AI Plugin IndexSmart Tool vs exa
Smart Tool and exa are both search and web MCP servers. exa scores higher (100 vs 82 out of 100). exa has more GitHub stars (5.1k), and Smart Tool was updated more recently (2 days ago). The table compares them side by side.
| Smart Tool | exa | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 82 / 100 | 100 / 100 |
| What it does | Local MCP server that gives coding agents (Claude Code, Codex) cheaper, sharper tools than their built-in search. Windows. | Connect AI agents to Exa for web search, content fetching, and multi-step research. |
| Publisher | Verified: npm:@allansantos-dev | Verified: exa.ai |
| Grades | Maintenance A, Licence A, Quality C | Maintenance A, Licence A, Quality A |
| npm downloads a week | 1,052 | Not on npm |
| Runs | Local | Remote |
| Works with | Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI, VS Code, Windsurf | Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI, VS Code, Windsurf, ChatGPT |
| GitHub stars | 0 | 5,142 |
| Last commit | 20 Oct 2026 | 19 Oct 2026 |
| Licence | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Listed since | 20 Oct 2026 | 19 Oct 2026 |
| Install Smart Tool | Install exa |
Questions
Is Smart Tool or exa more popular?
exa has more GitHub stars: 5,142.
Can I use Smart Tool and exa together?
Yes. AI assistants can load several MCP servers at once. Install both and the assistant picks the right one for each task.