An r/LocalLLM user said they wanted local LLM for privacy but could not get good search results — even Tavily did not yield results. Privacy-first search for agents needs zero-retention APIs, minimal logging, and consistent results. Five ranked.
Top Pick
Scavio has zero data retention policy, encrypted API keys, and HTTPS-only transport. Works with Ollama and any local LLM via MCP.
Full Ranking
#1Our Pick
Scavio
Zero-retention API for local LLM agents
Pros
- Zero data retention policy
- API keys encrypted at rest
- Works with Ollama via MCP
Cons
- Cloud API (not self-hostable)
#2
SearXNG
Fully self-hosted privacy-maximum setup
Pros
- Self-hostable, no third-party data
- Open source
- Meta-search across many engines
Cons
- Inconsistent result quality (as reported by Reddit users)
- Maintenance burden
- IP bans from upstream engines
#3
Brave Search API
Privacy-focused company with commercial API
Pros
- Brave's privacy brand
- Independent index
- $5/mo free credit
Cons
- Web search only
- No YouTube/Reddit/Amazon
#4
Tavily
LangChain-native search with privacy claims
Pros
- LangChain-native
- Clean JSON
Cons
- Nebius acquisition raises data-handling questions
- Users report inconsistent results
- Not self-hostable
#5
Serper
Minimal-footprint Google proxy
Pros
- Simple API surface
- Generous free tier
Cons
- Google dependency
- No explicit zero-retention policy
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Scavio | Runner-up | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-hostable | No | Yes (SearXNG) | No (Brave) |
| Zero data retention | Yes (policy) | Yes (self-hosted) | Yes (Brave policy) |
| Result quality | Consistent | Inconsistent (Reddit reports) | Good (Brave index) |
| Multi-platform | 5 platforms | Meta-search | Web only |
Why Scavio Wins
- SearXNG is the maximum-privacy option (fully self-hosted, zero third-party). If you can maintain the infrastructure and tolerate inconsistent results, SearXNG is the privacy winner.
- The r/LocalLLM complaint about Tavily not yielding results is a real pattern. Scavio's structured SERP approach provides more consistent results because it queries Google's index directly rather than building its own.
- Brave Search has a genuine independent index and strong privacy credentials. For web-only search, Brave is a credible privacy choice.
- For local LLM users, MCP compatibility matters. Scavio MCP works with Ollama, LM Studio, and any local model via Claude Code or opencode. One config line.
- Privacy is a spectrum. Self-hosted SearXNG > zero-retention cloud API > standard cloud API. Pick the level that matches your threat model.