---
title: "Ocean.io vs Exa: similar-companies (lookalike) APIs compared | Openbenchmarks"
description: "Independent head-to-head benchmark of Ocean.io and Exa for finding similar companies / lookalikes — real relevance scores and which wins for what, on identical B2B seeds with the same three-model LLM judge panel."
url: https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes/ocean-io-vs-exa
---

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lookalike benchmark · head-to-head 

# Ocean.io vs Exa for finding similar companies (lookalike APIs), benchmarked

Both Ocean.io and Exa return companies that resemble a seed account — Ocean.io via AI-driven lookalike search across a global company graph, Exa via neural company search from a seed-anchored capability query. Here is how they compare on identical B2B seed companies, scored by the same three-model LLM judge panel.

\[01\] head-to-head

## Ocean.io vs Exa, scored on the same seeds

Same input, same judge, same seed companies — so the gaps below reflect relevance, not different test sets. [See the full methodology and matrix →](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes) 

| Metric | Ocean.io | Exa | Winner |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Precision@10 (top-of-list quality) | **74.3%** | **80.8%** | Exa |
| Precision@100 (long-list quality, headline) | **59.5%** | **48.6%** | Ocean.io |
| Relevant companies returned | **2,799** | **2,331** | Ocean.io |

\[02\] how each works

## How Ocean.io and Exa find lookalikes

Ocean.io surfaces lookalikes via AI-driven lookalike search across a global company graph; Exa via neural company search from a seed-anchored capability query. Same seed, same top-K, same LLM judge — so the mechanism difference shows up directly in the relevance numbers above.

\[03\] agent sign-up + use

## Agent sign-up and use instructions

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

Ocean.io 

mcp 

`[api.ocean.io/mcp](https://api.ocean.io/mcp "Open api.ocean.io/mcp in a new tab") ` human key 

toolsearch\_companies

authX-Api-Token — requires human key setup

credits0.2 credits / result · paid

[mcp docs ↗](https://app.ocean.io/docs/getting-started/mcp) 

api 

`POST /v3/search/companies` human key 

authX-Api-Token

creditsaccount credits · paid

[api docs ↗](https://app.ocean.io/docs/searchCompaniesV3) 

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) 

Comparing other vendors? [See the full benchmark →](https://openbenchmarks.com/lookalikes) · 

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