{"jtbd":{"id":"privacy-search","slug":"privacy-search","name":"Privacy-oriented search API","shortName":"Privacy-oriented search API","problemStatement":"Search with independent index and stronger privacy posture."},"pick":{"id":"brave-search","slug":"brave-search","name":"Brave Search API","tagline":"Best privacy-forward search API with an independent index. Strong complement to Tavily/Exa.","website":"https://brave.com/search/api/","overall":8.41,"scoreBand":{"low":7.8,"mid":8.4,"high":9,"halfWidth":0.6,"basis":"editorial_prior","display":"7.8–9.0 (editorial prior)"},"scoreLayers":{"editorialPrior":8.41,"measuredBenchmark":null,"verifiedOutcomeScore":null,"verifiedOutcomeCount":0,"accountRuntimeState":"unprobed"},"pricingLastVerifiedAt":"2026-10-27","editorialPriorAsOf":"2026-09-14","pricingNotes":"Independent index search API; plan-based request quotas; privacy-oriented positioning.","scores":{"capabilityFit":8.2,"pricePerformance":8.5,"latencyReliability":8.6,"developerDx":8.2,"privacyPosture":9.2,"lockInRisk":3.5,"maturity":8.5,"overall":8.41,"kind":"curated_estimate","confidence":"high","asOf":"2026-09-14"}},"runnersUp":[{"id":"exa","slug":"exa","name":"Exa","tagline":"Depot pick for research-style agent search. Pair with Firecrawl when you need full page content.","website":"https://exa.ai","overall":8.07,"scoreBand":{"low":7.5,"mid":8.1,"high":8.7,"halfWidth":0.6,"basis":"editorial_prior","display":"7.5–8.7 (editorial prior)"},"scoreLayers":{"editorialPrior":8.07,"measuredBenchmark":null,"verifiedOutcomeScore":null,"verifiedOutcomeCount":0,"accountRuntimeState":"unprobed"},"pricingLastVerifiedAt":"2026-10-27","editorialPriorAsOf":"2026-10-19","pricingNotes":"Neural/embeddings-oriented web search API; usage-based; great for research agents.","scores":{"capabilityFit":9,"pricePerformance":8.2,"latencyReliability":8.4,"developerDx":9.2,"privacyPosture":7.5,"lockInRisk":4.5,"maturity":8,"overall":8.07,"kind":"curated_estimate","confidence":"high","asOf":"2026-10-19"}},{"id":"tavily","slug":"tavily","name":"Tavily","tagline":"Depot co-default for agent web search with Exa. Pick Tavily for classic SERP-like agent search.","website":"https://tavily.com","overall":8.04,"scoreBand":{"low":7.4,"mid":8,"high":8.6,"halfWidth":0.6,"basis":"editorial_prior","display":"7.4–8.6 (editorial prior)"},"scoreLayers":{"editorialPrior":8.04,"measuredBenchmark":null,"verifiedOutcomeScore":null,"verifiedOutcomeCount":0,"accountRuntimeState":"unprobed"},"pricingLastVerifiedAt":"2026-10-27","editorialPriorAsOf":"2026-09-14","pricingNotes":"Search API built for AI agents; credit-based; returns clean results for RAG.","scores":{"capabilityFit":8.8,"pricePerformance":8.5,"latencyReliability":8.4,"developerDx":9.2,"privacyPosture":7.5,"lockInRisk":4.5,"maturity":7.8,"overall":8.04,"kind":"curated_estimate","confidence":"high","asOf":"2026-09-14"}}],"scoreBand":{"low":7.8,"mid":8.4,"high":9,"halfWidth":0.6,"basis":"editorial_prior","display":"7.8–9.0 (editorial prior)"},"scoreLayers":{"editorialPrior":8.41,"measuredBenchmark":null,"verifiedOutcomeScore":null,"verifiedOutcomeCount":0,"accountRuntimeState":"unprobed"},"whyPickOverHigherScore":{"pickId":"brave-search","pickName":"Brave Search API","pickScore":8.41,"highestScoredCandidateId":"brave-search","highestScoredCandidateName":"Brave Search API","highestScore":8.41,"pickHasLowerCompositeScore":false,"delta":0,"pickLeadsOnDimensions":[],"explanation":"Brave Search API (8.41) holds both the highest composite score among ranked candidates and the editorial pick for Privacy-oriented search API: privacy + capability."