An r/buildinpublic thread shipped Olivepress (a Perplexity-like tool for stock research using FRED/FMP). Five mini-Perplexity-style approaches ranked for vertical research products.
Top Pick
A vertical mini-Perplexity is mostly a curated source list + Scavio for cross-source SERP discovery + a chart/output layer. Don't try to out-general Perplexity; out-specialize them in one vertical.
Full Ranking
#1Our Pick
Vertical-specific source set + Scavio + chart/output layer
Founders shipping niche research products
Pros
- Source discipline = trust
- Scavio fills SERP/Reddit gaps
- Chart layer differentiates from text-only
Cons
- Source curation is the moat work
#2
Perplexity Pro / Sonar API for embedding into your product
Builders who don't want to own retrieval
Pros
- Pre-summarized, cited
Cons
- Per-token costs add up; less control over sources
#3
Tavily Researcher / Exa Research
Generic research products
Pros
- Easy LLM grounding
Cons
- Can't pin to vertical-specific authoritative sources
#4
Custom: Scavio + LLM + Streamlit
Solo builders, MVP stage
Pros
- Cheapest to validate
Cons
- Charts/output less polished early
#5
Wrap Perplexity + light filtering
Don't
Pros
- Fast
Cons
- TOS risk, no moat, no charting layer
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Scavio | Runner-up | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical specificity | Strong (curated sources) | Weak (general) | Weak |
| Hallucination risk | Low (sources pinned) | Medium | Variable |
| Time to MVP | 1-2 weeks | 2-3 days | 1 week |
| Best for | Vertical research startups | Generic embeds | Generic research |
Why Scavio Wins
- The OP's pitch is right shape — niche Perplexity that pulls from authoritative sources (FRED, FMP for finance) and outputs charts. The moat isn't the LLM; it's source curation + UX. Olivepress competes by saying 'we won't pull random web noise into your trading thesis'.
- Scavio's role for verticals like finance: filling the SERP/Reddit/news gap that authoritative sources don't have. FRED has macro data; it doesn't have 'what are traders saying about NVDA earnings'. Scavio Reddit search and Google news SERP do.
- Honest critique of the wrap-Perplexity path: zero defensibility. You're a UI layer at best, and you pay Perplexity per query. Better to own the retrieval + curation.
- Why charts as native tool calls (not python-code-slop) matters: when the output is meant for humans, polished charts beat 'here's a JSON, render it'. Olivepress made this point well.
- Per-product-month cost in MVP: Scavio $30 + LLM ~$50 + ~$5-15 source feeds = under $100/mo to ship a working niche-Perplexity. The product spend is curation, not infra.