Does Exa or Algolia have a free plan?

Exa is available for free with a free trial. Algolia is available for free with a free trial. Always verify current pricing directly with the vendor.

Exa vs Algolia

Q: Can I use Exa and Algolia together?

Yes, many teams use both tools together for different purposes. Use the Stack Builder section above to combine Exa and Algolia with other tools and save your AI toolkit.

Comprehensive side-by-side comparison — features, pricing, performance, and more.

Updated May 2026

Exa

Exa Labs Inc.

Powering AI agents with fast, high-quality web search.

0.0(0)

FREEMIUM

95% data quality

Algolia

One AI retrieval platform to power agentic, generative, and search experiences

0.0(0)

FREEMIUM

93% data quality

Trust & Reliability

Exa

Uptime:99.98%Status page

Customers (per vendor):Notion, Cursor, AWS +7

SOC 2

Algolia

Overall Winner: Algolia

8.0/10 vs Exa at 7.3/10

Leads in:

Customizability

Support

Ease of Use

AI Comparison Summary

Exa

7.3

avg score

Algolia

8.0

avg score

Algolia leads overall — particularly in Customizability.

Based on 6 dimensions

How scores are calculated

Overall Winner

Algolia

8.0 / 10

Exa

Best For

Powering AI agents with real-time web data

Deep web research with structured outputs

Reducing LLM token costs with efficient content retrieval

Monitoring news and trends for specific industries

Not Ideal For

Casual web browsing for individual users

Users without programming knowledge or AI agent development needs

Simple keyword-only search requirements where advanced semantic understanding is not critical

Algolia

Best For

Enhancing product discovery for e-commerce platforms

Building conversational AI solutions with RAG

Improving documentation search for faster problem-solving

Personalizing user experiences across digital touchpoints

Not Ideal For

Users seeking a simple, no-code website search widget without customization needs

Small personal projects with very limited data and search volume

Organizations requiring on-premise deployment only

* Verdict is based on our algorithmic scoring of publicly available data. Learn about our methodology

Exa is best for

💬Chat & Conversation6.0🔍Research6.0

Algolia is best for

🔍Research6.3💬Chat & Conversation6.0🤖Automation & Agents3.0

Filter by your use case:

Pros & Cons

Exa

Pros

Best-in-class accuracy and latency for web search
Provides structured outputs directly, simplifying data extraction
Token-efficient content highlights reduce LLM costs
Specialized web indexes for various industries (coding, finance, recruiting)
Offers a free tier for up to 1,000 requests per month
SOC 2 Type II Certified and offers Zero Data Retention for enterprise

Cons

Primarily an API, requiring technical integration
Usage-based pricing can become complex for unpredictable workloads
No direct end-user interface for general web browsing
Focus on AI agents might be overkill for simple search needs

Algolia

Pros

Combines keyword, semantic, and behavioral AI for highly relevant results
Offers pre-built UI components and API clients for quick integration
Provides comprehensive analytics to track and optimize performance
Supports advanced features like A/B testing, personalization, and AI ranking
Robust global infrastructure with 70+ data centers and high uptime SLA
Strong security and compliance (GDPR, SOC 2 Type 2, ISO27001, CCPA)

Cons

Pricing for advanced features and higher usage can become significant
Elevate plan requires an annual contract
No explicit mention of offline mode
Requires technical expertise for full customization and API integration

Weighted Score — Adjust What Matters to You

Pick a profile or drag sliders — scores and radar update instantly on the right.

Quick profiles:

Ease of Use5

Output Quality5

Value for Money5

Customizability5

Support & Ecosystem5

Integration Power5

Dimension Comparison

Exa

7.3

/ 10

Algolia

8.0

/ 10

Your pick

Dimension Breakdown

Ease of Use

How easy it is to get started and use daily

Exa

6.0

Algolia

7.0▲ +1.0

Output Quality

Quality and accuracy of generated results

Exa

9.0

Algolia

9.0

Value for Money

Cost vs. features and output quality

Exa

7.0

Algolia

7.0

Customizability

Calculated

Ability to tailor to specific needs

Exa

7.0

Algolia

9.0▲ +2.0

Support & Ecosystem

Documentation, community, and support quality

Exa

7.0

Algolia

8.0▲ +1.0

Integration Power

Calculated

Ability to connect with other tools and workflows

Exa

8.0

Algolia

8.0

Calculated = derived from verified integration count and API/open-source signals. AI = LLM-assessed from public website content. Methodology

Task Performance

Exa

Task

Algolia

9.0

Search Accuracy

9.0

8.0

Answer Extraction

8.0

7.0

Source Attribution

7.0

9.0

Real Time Indexing

8.0

9.0

Semantic Understanding

9.0

2.0

Multi Modal Search

3.0

7.0

Filter Refinement

8.0

5.0

Personalization

9.0

2.0

Content Detection

2.0

6.0

Knowledge Graph

6.0

* Task scores (1–10) are algorithmically generated from publicly available data.

Data is sourced from public information and vendor websites. It may not always be up-to-date — verify pricing and features directly with the vendor before purchasing.Report inaccuracy

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Exa or Algolia?

Both are strong options. Exa has a rating of 0.0/5 (0 reviews), while Algolia has a rating of 0.0/5 (0 reviews). The best choice depends on your specific use case, budget, and workflow requirements.

Is Exa cheaper than Algolia?

Exa starts at free (freemium model) with a free trial. Algolia starts at free (freemium model) with a free trial. Use the Cost Calculator above for a detailed estimate.

What are the main differences between Exa and Algolia?

Exa — "Powering AI agents with fast, high-quality web search.". Algolia — "One AI retrieval platform to power agentic, generative, and search experiences". Key differences include their pricing models, platform support, integrations, and technical capabilities. See the Feature Comparison table above for a complete side-by-side breakdown.

Can I use Exa and Algolia together?

Explore Alternatives

Exa Alternatives

Tools similar to Exa

Algolia Alternatives

Tools similar to Algolia

Compare More AI Tools

Use our comparison tool to compare up to 5 AI tools side-by-side with AI-powered recommendations.