Head to head

Exa vs People Data Labs

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Exa

$7/1k searches Free tier

Web, people and company search API built for AI agents. Free plan with $10 in credits each month; paid search is $7 per 1,000 requests.

Where Exa fits

  • Builders putting web search inside coding or research agents
  • GTM teams enriching people and companies through an API
  • Teams that want search inside Claude, Cursor or ChatGPT
  • Startups living on free monthly credits before paying

People Data Labs

$98/mo Free tier

Person and company data sold over APIs and bulk licenses. Free plan gives 100 credits a month with contact fields hidden; Pro starts at $98/mo.

Where People Data Labs fits

  • Developers enriching person records via API
  • Products that may later license a bulk feed
  • RevOps running CSV enrichment
  • Teams testing on 100 free credits

At a glance

DetailExaPeople Data Labs
Starting price$7/1k searches$98/mo
Free tier✓Yes✓Yes
MCP server✓Yes–No
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underLead generation, SourcingEmail finders, Lead generation

Where they pull apart

Exa

Stands out: Hosted MCP server on the free plan, with people and company indexes alongside the web index.

Watch out: Pay-as-you-go has no monthly floor, but Deep Search, Agent runs and phone lookups are billed separately. Free is a small monthly credit, not unlimited.

Not the right fit for

  • Recruiters who want a point-and-click sourcing UI
  • Teams that need a fixed-price annual seat license

People Data Labs

Stands out: A free API sandbox, then self-serve Pro with contact data, premium fields and CSV enrichment on monthly or annual terms.

Watch out: Free hides email, phone and address. Annual saves 20% but is paid up front. Bulk data licenses are Enterprise and custom priced.

Not the right fit for

  • Non-technical users who need a prospecting UI
  • Buyers who need emails on the free plan

Pros and cons

Exa

  • $10 in free credits every month, no card
  • Hosted MCP server on the free plan
  • People and company indexes besides web search
  • Phone lookups cost $0.07 each on Agent
  • Free credits cover light testing only
  • SSO and zero data retention need Enterprise

People Data Labs

  • Free API plan, no commitment
  • Self-serve Pro from $98/mo
  • Public developer docs
  • Free plan hides contact data
  • No prospecting or outreach UI
  • Premium fields cost extra

What each one costs

Exa

$7/1k searches

Free plan: $20 in credits at signup plus $10 every month, no card. Pay-as-you-go search is $7 per 1,000 requests, contents $1 per 1,000 pages and Deep Search $12 per 1,000 requests; Agent runs are $0.012 to $1.00 each. Enterprise is custom. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

People Data Labs

$98/mo

Free plan with up to 100 credits a month, contact data hidden. Pro starts at $98/mo for 350 credits with contact data, billed monthly or annually (annual saves 20%). Enterprise and data licenses are custom priced. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Is Exa cheaper than People Data Labs?
Exa starts lower, at $7/1k searches against $98/mo for People Data Labs. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try Exa or People Data Labs for free?
Exa and People Data Labs carry a free tier on our listing.
Does Exa or People Data Labs have an MCP server?
Exa ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 19 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?