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It's a split decision.
YepAPI fits developers who want one API key for SEO, SERP data, scraping, social and commerce data, and AI models, with per-call billing. Exa fits teams building agents around web search, page contents, structured research, and monitoring. Exa has a recurring monthly free-credit allowance and published Search QPS limits; YepAPI lists a signup credit and no rate limits. Both use vendor API endpoints, so neither is a self-hosted alternative based on its published integration model.
01Side by side
| YepAPI | Exa | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Prepaid, metered usage; no subscriptions or monthly minimums | Free credits, pay-as-you-go, or custom enterprise terms |
| Free tier | $5 signup credit; no recurring free plan | $10 monthly credits plus $10 onboarding bonus |
| API and SDKs | One key, consistent JSON across endpoints and models | Search, Contents, Agent, and Monitors APIs |
| CLI and docs | Docs, llms.txt, MCP server, and agent skills | API docs; no CLI named on homepage |
| Integrations | Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, MCP, and agent skills | Free plan lists 50+ integrations |
| Deployment model | API endpoints called with a shared API key | Vendor APIs for search, content, research, and monitoring |
| Limits and scaling | No rate limits listed; failed calls are not charged | Free: 10 Search QPS; PAYGO: up to 25 |
| Product coverage | SEO, scraping, social, commerce, and 285 AI models | Search, crawling, research, enrichment, and monitoring |
YepAPI Choose YepAPI if
- Choose YepAPI if one API key should cover several data categories.
- Choose YepAPI if SEO, SERP, scraping, and social endpoints matter.
- Choose YepAPI if per-call billing without monthly minimums suits your workload.
Exa Choose Exa if
- Choose Exa if your application needs agent-oriented web search and page contents.
- Choose Exa if you need structured research with grounded citations.
- Choose Exa if monthly free credits and published search limits help planning.
02Pricing at real usage
YepAPI lists a $5 signup credit, with no subscription, monthly minimum, or recurring free plan. Its pricing starts at $0.01 per call: the homepage lists Google SERP and scraping at that rate, while keyword overview starts at $0.03. AI model calls have their own metered prices; the homepage lists image generation from $0.03 and video from $0.192 per second. Failed calls are not charged.
Exa's Free plan includes $10 in monthly credits and a $10 onboarding bonus. PAYGO billing adds costs by API: Lite Search is $4 per 1,000 requests, Contents is $1 per 1,000 pages, and Agent requests range from $0.012 for Minimal effort to $1 for X-high. Agent usage can also add ACU, search, or enrichment charges. Exa's Custom plan has custom terms; the pricing page lists a $12,000 annual API-credit commitment for enterprise zero-data-retention.
03API, SDKs and integration
YepAPI is a multi-category API: its homepage shows POST endpoints for keyword data, Google SERP, scraping, and media generation. Calls use one API key and return JSON. Scraped pages can be returned as markdown, HTML, or screenshots. The docs include an llms.txt entry point, and the homepage names Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, an MCP server, and agent skills. It does not name language-specific SDKs or a CLI.
Exa separates its offering into Search, Contents, Agent, and Monitors APIs, with additional website-crawling and deep-research tools. Search covers web, news, companies, research, people, and financials; Contents returns page text and relevant highlights, while Agent supports structured research with citations. Exa's homepage points developers to API docs and lists 50+ integrations on its Free plan. Neither homepage names language-specific SDKs or a CLI, so confirm SDK and client-library support in the vendor docs before choosing a language-specific integration.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Neither vendor publishes an open-source license or a self-hosting option in the stated product details. Both present API calls to vendor endpoints as the integration model, so production use depends on those services remaining available and on their billing and access policies.
YepAPI's shared key and consistent JSON format can simplify an internal adapter across its endpoints, but the product spans several data types and model providers. Exa's separate APIs divide search, content, research, and monitoring responsibilities; moving between those functions and another provider may require replacing query behavior, result formats, and agent workflows. Neither product page specifies a data-export or migration process. Keep provider calls behind your own interface, store any needed results in your own systems, and ask each vendor about retention, export, and migration terms before sending production data.
Questions people ask
Is YepAPI cheaper than Exa?
It depends on the endpoint and workload. YepAPI lists calls from $0.01, with examples such as $0.03 keyword overviews. Exa lists Search, Contents, and Agent prices by request, page, and effort level. Compare the exact endpoint mix and volume; the headline rates are not directly comparable.
Does Exa or YepAPI have a free tier?
Exa has a Free plan with $10 in monthly credits, a $10 onboarding bonus, and 10 Search QPS. YepAPI offers a $5 signup credit, but its pricing details describe pay-per-use rather than a recurring free plan. Both vendors charge for usage beyond applicable credits.
Can I self-host YepAPI or Exa?
Neither vendor publishes a self-hosting option in the stated product details. Both describe API-based products accessed through vendor endpoints. If your deployment requires on-premises processing or full control of the search index, ask the vendors directly before designing around either service.
Which is better for an AI agent?
Exa is purpose-built around AI search, page contents, research runs with citations, and monitoring. YepAPI may suit agents that need a broader set of operations, including SEO, scraping, social and commerce data, and AI model calls. Choose based on the APIs your agent needs, not the label alone.