},"cheapest":{"providerId":"brave-search","providerName":"Brave Search API","skuId":"brave-search-api-search","item":"Search API","plan":"Search API — $5 per 1,000 requests","unit":"usd_per_1k_searches","amountUsd":5,"isFloorPrice":false,"floorWarning":null,"skuCountInUnit":1,"isDepotPick":true,"sourceUrl":"https://brave.com/search/api/","asOf":"2026-10-19","verifiedAsOf":"2026-10-27"},"recommendedWorkloadQuote":{"providerId":"brave-search","providerName":"Brave Search API","skuId":"brave-search-api-search","item":"Search API","plan":"Search API — $5 per 1,000 requests","unit":"usd_per_1k_searches","amountUsd":5,"outputSkuId":null,"outputItem":null,"outputAmountUsd":null,"outputUnit":null,"sourceUrl":"https://brave.com/search/api/","asOf":"2026-10-19","pricingLastVerifiedAt":"2026-10-27","isFlagshipForJob":true,"differsFromFloorCheapest":false,"representativeQuote":{"skuId":"brave-search-api-search","item":"Search API","plan":"Search API — $5 per 1,000 requests","amountUsd":5,"inputOrUnitUsd":5,"unit":"usd_per_1k_searches","outputUsd":null,"outputUnit":null,"sourceUrl":"https://brave.com/search/api/","asOf":"2026-10-19"},"estimatedTaskCost":{"tasks":1000,"retryAndToolOverheadMultiplier":1.15,"retryToolOverheadMultiplier":1.15,"unitsPerTask":1,"baseCostPer1kTasksUsd":5,"totalUsd":5.75,"estimatedTotalUsd":5.75,"perTaskUsd":0.00575,"estimatedCostPerTaskUsd":0.00575,"formula":"(1,000 calls @ $5/1k_searches) * 1.15 overhead","assumptions":"1,000 tasks @ 1 request/task with 1.15x retry/tool-call overhead."}},"representativeQuote":{"skuId":"brave-search-api-search","item":"Search API","plan":"Search API — $5 per 1,000 requests","amountUsd":5,"inputOrUnitUsd":5,"unit":"usd_per_1k_searches","outputUsd":null,"outputUnit":null,"sourceUrl":"https://brave.com/search/api/","asOf":"2026-10-19"},"estimatedTaskCost":{"tasks":1000,"retryAndToolOverheadMultiplier":1.15,"retryToolOverheadMultiplier":1.15,"unitsPerTask":1,"baseCostPer1kTasksUsd":5,"totalUsd":5.75,"estimatedTotalUsd":5.75,"perTaskUsd":0.00575,"estimatedCostPerTaskUsd":0.00575,"formula":"(1,000 calls @ $5/1k_searches) * 1.15 overhead","assumptions":"1,000 tasks @ 1 request/task with 1.15x retry/tool-call overhead."},"freeAlternatives":[],"referenceDocs":[],"falsification":{"jtbdId":"privacy-search","jtbdName":"Privacy-oriented search API","currentPickId":"brave-search","currentPickScore":8.41,"challengerId":"exa","challengerScore":8.07,"currentScoreGap":0.34,"minVerifiedOutcomes":10,"requiredOutcomeMargin":0.49,"requiredSuccessRateDelta":0.15,"maxPickPriceIncreasePct":25,"whatWouldChangePick":["Exa (exa) outperforms Brave Search API (brave-search) by >= 0.49 outcome points (or >= 15% worked-rate delta) across >= 10 Countersign-verified production outcomes.","A verified price increase > 25% on Brave Search API's representative SKU for privacy-search without a corresponding capability gain.","Live caller rail exhaustion (?exhausted=brave-search) or sustained >= 30% degraded/failed rate in verified production outcomes."],"frozenHoldoutPolicy":{"holdoutSplit":"20% frozen benchmark holdout tasks + 80% live production outcome receipts","requireCountersignReceipt":true,"requiredEvidenceTiers":["outcome_verified","reference_checked"],"minDistinctContributors":2,"antiGamingRule":"Unverified self-reports and seed/editorial rows never mutate picks or scores."},"triggers":[{"kind":"verified_outcomes_outperformance","challengerId":"exa","minVerifiedOutcomes":10,"requiredOutcomeMargin":0.49,"requiredWorkedRateDelta":0.15},{"kind":"verified_price_increase","providerId":"brave-search","maxPriceIncreasePct":25},{"kind":"live_rail_exhaustion_or_degradation","providerId":"brave-search","immediateOverrideUrl":"/api/decide?jtbd=privacy-search&exhausted=brave-search"}],"submissionSpec":{"falsifyEndpoint":"/api/falsify?jtbd=privacy-search","outcomesEndpoint":"POST /api/feedback","correctionsEndpoint":"POST /api/corrections","payloadTemplate":{"agentIdentity":"agent:<your-agent-id>","jtbdId":"privacy-search","providerId":"exa","outcome":"worked","detail":"Comparative production evaluation on privacy-search (n>=10 tasks) with Countersign receipt.","confidence":"high","receipt":{"countersign":{"claim_id":"cs-00000000","status":"verified","evidence_tier":"outcome_verified","counts_as_verified":true}}}}},"whatWouldChangePick":["Exa (exa) outperforms Brave Search API (brave-search) by >= 0.49 outcome points (or >= 15% worked-rate delta) across >= 10 Countersign-verified production outcomes.","A verified price increase > 25% on Brave Search API's representative SKU for privacy-search without a corresponding capability gain.","Live caller rail exhaustion (?exhausted=brave-search) or sustained >= 30% degraded/failed rate in verified production outcomes."],"routePlan":{"jtbdId":"privacy-search","primary":{"providerId":"brave-search","name":"Brave Search API","overall":8.41,"scoreBand":{"low":7.8,"mid":8.4,"high":9,"halfWidth":0.6,"basis":"editorial_prior","display":"7.8–9.0 (editorial prior)"},"scoreLayers":{"editorialPrior":8.41,"measuredBenchmark":null,"verifiedOutcomeScore":null,"verifiedOutcomeCount":0,"accountRuntimeState":"unprobed"},"pricingLastVerifiedAt":"2026-10-27","editorialPriorAsOf":"2026-09-14","role":"primary","reason":"Editorial Depot Pick for Privacy-oriented search API; healthy/eligible under caller constraints."},"fallback":[{"providerId":"exa","name":"Exa","overall":8.07,"scoreBand":{"low":7.5,"mid":8.1,"high":8.7,"halfWidth":0.6,"basis":"editorial_prior","display":"7.5–8.7 (editorial prior)"},"scoreLayers":{"editorialPrior":8.07,"measuredBenchmark":null,"verifiedOutcomeScore":null,"verifiedOutcomeCount":0,"accountRuntimeState":"unprobed"},"pricingLastVerifiedAt":"2026-10-27","editorialPriorAsOf":"2026-10-19","role":"fallback","reason":"Ranked fallback route for Privacy-oriented search API."},{"providerId":"tavily","name":"Tavily","overall":8.04,"scoreBand":{"low":7.4,"mid":8,"high":8.6,"halfWidth":0.6,"basis":"editorial_prior","display":"7.4–8.6 (editorial prior)"},"scoreLayers":{"editorialPrior":8.04,"measuredBenchmark":null,"verifiedOutcomeScore":null,"verifiedOutcomeCount":0,"accountRuntimeState":"unprobed"},"pricingLastVerifiedAt":"2026-10-27","editorialPriorAsOf":"2026-09-14","role":"fallback","reason":"Ranked fallback route for Privacy-oriented search API."}],"disqualified":[],"expectedRegret":{"scoreDeltaVsUnconstrainedPick":0,"unconstrainedPickId":"brave-search","activePrimaryId":"brave-search","summary":"0.00 score regret: unconstrained editorial pick satisfies all caller constraints."},"evidenceAgeDays":{"editorialScoreAgeDays":43,"pricingVerifiedAgeDays":0,"editorialPriorAsOf":"2026-09-14","pricingLastVerifiedAt":"2026-10-27"},"confidenceBand":{"low":7.8,"mid":8.4,"high":9,"halfWidth":0.6,"basis":"editorial_prior","display":"7.8–9.0 (editorial prior)"},"constraintsApplied":false,"constraintBundle":{"task":null,"jtbd":"privacy-search","quotaExhausted":[],"degraded":[],"healthy":[],"budgetUsd":null,"maxLatencyMs":null,"region":null,"privacy":null,"exit":[],"existing":[]}},"pricingLastVerifiedAt":"2026-10-27","editorialPriorAsOf":"2026-09-14","tie":false,"scoreGap":0.34,"decidingFactor":null,"tieNote":null,"rationale":"privacy + capability.","whenNotTopPick":"Max recall on niche queries may still need multiple search providers.","skipTopPick":false,"skipReason":null,"matchedConstraints":[],"pricingSummary":"Independent index search API; plan-based request quotas; privacy-oriented positioning.","cite":"Depot Pick for privacy-search: brave-search (asOf 2026-09-14). See GET /api/jtbds/privacy-search + GET /api/methodology.","nextActions":[{"step":1,"title":"Inspect full JTBD + embeds","href":"/api/jtbds/privacy-search?embed=providers","why":"Confirm pick, runners-up, and methodology notes."