Softwr

Business Intelligence · head to head

Exa vs PhpStorm

Exa logo

Exa

Business Intelligence

Web search, built for AI agents

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit ExaFull review
PhpStorm logo

PhpStorm

Developer Tools

JetBrains IDE for PHP web development

From
$24/month
Free plan
No
Visit PhpStormFull review

The short version

  • Exa has a free plan, then $7/mo; PhpStorm starts at $24/mo.
  • Where Exa falls short: usage-based pricing can be unpredictable without volume discounts upfront.
  • Where PhpStorm falls short: requires an ongoing paid subscription with no free tier for commercial use.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Exa and PhpStorm actually diverge.

Attributes where Exa and PhpStorm differ
AttributeExaPhpStorm
Starting priceFree$24/month
Pricing modelUsage-basedSubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWindows, macOS, Linux
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceDeveloper Tools

Not yet recorded: founded for Exa.

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Exa

Nothing recorded that PhpStorm does not also cover.

Only in PhpStorm

  • PHP-aware coding assistance
  • Integrated debugger
  • Front-end tooling
  • Database tools
  • Version control integration
  • Docker and remote deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Exa

  • Web search and research APIsnot PhpStorm
  • Content extraction and analysisnot PhpStorm
  • Real-time monitoring and alertsnot PhpStorm

PhpStorm

  • Building PHP web applications with Laravel or Symfonynot Exa
  • Debugging PHP code with Xdebugnot Exa
  • Working across PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in one projectnot Exa
  • Managing databases alongside application codenot Exa

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Exa

  • Usage-based pricing can be unpredictable without volume discounts upfront
  • Enterprise customers need to contact sales for custom volume discount plans

PhpStorm

  • Requires an ongoing paid subscription with no free tier for commercial use
  • Heavier and slower to start than lightweight code editors
  • Some advanced framework-specific tooling requires additional configuration or plugins
  • Renewal pricing rises for lapsed subscriptions after the grace period

Pricing, plan by plan

Exa

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • $20 in free credits (approximately 2,800 searches)
    • $10 in monthly credits after first month
  • Search$7
    • Standard search functionality
  • Deep Search$12
    • In-depth search results
  • Contents$1/per 1000 pages
    • Content extraction

PhpStorm

$24/month
  • Individual$24/mo
    • Personal use license
    • Access to PhpStorm
    • Free for students and open-source maintainers
  • Organization$34/mo
    • Business use license
    • Access to PhpStorm
    • Volume and renewal discounts

Which should you pick?

Choose Exa if

  • You want to start without paying.
Exa review

Choose PhpStorm if

  • You need php-aware coding assistance.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want integrated debugger.
PhpStorm review

Questions people ask

Is Exa or PhpStorm better?
Neither clearly leads. Exa starts at Free and PhpStorm at $24/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Exa or PhpStorm?
Exa has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Exa and $24/month for PhpStorm.
Does Exa or PhpStorm run on more platforms?
Exa runs on Web. PhpStorm runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Exa for free?
Yes. Exa has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PhpStorm starts at $24/month.
What is Exa best used for?
Exa is most often used for web search and research apis, content extraction and analysis, real-time monitoring and alerts. Of those, web search and research apis and content extraction and analysis are not what PhpStorm is typically brought in for.
What can Exa do that PhpStorm cannot?
PhpStorm covers PHP-aware coding assistance, Integrated debugger, Front-end tooling, Database tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Exa: How much does Exa API cost?

Exa uses pay-as-you-go pricing with no subscription or minimum spend required. Search costs USD$7 per 1000 requests, Deep Search costs USD$12-15 per 1000 requests, and Contents costs USD$1 per 1000 pages. Users load credits and are charged at these published rates.

Source
PhpStorm: How much does PhpStorm cost?

PhpStorm is sold via JetBrains Toolbox subscription starting around $24/month for individuals and $34/month for organizations, with free licenses for students and open-source maintainers.

Source
Exa: Is there a free tier for Exa?

Yes, new accounts receive USD$20 in free credits (approximately 2,800 searches) plus USD$10 in additional credits every month. This allows developers to test the API before committing to paid usage.

Source
PhpStorm: Is there a free trial?

JetBrains offers a free trial of PhpStorm so developers can test it before subscribing.

Source
Exa: What other costs are associated with Exa?

Beyond the main API costs, Exa charges USD$1 per 1000 results beyond the first 10 returned, USD$1 per 1000 pages for AI summaries, and USD$0.10 per Agent Compute Unit for autonomous agent usage. Contact enrichment features cost USD$0.02 per email and USD$0.07 per phone number.

Source
PhpStorm: What platforms does PhpStorm support?

PhpStorm is a desktop IDE available on Windows, macOS, and Linux via JetBrains Toolbox.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Exa

More on PhpStorm

Keep looking

Other head to heads