Exa

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

Perplexity AI

AI-powered answer engine that searches the web and cites its sources

Exa

Caution

10/25

Perplexity AI

Moderate

15/25

Score Breakdown

DimensionExaPerplexity AI

Data Residency

Where is your data stored and processed?

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

Perplexity AI: US-based AWS infrastructure; no regional data residency options currently

2/5

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

2/5

US-based AWS infrastructure; no regional data residency options currently

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.

Perplexity AI: US Delaware corporation subject to CLOUD Act; GDPR compliance via DPA

2/5

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

2/5

US Delaware corporation subject to CLOUD Act; GDPR compliance via DPA

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.

Perplexity AI: Enterprise plans offer zero data retention; no use of enterprise data for AI training

3/5

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

5/5

Enterprise plans offer zero data retention; no use of enterprise data for AI training

Certifications

ISO 27001, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, etc.

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

Perplexity AI: SOC 2 Type II certified; HIPAA BAA available for enterprise

1/5

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

3/5

SOC 2 Type II certified; HIPAA BAA available for enterprise

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.

Perplexity AI: Strong for research-focused business use; US hosting limits EU data residency suitability

2/5

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

3/5

Strong for research-focused business use; US hosting limits EU data residency suitability

Total Score

10/25

15/25

Best For

Exa

Best for teams on a tight budget.

Perplexity AI

Best for privacy-conscious teams who need strong data retention controls; teams on a tight budget; enterprises requiring SSO integration.

Detailed Comparison

Exa vs Perplexity AI: 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. Perplexity AI (Perplexity AI, Inc., US) scores 15/25 with a Bronze (Moderate) trust badge. AI-powered answer engine that searches the web and cites its sources.

Dimension-by-Dimension Breakdown

#### Data Residency

Both score equally at 2/5.

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

●Perplexity AI (2/5): US-based AWS infrastructure; no regional data residency options currently

#### 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.

●Perplexity AI (2/5): US Delaware corporation subject to CLOUD Act; GDPR compliance via DPA

#### Data Retention & Training

Perplexity AI 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.

●Perplexity AI (5/5): Enterprise plans offer zero data retention; no use of enterprise data for AI training

#### Certifications

Perplexity AI leads with 3/5 vs 1/5.

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

●Perplexity AI (3/5): SOC 2 Type II certified; HIPAA BAA available for enterprise

#### Regulatory Fit

Perplexity AI leads with 3/5 vs 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.

●Perplexity AI (3/5): Strong for research-focused business use; US hosting limits EU data residency suitability

Certifications at a Glance

Certification	Exa	Perplexity AI
SOC 2 Type II	No	Yes

Overall Verdict

Perplexity AI has a clear trust advantage, scoring 15/25 compared to Exa's 10/25. Perplexity AI particularly excels in data retention & training, certifications, regulatory fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for EU compliance, Exa or Perplexity AI?

Exa has a TrustKit score of 10/25 while Perplexity AI scores 15/25. Perplexity AI currently rates higher across data residency, legal jurisdiction, data retention, certifications, and regulatory fit.

How do Exa and Perplexity AI compare on data residency?

Exa scores 2/5 for data residency (US-based infrastructure. No EU hosting option. Indexes public web content.), while Perplexity AI scores 2/5 (US-based AWS infrastructure; no regional data residency options currently).

Are Exa and Perplexity AI GDPR compliant?

Both tools are assessed across five compliance dimensions. Exa has a regulatory fit score of 2/5 and Perplexity AI scores 3/5. Check the full comparison above for a detailed breakdown.

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