Side-by-side comparison of two listed Dev Tools — real listing data only, no paid placement.
On record, they differ in: unique tags (Exa 4: #search-api #web-crawling #serp-api +1 more vs Catalyst by Zoho 4: #cloud-development #full-stack #serverless +1 more); category rank (Exa #3 vs Catalyst by Zoho #49). Same pricing model (Freemium) and category (Dev Tools). Listing facts only — not a recommendation.
Search API for AI agents needing real-time web data
Exa is a modern AI search engine that provides a SERP API, website crawler tools, and a deep research API. It offers a single endpoint for search, crawling, and research agents, enabling apps to access real-time web data and structured content. The API is available for free trial, with additional products like Exa Connect for accessing leading data providers.
Published 2026-08-13 · Links checked 2026-09-09
Agent-ready full-stack cloud development platform
Catalyst by Zoho is a full-stack cloud development platform that supports building apps, microservices, custom front-ends, and AI-powered applications. It integrates with coding agents like Claude, Cursor, Codex, Antigravity, and Copilot, allowing developers to code or prompt in any AI IDE. The platform provisions infrastructure, connects services, and deploys applications, offering over 30 scalable cloud services including serverless functions, AppSail for app hosting, QuickML for no-code machine learning, and Slate for frontend development. It offers a free tier with $250 wallet credits.
Published 2026-08-13 · Links checked 2026-09-09
| Exa | Catalyst by Zoho | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| Category | Dev Tools | Dev Tools |
| Rank in Dev Tools | Position #3 of 77 | Position #49 of 77 |
| Alternatives listed | none | 4 → |
| Shared tags | #ai-agents | |
| Unique tags | #search-api #web-crawling #serp-api #deep-research | #cloud-development #full-stack #serverless #ml-platform |
| Pricing page | Exa API Pricing | Not detected on official site (checked 2026-09-15) |
| Documentation | exa.ai/docs | Not detected on official site (checked 2026-09-15) |
| Company | Exa | Not detected on official site (checked 2026-09-15) |
| In their own words | Search API for AI agents that need real-time web data, deep research, and structured content from one endpoint. Try our API for free.— official site (homepage description), checked | Catalyst by Zoho gives you MCP connectors, Agent Skills, coding agent plugins, zero egress, and 30+ services, all in one unified cloud platform.— official site (homepage description), checked |
| Official channels | X (Twitter)LinkedInGitHubdeclared on exa.ai via schema.org sameAs | — |
| Official website | exa.ai | catalyst.zoho.com |
| Site preview | ||
Rank = neutral rotation by listing ID, not a quality score · how it works
Exa is Freemium; Catalyst by Zoho is Freemium. Both are listed in Dev Tools on ToolDock.
What they have in common: #ai-agents
Exa is listed as freemium (free tier alongside paid plans); Catalyst by Zoho is listed as freemium (free tier alongside paid plans). Pricing label set at listing time; official pricing page linked where verified — see each official website for current details.
Both are Dev Tools listed on ToolDock, and they share the tag ai-agents.
ToolDock keeps a tag-matched alternatives list for each: see Exa and Catalyst by Zoho alternatives.