Exa

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

You.com

AI search engine with privacy controls and customisable results

Exa

Caution

10/25

You.com

Caution

9/25

Score Breakdown

DimensionExaYou.com

Data Residency

Where is your data stored and processed?

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

You.com: All data is hosted on US infrastructure with no EU data residency option available.

2/5

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

1/5

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

Legal Jurisdiction

Which laws govern the company and your data?

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

You.com: US-incorporated and subject to CLOUD Act; operates under US law with limited EU-specific legal protections.

2/5

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

2/5

US-incorporated and subject to CLOUD Act; operates under US law with limited EU-specific legal protections.

Data Retention & Training

Is your data used for model training?

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

You.com: Offers user-controlled privacy settings and anonymous search modes; opt-out from personalisation is available.

3/5

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

3/5

Offers user-controlled privacy settings and anonymous search modes; opt-out from personalisation is available.

Certifications

ISO 27001, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, etc.

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

You.com: No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other formal third-party security certifications are publicly listed.

1/5

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 publicly listed.

Regulatory Fit

Suitability for regulated industries and professional services

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

You.com: Privacy-oriented design is a positive signal, but US jurisdiction and lack of certifications limit suitability for regulated European use.

2/5

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

2/5

Privacy-oriented design is a positive signal, but US jurisdiction and lack of certifications limit suitability for regulated European use.

Total Score

10/25

9/25

Best For

Exa

Best for teams on a tight budget.

You.com

Best for teams on a tight budget.

Detailed Comparison

Exa vs You.com: 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. You.com (You.com, US) scores 9/25 with a Review Required (Caution) trust badge. AI search engine with privacy controls and customisable results.

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.

●You.com (1/5): All data is hosted on US infrastructure with no EU data residency option 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.

●You.com (2/5): US-incorporated and subject to CLOUD Act; operates under US law with limited EU-specific legal protections.

#### Data Retention & Training

Both score equally at 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.

●You.com (3/5): Offers user-controlled privacy settings and anonymous search modes; opt-out from personalisation is available.

#### Certifications

Both score equally at 1/5.

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

●You.com (1/5): No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other formal third-party security certifications are publicly listed.

#### 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.

●You.com (2/5): Privacy-oriented design is a positive signal, but US jurisdiction and lack of certifications limit suitability for regulated European use.

Overall Verdict

Exa and You.com are closely matched on trust and compliance, with scores of 10/25 and 9/25 respectively. The right choice depends on your specific regulatory requirements and existing technology stack.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for EU compliance, Exa or You.com?

Exa has a TrustKit score of 10/25 while You.com scores 9/25. Exa currently rates higher across data residency, legal jurisdiction, data retention, certifications, and regulatory fit.

How do Exa and You.com compare on data residency?

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

Are Exa and You.com GDPR compliant?

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

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