Brave Search API vs Exa.
Prices checked
For search over its own index, Brave Search API Search costs $5 per 1,000 searches at 1,000 a month against Exa Lite search at $4, checked .
Where to start
Each kind of search both sell
Per 1,000 searches, the cheaper of the two marked.
| Kind and volume | Brave Search API | Exa |
|---|---|---|
| Own indexat 1,000 a month | $5Search | $4Lite search |
| Own indexat 100,000 a month | $5Search | $4Lite search |
Side by side
| Fact |  Brave Search API |  Exa |
|---|---|---|
| What it returns | Own index, Answers | Own index, Answers |
| Page text | yes | yes |
| Free tier | 1,000 a month | 2,500 a month |
| Prices published | 3 | 5 |
How we count
Each kind of search both sell is a row, each side at its cheapest product of that kind, because a Google results page and a written answer are not the same purchase. Each price is per 1,000 searches when you make 1,000 or 100,000 searches a month and buy them the cheapest way that provider sells: pay as you go, the plan that covers them with its overage, or a pack spread over the months it lasts. A free allowance is not subtracted; free tiers are listed on their own.
Frequently asked
- Is Brave Search API cheaper than Exa?
- For search over its own index, Brave Search API Search costs $5 per 1,000 searches at 1,000 a month against Exa Lite search at $4. Checked 21 Oct 2026, before tax.
- What about at 100,000 searches a month?
- Own index: Brave Search API $5, Exa $4 per 1,000.
- Do Brave Search API and Exa have a free tier?
- Brave Search API: 1,000 a month. Exa: 2,500 a month. A free tier is a limit, not a price, so neither is the cheaper for having one.
- How current are these prices?
- Both are read every day from the providers' own pages. Brave Search API was last read 21 Oct 2026 and Exa 21 Oct 2026.