Kagi

Privacy-first AI search engine with no ads and no tracking

Exa

AI-native search API that understands meaning, not just keywords

Kagi

Caution

11/25

Exa

Caution

10/25

Score Breakdown

DimensionKagiExa

Data Residency

Where is your data stored and processed?

Kagi: All data is processed on US infrastructure with no EU data residency option currently available.

Exa: US-based infrastructure. No EU hosting option. Indexes public web content.

1/5

All data is processed on US infrastructure with no EU data residency option currently available.

2/5

US-based infrastructure. No EU hosting option. Indexes public web content.

Legal Jurisdiction

Which laws govern the company and your data?

Kagi: US-incorporated and subject to CLOUD Act; strong privacy-by-design model but US legal jurisdiction is a residual risk.

Exa: US Delaware corporation. Subject to US jurisdiction. Early-stage company with standard US privacy practices.

2/5

US-incorporated and subject to CLOUD Act; strong privacy-by-design model but US legal jurisdiction is a residual risk.

2/5

US Delaware corporation. Subject to US jurisdiction. Early-stage company with standard US privacy practices.

Data Retention & Training

Is your data used for model training?

Kagi: No training on user search data, no persistent user profiling, and no ad-based tracking by design.

Exa: Search queries logged for service improvement. No customer data used for training proprietary search models. API usage logs retained per standard practices.

5/5

No training on user search data, no persistent user profiling, and no ad-based tracking by design.

3/5

Search queries logged for service improvement. No customer data used for training proprietary search models. API usage logs retained per standard practices.

Certifications

ISO 27001, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, etc.

Kagi: No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other formal third-party security certifications are currently published.

Exa: No security certifications publicly disclosed. Early-stage startup focused on product development.

1/5

No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other formal third-party security certifications are currently published.

1/5

No security certifications publicly disclosed. Early-stage startup focused on product development.

Regulatory Fit

Suitability for regulated industries and professional services

Kagi: Privacy-first business model is commendable, but lack of certifications and US jurisdiction limit regulated institutional use in Europe.

Exa: Developer tool for search functionality. Regulatory fit depends on the application built on top. Not suitable for handling sensitive data directly.

2/5

Privacy-first business model is commendable, but lack of certifications and US jurisdiction limit regulated institutional use in Europe.

2/5

Developer tool for search functionality. Regulatory fit depends on the application built on top. Not suitable for handling sensitive data directly.

Total Score

11/25

10/25

Best For

Kagi

Best for teams on a tight budget.

Exa

Best for privacy-conscious teams who need strong data retention controls.

Detailed Comparison

Exa vs Kagi: Trust & Compliance Comparison

Exa (Exa, US) scores 10/25 overall with a Review Required (Caution) trust badge. AI-native search API that understands meaning, not just keywords. Kagi (Kagi, US) scores 11/25 with a Review Required (Caution) trust badge. Privacy-first AI search engine with no ads and no tracking.

Dimension-by-Dimension Breakdown

#### Data Residency

Exa leads with 2/5 vs 1/5.

●Exa (2/5): US-based infrastructure. No EU hosting option. Indexes public web content.

●Kagi (1/5): All data is processed on US infrastructure with no EU data residency option currently available.

#### Legal Jurisdiction

Both score equally at 2/5.

●Exa (2/5): US Delaware corporation. Subject to US jurisdiction. Early-stage company with standard US privacy practices.

●Kagi (2/5): US-incorporated and subject to CLOUD Act; strong privacy-by-design model but US legal jurisdiction is a residual risk.

#### Data Retention & Training

Kagi leads with 5/5 vs 3/5.

●Exa (3/5): Search queries logged for service improvement. No customer data used for training proprietary search models. API usage logs retained per standard practices.

●Kagi (5/5): No training on user search data, no persistent user profiling, and no ad-based tracking by design.

#### Certifications

Both score equally at 1/5.

●Exa (1/5): No security certifications publicly disclosed. Early-stage startup focused on product development.

●Kagi (1/5): No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other formal third-party security certifications are currently published.

#### Regulatory Fit

Both score equally at 2/5.

●Exa (2/5): Developer tool for search functionality. Regulatory fit depends on the application built on top. Not suitable for handling sensitive data directly.

●Kagi (2/5): Privacy-first business model is commendable, but lack of certifications and US jurisdiction limit regulated institutional use in Europe.

Overall Verdict

Exa and Kagi are closely matched on trust and compliance, with scores of 10/25 and 11/25 respectively. The right choice depends on your specific regulatory requirements and existing technology stack.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for EU compliance, Kagi or Exa?

Kagi has a TrustKit score of 11/25 while Exa scores 10/25. Kagi currently rates higher across data residency, legal jurisdiction, data retention, certifications, and regulatory fit.

How do Kagi and Exa compare on data residency?

Kagi scores 1/5 for data residency (All data is processed on US infrastructure with no EU data residency option currently available.), while Exa scores 2/5 (US-based infrastructure. No EU hosting option. Indexes public web content.).

Are Kagi and Exa GDPR compliant?

Both tools are assessed across five compliance dimensions. Kagi has a regulatory fit score of 2/5 and Exa scores 2/5. Check the full comparison above for a detailed breakdown.

Explore Each Tool