# Exa 3.0 adds cheaper search and a larger index for AI agents > Source: > Published: 2026-10-19 16:56:02+00:00 # Exa 3.0 adds cheaper search and a larger index for AI agents **The October 18th release adds a $4-per-1,000-request tier and token-saving highlights; Exa's benchmark leadership claim comes from tests it ran itself.** By [Ryan Merket](https://runtimewire.com/author/ryan-merket) · Published · Updated Primary source: [X](https://x.com/ExaAILabs/status/2112218730952601719) ## Why it matters Exa is selling search as a recurring input to AI agents, with pricing and token efficiency alongside retrieval quality. Its benchmark lead remains a company claim, so the evaluation setup matters as much as the headline scores. Exa released Exa 3.0 on October 18th, adding a lower-cost search option, a broader index and a retrieval feature designed to reduce the amount of webpage text AI systems must process. The launch appeared in an [Exa blog post](https://exa.ai/blog/exa-3) a day before the company described it in a [thread on X](https://x.com/ExaAILabs/status/2112218730952601719). The API is available, with Exa Lite priced at $4 per 1,000 requests and Exa Auto at $7 per 1,000.… When you purchase through links in our articles, [we may earn a small commission](https://runtimewire.com/affiliate-monetization-standards). This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.