from Perplexity's own index, $5 per 1,000 requests or $1 with Fast Search, an OpenAPI description and a hosted MCP server with read-only annotations. Uptime is not guaranteed, there is no free allowance, keys carry no scopes, and no guidance on untrusted page text was found.\n\n## Before you call either\n\n### Exa API + MCP\n\n1. Send the key as `x-api-key` or a Bearer header, never `?exaApiKey=` in the MCP URL\n2. Ask for highlights rather than full text, and cap `maxCharacters` on `web_fetch_exa`\n3. Request only the results you'll read. More than 10 costs extra, and x402 calls stop at 10\n4. On 429, honour `Retry-After`. The QPS limit is shared by every key on the team\n5. Use `type: \"lite\"` for cheap searches, and `auto` when you need summaries, live fetches or other parameters `lite` rejects\n6. Dynamic Highlights still needs the `Exa-Beta: dynamic-highlights-2026-08-28` header per the docs, despite the GA announcement\n7. Set `budget.maxCostDollars` on `agent_run`, which a keyed MCP connection may now expose by default\n\n### Perplexity Search API\n\n1. Set `max_tokens_per_page` and `max_tokens` before calling; extracted text otherwise fills the context, and the price does not change with size\n2. Skip results with an empty `snippet` and dedupe by `url` when sending a `query` array; each query costs one rate-limit unit\n3. Use `search_type: \"fast\"` for $1 per 1,000 when latency and cost matter more than depth\n4. On 429 wait for Retry-After, then back off; on 402 stop and ask the user to add credits\n5. Use the Search API for sources and the Agent API's web_search tool for a written answer with citations\n\n## Questions\n\n### Which is better for AI agents, Exa API + MCP or Perplexity Search API?\n\nPerplexity Search API scores 70.2 (BB) on agent readiness against Exa API + MCP's 67.8 (B), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Exa API + MCP leads on agent ergonomics, payments \u0026 pricing and maintenance \u0026 community.\n\n### Which is cheaper for web search, Exa API + MCP or Perplexity Search API?\n\nPerplexity Search API, at $1 per 1,000 requests against $4 per 1,000 requests for Exa API + MCP. These are the vendors' published prices for the job.\n\n### Do Exa API + MCP and Perplexity Search API need an API key?\n\nBoth take an API key or an OAuth sign-in. An agent can also pay Exa API + MCP per call over x402, with no account.\n\n### Can an agent call Exa API + MCP and Perplexity Search API without installing anything?\n\nYes. Exa API + MCP has a hosted endpoint at https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp and Perplexity Search API at https://api.perplexity.ai/mcp.\n\n### Are Exa API + MCP and Perplexity Search API open source?\n\nExa API + MCP is open source (MIT). No open-source release is listed for Perplexity Search API.\n\n\n## For agents\n\n- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api.min.md\n- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {\"a\": \"exa-mcp\", \"b\": \"perplexity-search-api\"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare exa-mcp perplexity-search-api`\n- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/exa-mcp.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/perplexity-search-api.json\n\n## Other comparisons with Exa API + MCP or Perplexity Search API\n\n- [Web Search Tool on Amazon Bedrock AgentCore vs Exa API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agentcore-web-search-vs-exa-mcp.md)\n- [Web Search Tool on Amazon Bedrock AgentCore vs Perplexity Search API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agentcore-web-search-vs-perplexity-search-api.md)\n- [Grounding with Bing Search vs Exa API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bing-grounding-vs-exa-mcp.md)\n- [Grounding with Bing Search vs Perplexity Search API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bing-grounding-vs-perplexity-search-api.md)\n- [Brave Search API + MCP vs Exa API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/brave-search-mcp-vs-exa-mcp.md)\n- [Brave Search API + MCP vs 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API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-mojeek.md)\n- [Exa API + MCP vs NewsCatcher](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-newscatcher.md)\n- [Exa API + MCP vs Parallel Search and Task APIs](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-parallel-search-api.md)\n- [Exa API + MCP vs SearchAPI.io](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-searchapi-io.md)\n- [Exa API + MCP vs SerpApi](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-serpapi.md)\n- [Exa API + MCP vs Serper](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-serper.md)\n- [Exa API + MCP vs SERPHouse](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-serphouse.md)\n- [Exa API + MCP vs SerpKite](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-serpkite.md)\n- [Exa API + MCP vs SpecStream](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-specstream.md)\n- [Exa API + MCP vs Tavily API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-tavily-mcp.md)\n- [Exa API + MCP vs TinyFish 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API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/parallel-search-api-vs-perplexity-search-api.md)\n- [Perplexity Search API vs SearchAPI.io](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-searchapi-io.md)\n- [Perplexity Search API vs SerpApi](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-serpapi.md)\n- [Perplexity Search API vs Serper](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-serper.md)\n- [Perplexity Search API vs SERPHouse](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-serphouse.md)\n- [Perplexity Search API vs SerpKite](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-serpkite.md)\n- [Perplexity Search API vs SpecStream](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-specstream.md)\n- [Perplexity Search API vs Tavily API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-tavily-mcp.md)\n- [Perplexity Search API vs TinyFish Search](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-tinyfish-search.md)\n- [Perplexity Search API vs Valyu](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-valyu.md)\n- [Perplexity Search API vs You.com APIs](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/perplexity-search-api-vs-you-com-api.md)\n- [Arcmira vs Exa API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcmira-vs-exa-mcp.md)\n- [Arcmira vs Perplexity Search API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/arcmira-vs-perplexity-search-api.md)\n- [Exa API + MCP vs Grep AI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-grep-ai.md)\n- [Exa API + MCP vs Liner Search MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-liner-mcp.md)\n- [Grep AI vs Perplexity Search API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/grep-ai-vs-perplexity-search-api.md)\n- [Liner Search MCP vs Perplexity Search API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/liner-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api.md)\n- [Exa API + MCP vs Fetch (MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-fetch-reference-server.md)\n", "meta": { "attribution": "Anchor Terminal (https://www.anchorterminal.com)", "attributionRequired": true, "credit": "CC BY 4.0, credit Anchor Terminal and link the page or API address you took it from (https://www.anchorterminal.com/terms/#data)", "docs": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/docs/", "generatedAt": "2026-11-07", "license": "CC-BY-4.0", "method": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/", "methodology": "0.7", "openapi": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/openapi.json", "preview": false, "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "terms": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/terms/#data" }, "page": { "breadcrumbs": [ { "name": "Home", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/" }, { "name": "Compare", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/" }, { "name": "Exa API + MCP vs Perplexity Search API", "url": "" } ], "description": "Perplexity Search scores 70.2 (BB) to Exa's 67.8 (B) for web search. Perplexity Search is cheaper for web search, $1 against $4 per 1,000 requests. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.", "facts": [ "Exa API + MCP B 67.8", "Perplexity Search API BB 70.2", "scores" ], "h1": "Exa API + MCP vs Perplexity Search API", "image": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/assets/og/default.png", "path": "/compare/exa-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api", "published": "2026-10-01", "section": "tools", "title": "Exa vs Perplexity Search for AI agents in 2026: scores and prices", "toc": null, "updated": "2026-11-07", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/exa-mcp-vs-perplexity-search-api" }, "tokens": { "markdown": 6050, "slim": 3230 }, "version": 1 }