},{"step":2,"title":"Quote sourced SKUs","href":"/api/quote?jtbd=privacy-search","why":"Depot Pick SKUs plus the cheapest sourced SKU whose unit matches this job. Does not change the pick. Does not blend input and output or borrow a chat rate for a non-chat job."},{"step":3,"title":"Open provider detail","href":"/api/providers/brave-search","why":"Scores, pricingNotes, strengths/weaknesses, communitySignals (claims only)."},{"step":4,"title":"Cite methodology","href":"/api/methodology","why":"Required when publishing a Depot Pick citation."},{"step":5,"title":"Grab badge SVG","href":"/api/badge?type=depot-pick&jtbd=privacy-search","why":"Embed in README / agent passport."},{"step":6,"title":"Post production insight","method":"POST","href":"/api/insights","why":"Unverified until curated; never auto-mutates official scores."}],"honesty":["Do not invent scores or benches.","Insights are claims until curated/reviewed; they never silently mutate official scores.","lockInRisk higher = more lock-in (worse).","normalizedUsdPerMillionTokens is set only for a single sourced token row. Otherwise null, with a machine-readable reason. Do not coerce GPU, minute, or per-1k search units.","Runners-up are not Depot Picks.","Depot overall is editorial_weighted, not Arena Elo and not an Artificial Analysis index."],"asOf":"2026-09-14","depth":{"whenNotToUse":{"text":"Max recall on niche queries may still need multiple search providers.","source":"editorial `whenNotTopPick` (data/jtbds.json)"},"whenNotToUseReason":null,"runnerUp":{"providerId":"exa","name":"Exa","overallForJob":8.07,"pickOverallForJob":8.41,"beatsPickOn":["capabilityFit","developerDx"],"source":"first resolvable entry of the job's editorially ranked `runnersUpIds`; scores are stored job-weighted scores"},"runnerUpReason":null,"lockIn":{"pickLockInRisk":3.5,"runnerUpLockInRisk":4.5,"scale":"0–10 stored curated estimate; higher = more lock-in (worse)","pickExitSignals":[],"runnerUpExitSignals":[],"pickNotes":[],"selfHostFallback":[],"migration":"The pick has lower stored lock-in risk than runner-up Exa (3.5 vs 4.5).","migrationReason":null,"derivedFrom":"stored lockInRisk scores, provider tags (oss, self-host, openai-compat, open-models), free rows that list this job, and verbatim provider notes. No migration guide was invented."}},"citation":{"text":"Agent Provider Depot (v0.12.152), Depot Pick for privacy-search: brave-search, scores as of 2026-09-14, retrieved 2026-10-27. https://getagentdepot.com/jtbds/privacy-search","markdown":"[Agent Provider Depot](https://getagentdepot.com/jtbds/privacy-search) (v0.12.152) — Depot Pick for `privacy-search`: **brave-search** (scores as of 2026-09-14, retrieved 2026-10-27)","fields":{"publisher":"Agent Provider Depot","version":"0.12.152","role":"depot_pick","jtbdId":"privacy-search","providerId":"brave-search","scoreAsOf":"2026-09-14","retrievedOn":"2026-10-27","page":"https://getagentdepot.com/jtbds/privacy-search","api":"https://getagentdepot.com/api/decide?jtbd=privacy-search"},"howToCite":"Cite Depot as an editorial, dated recommendation, not a benchmark: name the job, the Depot Pick (or runner-up), the score asOf date and the day you retrieved it, and link the job page. Format: “Agent Provider Depot (v{version}), Depot Pick for {jobId}: {providerId}, scores as of {scoreAsOf}, retrieved {retrievedOn}. {baseUrl}/jtbds/{jobId}”. Quote prices only with their own sourceUrl and asOf. If the pick's score is stale (freshness.pick.score.stale), say so."