---
title: "Exa similar-companies API (lookalikes), independently benchmarked | Openbenchmarks"
description: "How Exa's similar-companies / lookalike API actually performs on the independent Openbenchmarks benchmark — real relevance scores and the Exa alternatives."
url: https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/exa
---

[](https://openbenchmarks.com/) 

[← lookalike benchmark](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes) 

[benchmarks](https://openbenchmarks.com/) / [lookalikes](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes) / Exa 

lookalike benchmark 

# Exa similar-companies API (lookalikes), independently benchmarked

Exa's similar-companies — or "lookalike" — API finds companies that resemble a seed account using neural company search from a seed-anchored capability query. Here is how it actually scored on the independent Openbenchmarks lookalike benchmark, and the Exa alternatives.

\[01\] Exa on the benchmark

## How Exa scored

Same B2B seed companies as every other vendor; a three-model LLM judge panel scores each returned company for relevance. [See the full methodology and matrix →](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes) 

| Metric | Exa | Standing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Precision@10 (top-of-list quality) | **80.8%** | #4 of 10 |
| Precision@100 (long-list quality, headline) | **48.6%** | #6 of 7 |
| Relevant companies returned | **2,331** | #6 of 10 |

\[02\] how it works

## How Exa finds similar companies

Exa surfaces lookalikes via neural company search from a seed-anchored capability query. On this benchmark every vendor receives the same compact input (company name + domain + a one-line description), which matches how an AI agent would query it.

\[03\] agent sign-up + use

## Using Exa from an agent

How an agent runs a lookalike / company search on Exa — the access model (does the agent get in on its own, or does a human?), the exact call, and the credits.

Exa 

mcp 

`[mcp.exa.ai/mcp](https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp "Open mcp.exa.ai/mcp in a new tab") ` 

toolno company search

authkeyless

credits—

[mcp docs ↗](https://exa.ai/docs/reference/exa-mcp) 

api 

`POST api.exa.ai/search · category: company` key 

authx-api-key from dashboard

credits$20 credits on sign-up · $10 free credits / mo

x402keyless pay-per-call — this /search call is x402-payable

[api docs ↗](https://exa.ai/docs/reference/verticals/company) 

\[04\] Exa alternatives

## Exa alternatives, benchmarked head-to-head

Every alternative below is scored on the same seeds with the same judge — so you can compare relevance directly instead of trusting vendor claims.

| Alternative | How it works | Precision@100 | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [**Ocean.io** ](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/ocean-io) | AI-driven lookalike search across a global company graph | **59.5%** | [Exa vs Ocean.io →](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/ocean-io-vs-exa) |
| [**Parallel** ](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/parallel) | agentic entity search from the same seed-anchored query as Exa | **56.9%** | [Exa vs Parallel →](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/exa-vs-parallel) |
| [**Seltz** ](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/seltz) | companies-scope search from a vendor-submitted natural-language query | **63.4%** | [compare →](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/seltz) |
| [**CompanyEnrich** ](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/companyenrich) | domain-based similar-company search over the CompanyEnrich company index | **73.5%** | [compare →](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/companyenrich) |
| [**PredictLeads** ](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/predictleads) | similar companies via shared tech / news / jobs co-signals | **—** | [Exa vs PredictLeads →](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/predictleads-vs-exa) |
| [**Extruct** ](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/extruct) | domain-based similar-company ranking from a company index | **61.1%** | [compare →](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/extruct) |
| [**CUFinder** ](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/cufinder) | company lookalike finder using a name, domain, or LinkedIn URL | **—** | [compare →](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/cufinder) |
| [**Discolike** ](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/discolike) | domain lookalike discovery over BizData company profiles | **34.6%** | [compare →](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/discolike) |
| [**ZoomInfo** ](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/zoominfo) | similar-companies lookup over the ZoomInfo company graph | **—** | [compare →](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/zoominfo) |

Exa scores **48.6% Precision@100** on the current cohort. [See all vendors on the full benchmark →](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes) 

Openbenchmarks open benchmarks 

[← lookalike benchmark](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes) [api](https://openbenchmarks.com/api/benchmarks/lookalikes) [source ↗](https://github.com/openbenchmarks-labs/lookalikes) © 2026 Openbenchmarks