Side-by-side comparison · Research & Search
Exa vs NotebookLM vs Wokelo
Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.
Comparing 3 tools, the maximum.
At a glance
Pick it if: People using Claude Code or building their own assistants who want real web search behind them.
Pick it if: Anyone who needs to understand or explain a set of documents they don't have time to read properly.
Pick it if: Private equity, venture, investment banking, consulting and corporate development teams that research companies and markets every week.
Overview
| Attribute | Exa | NotebookLM | Wokelo |
|---|---|---|---|
| In one line | A search engine built for AI tools, so Claude can find exactly the pages it needs. | Upload your own documents and ask questions that only draw on those sources. | AI research agents that write company, market and due diligence reports for dealmakers. |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium | Paid |
| Starting price | From $4 per 1 | $4.99/mo | See website |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | No |
| Works with Claude Code | Yes | No | Yes |
Rating breakdown
Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.
| Attribute | Exa | NotebookLM | Wokelo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4.0 | 4.5Winner | 3.8 |
| Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it. | 3.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together. | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan. | 4.5 | 5.0 | 3.0 |
| Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over. | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
Feature comparison
A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.
| Attribute | Exa | NotebookLM | Wokelo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access & platform | |||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | No |
| Mobile app | No | Yes | – |
| Desktop app | No | No | – |
| Browser extension | No | Yes | – |
| API access | Yes | – | Yes |
| Teams & business | |||
| Team workspace | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Enterprise plan or SSO | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Connects to other apps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Open source or self-hosted | No | No | No |
| AI abilities | |||
| Works with your files | No | Yes | Yes |
| Understands images | No | Yes | – |
| Makes images | No | Yes | No |
| Makes video | No | Yes | No |
| Writes code | No | No | No |
| Runs agents or automations | Yes | No | Yes |
| Learns your brand or style | No | No | – |
| Works in many languages | Yes | Yes | – |
| Capabilities score | 7/ 17 | 11/ 17 | 6/ 17 |
Pricing
Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.
| Attribute | Exa | NotebookLM | Wokelo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plans | FreeOur pick Free Personal use inside Claude Code. | FreeOur pick Free Almost everyone. Try this before paying for anything. | EnterpriseOur pick Custom Investment, consulting and corporate strategy teams. |
Pay as you go From $4 per 1,000 searches Anyone whose usage outgrows the free credit. | Google AI Plus $4.99/mo People who hit the free limits now and then. | ||
Enterprise Custom Companies building products on top of it. | Google AI Pro $19.99/mo Heavy users who also want Gemini Pro and Deep Research. | ||
Google AI Ultra From $99.99/mo Power users who want the top of everything Google offers. | |||
| Which plan to pick | Start free. The monthly $10 of credit is plenty for one person using it from Claude Code, and if you do run out you only pay for what you use. Enterprise is for software companies, not for a business that just wants better search. | Stay on Free until it stops you doing something. If that happens, Google AI Pro is the sensible step because it also upgrades Gemini and Deep Research, which you will probably want anyway. AI Plus is a cheap middle step if NotebookLM is all you care about. | There is only a sales-led contract. Ask for a trial on a live deal or project before you sign, and check which premium data sources are included at your price. |
Key features
| Attribute | Exa | NotebookLM | Wokelo |
|---|---|---|---|
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Pros and cons
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Who each one is for
| Attribute | Exa | NotebookLM | Wokelo |
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Questions people ask
Which is better, Exa, NotebookLM or Wokelo?
NotebookLM scores highest overall in our ratings (Exa 4.0/5, NotebookLM 4.5/5 and Wokelo 3.8/5). Exa is best for web search inside Claude Code and finding sites like one you know. NotebookLM is best for summarising long reports and questioning a set of PDFs. Wokelo is best for first-pass due diligence on a target and industry and market landscapes.
Which is cheaper, Exa, NotebookLM or Wokelo?
Exa: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at From $4 per 1. NotebookLM: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $4.99/mo. Wokelo: Pricing isn't published; check the vendor's site for a quote.
Which is easier to use, Exa, NotebookLM or Wokelo?
NotebookLM rates highest for ease of use in our scores. Anyone who needs to understand or explain a set of documents they don't have time to read properly.
How we compare
Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.
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