SearXNG (Self-Hosted) vs API Search (Scavio)
SearXNG is a free, self-hosted metasearch engine that aggregates results from multiple sources. It appeals to privacy-focused teams and those avoiding per-query costs. But in production agent workflows, SearXNG's 10-20% empty-result rate and upstream dependency on third-party search engines creates reliability problems that API search services solve.
50 free credits · no credit card
SearXNG (Self-Hosted)
Free. Self-hosted. Infrastructure costs for server only.
Strengths
- Zero per-query cost after infrastructure setup
- Privacy-first: no query logging by third parties
- Open source with full configuration control
- Aggregates results from multiple search engines
Weaknesses
- 10-20% empty-result rate when upstream engines block requests
- Requires server infrastructure and maintenance
- No structured SERP features (AI Overviews, Knowledge Graph)
- Results quality varies with upstream engine availability
API Search (Scavio)
Free 250 credits/mo. $30/mo for 7K credits. $0.005/credit.
Strengths
- Consistent results with managed infrastructure
- Structured data including AI Overviews and Knowledge Graph
- Six platforms in one API endpoint
- No server maintenance or upstream dependency management
Weaknesses
- Per-query cost at $0.005 each
- Queries are processed by a third-party service
- No self-hosting option for on-premises requirements
- Monthly credit limits on free tier
Feature-by-feature comparison
Verdict
SearXNG wins for privacy-first teams and use cases where occasional empty results are acceptable. It is genuinely free and gives full control over query processing. API search wins for production agent workflows where every query must return results. The 10-20% empty-result rate in SearXNG is acceptable for human browsing but breaks automated pipelines. Many teams run both: SearXNG as primary with API fallback for empty results.
Consider Scavio instead
Use Scavio as the fallback layer behind SearXNG. Route all queries through SearXNG first (free), then fall back to Scavio ($0.005) when SearXNG returns empty. This hybrid approach keeps 80-85% of queries free while ensuring 100% result availability for production agents.
Frequently Asked Questions
SearXNG is a free, self-hosted metasearch engine that aggregates results from multiple sources. It appeals to privacy-focused teams and those avoiding per-query costs. But in production agent workflows, SearXNG's 10-20% empty-result rate and upstream dependency on third-party search engines creates reliability problems that API search services solve.
SearXNG (Self-Hosted) is priced at Free. Self-hosted. Infrastructure costs for server only.. API Search (Scavio) is priced at Free 250 credits/mo. $30/mo for 7K credits. $0.005/credit.. The better value depends on your usage volume and feature requirements.
Use Scavio as the fallback layer behind SearXNG. Route all queries through SearXNG first (free), then fall back to Scavio ($0.005) when SearXNG returns empty. This hybrid approach keeps 80-85% of queries free while ensuring 100% result availability for production agents.
Some teams use both tools for different parts of their pipeline. However, a unified API like Scavio can replace the need for multiple subscriptions by providing search, content extraction, YouTube, and Amazon data from a single endpoint.
Try Scavio for free
50 free credits on signup. Structured data from Google, YouTube, Amazon, Walmart, and Reddit. No credit card required.