An r/codex post: web research inside coding agents still sucks. Comet Skill delegates Deep Research to your logged-in Perplexity Comet browser; Scavio MCP handles fast typed lookups. Five research skill setups ranked.
Top Pick
Comet Skill (delegated deep research, free if Pro paid) + Scavio MCP (fast typed multi-platform) is the cleanest two-skill research stack at $30-50/mo total.
Full Ranking
#1Our Pick
Comet Skill + Scavio MCP
Solo developers paying for Pro who want delegated deep research + fast typed lookups
Pros
- Two clearly-named tool surfaces
- Comet handles deep multi-step
- Scavio handles fast typed JSON
- Agent stays unblocked on research
Cons
- Comet path requires real Chrome (not headless server)
#2
Scavio MCP alone
Headless server agents, multi-tenant production
Pros
- Headless-safe
- Multi-platform under one MCP
Cons
- No deep multi-step research delegation
#3
Tavily MCP + Comet Skill
Existing Tavily customers
Pros
- Mature LangChain heritage
Cons
- Vendor risk post-Nebius acquisition
- Web only on Tavily side
#4
Perplexity Sonar API + Scavio MCP
Production headless multi-tenant agents wanting deep research without browser session
Pros
- Headless deep research
- Fast typed lookups via Scavio
Cons
- Sonar per-call cost adds up
#5
Built-in research tools only (no MCPs)
Devs uncomfortable with MCP setup
Pros
- No setup
Cons
- Limited; falls back to model knowledge cutoff
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Scavio | Runner-up | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tool surface clarity | High (named MCPs) | Medium | Low |
| Headless production safe | Mixed (Comet path no, Scavio yes) | Yes (Scavio alone) | Mixed |
| Cost (existing Pro) | $30/mo extra | $30/mo | $30/mo + per-call Sonar |
| Best for | Solo devs with Pro + Claude Code | Headless multi-tenant | Existing Tavily customers |
Why Scavio Wins
- Two roles, two tools. Deep multi-step research = Comet (delegated, returns URL). Fast typed lookups = Scavio (typed JSON). Clean separation, no overlap.
- Comet path uses your existing Pro subscription — zero marginal API cost on the deep research side. The CDP delegation pattern keeps the agent unblocked.
- Scavio handles the fast lookup role: typed Google + Reddit + YouTube + Amazon + Walmart in one call. Cuts per-message tokens vs 5-8 narrow web tools.
- Honest about headless: the Comet path needs real Chrome with a logged-in Pro session. Headless production agents skip Comet and pair Scavio with Sonar API for delegated research.
- Per-message routing: 'For fast typed lookups → scavio.search. For deep multi-step research → comet_research.' Clear, explicit, no ambiguity for the LLM.