Definition
Premium-source search is the class of search APIs that index and return only a curated set of high-authority sources (major publishers, trusted data providers) rather than the open web, optimized for agents that need reliable citations over breadth.
In Depth
Linkup popularized the pattern in late 2025 with a premium tier that guaranteed results from vetted publishers. The tradeoff is obvious: smaller index, higher average quality, higher price per query. Premium-source search is complementary to a full-web API like Scavio, not a replacement. A common pattern is to route sensitive compliance or finance queries through premium-source search and general web queries through Scavio.
Example Usage
Compliance routed regulatory queries through Linkup's premium-source tier while general research stayed on Scavio.
Platforms
Premium-source Search is relevant across the following platforms, all accessible through Scavio's unified API:
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