Side-by-side comparison of two listed Dev Tools — real listing data only, no paid placement.
On record, they differ in: unique tags (n8n 3: #automation #self-hosted #workflows vs Exa 5: #search-api #ai-agents #web-crawling +2 more); category rank (n8n #1 vs Exa #3). Same pricing model (Freemium) and category (Dev Tools). Listing facts only — not a recommendation.
Source-available workflow automation with native AI agent nodes
n8n is a node-based automation platform you can self-host, with 400+ integrations, code steps when you need them and LangChain-powered AI agent nodes. Popular with technical teams that outgrow closed automation tools.
Published 2026-08-06 · Links checked 2026-09-14
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
| n8n | Exa | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| Category | Dev Tools | Dev Tools |
| Rank in Dev Tools | Position #1 of 77 | Position #3 of 77 |
| Alternatives listed | 4 → | none |
| Shared tags | none | |
| Unique tags | #automation #self-hosted #workflows | #search-api #ai-agents #web-crawling #serp-api #deep-research |
| Pricing page | n8n Plans and Pricing | Exa API Pricing |
| Free trial | Mentioned on the official pricing page | Not detected on official site (checked 2026-09-15) |
| Source code | github.com/n8n-io/n8n | Not detected on official site (checked 2026-09-15) |
| Documentation | docs.n8n.io/ | exa.ai/docs |
| Company | n8n | Exa |
| In their own words | n8n is a workflow automation platform that uniquely combines AI capabilities with business process automation, giving technical teams the flexibility of code…— official site (homepage description), checked | 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 |
| Official channels | X (Twitter)LinkedInGitHubYouTubeInstagramFacebookdeclared on n8n.io via schema.org sameAs | X (Twitter)LinkedInGitHubdeclared on exa.ai via schema.org sameAs |
| Official website | n8n.io | exa.ai |
| Site preview | ||
Rank = neutral rotation by listing ID, not a quality score · how it works
n8n is Freemium; Exa is Freemium. Both are listed in Dev Tools on ToolDock.
n8n is listed as freemium (free tier alongside paid plans); Exa 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.
ToolDock keeps a tag-matched alternatives list for each: see n8n alternatives and Exa.