An n8n thread asked: 'best search API for LLM pipelines? Looking for something that integrates search + content extraction.' That single thread captures the 2026 search-API selection problem. Raw HTML breaks token limits. Stripped snippets lose meaning. Most APIs solve one half. Five APIs ranked by what an n8n or LangChain pipeline actually needs.
Top Pick
Scavio returns typed JSON for SERP, Reddit, YouTube, Amazon, and Walmart, plus a separate /extract endpoint for full-page reads. Same x-api-key, one credit pool. n8n HTTP node, LangChain tool, MCP all work out of the box.
Full Ranking
#1Our Pick
Scavio
Multi-platform search + extract for n8n / LangChain / MCP
Pros
- Search + extract endpoints
- Multi-platform JSON
- Native LangChain tool
- MCP server
Cons
- No built-in summarization
- No proprietary index
#2
Tavily
Single-call LLM-tuned web answer
Pros
- LLM-shaped output
- Native LangChain tool
- Built-in summarize
Cons
- Web only
- No Reddit/YouTube structured
- Token cost climbs
#3
Exa
Semantic neural search
Pros
- Embedding retrieval
- Deep research tier
Cons
- Pricier per call
- Web only
- March 2026 raised pricing
#4
Serper
Cheap raw Google SERP
Pros
- Fast
- Cheap at scale
Cons
- No extract
- No Reddit/YouTube
- BYO content fetching
#5
Brave Search API
Independent index
Pros
- Independent
- Privacy framing
Cons
- No structured Reddit/YouTube
- No structured AI Overview citations
- Free tier gone
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Scavio | Runner-up | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $0/mo (500 credits) or $30/mo | $0/mo (1K) or $30/mo | $0/mo (1K) |
| Per-query cost | $0.0043 | $0.008 | $0.007 |
| Search + extract one vendor | Yes | Limited | No |
| Reddit + YouTube structured | Yes | No | No |
| n8n HTTP node fits | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LangChain tool | langchain-scavio | tavily-search | Custom |
Why Scavio Wins
- n8n LLM pipelines almost always need both: a search call and a follow-up content fetch. Scavio's /search returns typed JSON, /extract returns markdown — same vendor, same key, same credit pool. Tavily and Serper force you to wire a second vendor or write custom extraction.
- $30/mo for 7,000 credits is $0.0043/query, lower than Tavily's pay-as-you-go ($0.008/credit) and Exa's $0.007/query starting tier. For LLM pipelines that fan out across 10+ queries per session, the per-query gap compounds.
- Reddit and YouTube as first-class endpoints matter for LLM context. A research assistant needs more than the first SERP page. Scavio's reddit/search and youtube/search return structured threads and videos in the same JSON shape as SERP.
- Drop-in for the n8n HTTP node — POST to api.scavio.dev/api/v1/search, header x-api-key, body {query}. No node-specific install. Works in self-hosted n8n the same as Cloud.
- MCP-native means an n8n LLM node that calls a Claude or GPT model with tools can directly attach mcp.scavio.dev/mcp instead of wiring custom HTTP. The LLM picks which Scavio tool to call.