},"freshness":{"pick":{"score":{"asOf":"2026-09-14","ageDays":43,"stale":true,"staleAfterDays":30,"reason":null},"lastReviewed":{"asOf":"2026-09-14","ageDays":43,"stale":true,"staleAfterDays":30,"reason":null},"sourceCheck":{"checkedAt":"2026-10-27","sourceUrls":1,"sourcesReachable":1,"pricingRows":1,"pricingRowsReconfirmed":1,"note":"A source re-check confirms the page is reachable and, for pricing rows, that the stored amount and SKU name appear on it. It does not re-derive or change the score.","reason":null}},"scoreAsOf":"2026-09-14","editorialPriorAsOf":"2026-09-14","pricingLastVerifiedAt":"2026-10-27","pickLastReviewed":"2026-09-14","runnersUpScoreAsOf":["2026-10-19","2026-09-14"],"contractAsOf":"2026-10-03","pricingShape":"sourced_rows","normalizedUsdPerMillionTokens":null,"normalizationStatus":"unit_mismatch","normalizationReason":"unit_mismatch"},"pricingContract":{"normalizedUsdPerMillionTokens":null,"normalizationStatus":"unit_mismatch","normalizationReason":"unit_mismatch","shape":"sourced_rows","filterable":false,"priceSortEligible":false,"priceSortKeyUsdPerMillionInputTokens":null,"rows":[{"id":"brave-search-api-search","providerId":"brave-search","sku":"Search API","unit":"usd_per_1k_searches","amountUsd":5,"currency":"USD","sourceUrl":"https://brave.com/search/api/","asOf":"2026-10-19","normalizationStatus":"unit_mismatch","normalizedUsdPerMillionTokens":null,"normalizationReason":"unit_mismatch_per_1k_searches","priceSortEligible":false,"qualifier":"$5 per 1,000 requests. Includes $5 in free credits every month (not netted). Answers plan ($4/1k + tokens) not stored here."}],"notesExcerpt":"Independent index search API; plan-based request quotas; privacy-oriented positioning.","notesCheck":{"status":"no_known_contradiction","pairs":[],"review":null,"note":null},"lastReviewed":"2026-09-14","scoreAsOf":"2026-09-14","website":"https://brave.com/search/api/","doNotParse":"Do not parse pricingNotes. Use rows only. normalizedUsdPerMillionTokens is a single number only when this provider has exactly one sourced token row. Input/output, context tiers, and non-token units stay null at this level.","gap":"Partial coverage. Providers without a fetched SKU are omitted. See GET /api/pricing."},"links":{"jtbd":"/jtbds/privacy-search","jtbdApi":"/api/jtbds/privacy-search","leaderboard":"/api/leaderboards?jtbd=privacy-search","methodology":"/api/methodology","badge":"/api/badge?type=depot-pick&jtbd=privacy-search","decide":"/api/decide?jtbd=privacy-search","humanPage":"/jtbds/privacy-search","alternatives":"/api/alternatives?provider=brave-search","canonical":"/api/canonical","quote":"/api/quote?jtbd=privacy-search","falsify":"/api/falsify?jtbd=privacy-search"},"constraintBundle":{"task":null,"jtbd":"privacy-search","quotaExhausted":[],"degraded":[],"healthy":[],"budgetUsd":null,"maxLatencyMs":null,"region":null,"privacy":null,"exit":[],"existing":[]},"stackContext":{"host":null,"framework":null,"repo":null,"lang":null,"existing":[],"volume":null,"sender":null,"detectedFromTask":[]},"keep":null,"contextAdvice":null,"communityFeedback":{"pickOnThisJob":{"failed":0,"degraded":0,"worked":0,"insights":0,"withVerifiedReceipt":0,"failureModes":{},"latestAt":null,"note":"Agent-reported claims (unverified unless a receipt is verified by Depot's re-check). They never change scores or picks."},"outcomes":{"job":{"n":0,"worked":0,"degraded":0,"failed":0,"failureModes":{},"verifiedReports":0,"contributors":0,"excluded":{"seed_editorial":0,"test":0,"notFeedback":0},"reason":"no_submitted_outcome_reports_yet"},"pick":{"providerId":"brave-search","n":0,"worked":0,"degraded":0,"failed":0,"failureModes":{},"evidenceTiers":{"agent_claim":0,"self_declared":0,"reference_checked":0,"outcome_verified":0},"reason":"no_submitted_outcome_reports_yet"},"scoresMutated":false,"more":"/api/outcomes?jtbd=privacy-search"},"report":"POST /api/feedback {agentIdentity, outcome: failed|degraded|worked, detail, providerId, jtbdId, failureModeId?, receipt?}"}}