Exa MCP Server vs Propraven
A side-by-side look at the Exa MCP Server and Propraven MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Exa MCP Server for search & data extraction work as a local process; choose Propraven for real estate as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Exa MCP Server when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Search & Data Extraction domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
- You want tools like
web_search_exa, web_fetch_exa.
Choose Propraven when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Real Estate domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
PROPRAVEN_API_KEY. - You want tools like
parcel_lookup, parcel_search, parcel_compare.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Search & Data Extraction | Real Estate |
| Quality signal | 73/100 · Great | 60/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | No auth required | Not declared |
| Pricing | Free | Not declared |
| Required env vars | None listed | PROPRAVEN_API_KEY |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 5,162 | 0 |
| Directory activity | 11 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 2 | 8 |
| Full listing | View Exa MCP Server | View Propraven |
Tools & capabilities
Exa MCP Server tools 2
web_search_exaSearch the web for any topic and get clean, ready-to-use content. Best for: Finding current information, news, facts, people, companies, or answering questions about any topic. Returns: Clean text content from top search results. Query tips: describe the ideal page, not keywords. "blog post comparing React and Vue performance" not "React vs Vue". Use category:people / category:company to search through Linkedin profiles / companies respectively. If highlights are insufficient, follow up with web_fetch_exa on the best URLs.web_fetch_exaRead a webpage's full content as clean markdown. Use after web_search_exa when highlights are insufficient or to read any URL. Best for: Extracting full content from known URLs. Batch multiple URLs in one call. Returns: Clean text content and metadata from the page(s).
Propraven tools 8
parcel_lookupResolve a single US parcel by identifier (canonical state_fips:county_fips:parcel_id, PropRaven UUID, street address, or APN). An ID returns the canonical PropRaven parcel card (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}): identity, current owner, valuation, geography and source provenance. An address or APN runs the text search and returns up to 5 candidates — re-call with the chosen candidate's `lookup_id` to get the card. Use when the user names one specific property. Do NOT use when ranking multiple parcels (use parcel_compare) or when filtering by criteria (use parcel_search). Example: `parcel_lookup({ query: "37:119:12104406" })` or `parcel_lookup({ query: "2232 Wilmore Dr, Charlotte, NC 28203" })`. Free read — never purchases anything.parcel_searchText search over US parcels (GET /api/v1/search/full): pass `q` as a city, owner name, address fragment or APN, optionally narrowed by `field`, `state` and `city`. Returns `{ results, total, totalCapped, page, pages, hasMore, nextCursor }` (default 50 per page, max 200); each result carries parcel_id, apn, county_fips, state_fips, site_address, city, zip5, owner_name, total_value, latitude, longitude (in search rows `parcel_id` is the PropRaven UUID and `county_fips` is 5-digit), plus `lookup_id`, added by this server — pass it to parcel_lookup / parcel_compare. Page with `cursor` (the previous response's `nextCursor`) rather than `page`; `total` is a floor when `totalCapped` is true. Use when the user wants properties matching a name, place or address fragment. Do NOT use when looking up a single known property (use parcel_lookup) or ranking a known set (use parcel_compare). Free read — never purchases anything.parcel_compareFetch 2–25 parcels side by side so they can be ranked against criteria. For each parcel it reads the free parcel card (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}: identity, owner, valuation, building, lot) and, unless include_risks=false, the hazard block (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}/risks), and returns a normalized `summary` plus the raw `card` / `risks`. The calling agent does the per-criterion scoring and final ranking. NEVER buys the paid parcel report or any other paid product. Use when the user has identified candidate properties (often from parcel_search) and wants them ranked. Do NOT use to discover new candidates (use parcel_search) or for a single property (use parcel_lookup + hazard_score). For deed or permit timelines call sales_history / permits_history per parcel. The `criteria` argument is returned verbatim so the agent can pin its scoring to the user's intent.owner_pierceList the parcels titled under an owner-of-record name (GET /api/v1/owners/{name}/portfolio). Returns the matched owner name, a portfolio `summary` (count, total_value, total_acreage, by_state, truncated) and the `properties` list (parcel_id, county_fips, state_fips, address, assessed values, last sale, match_basis, match_confidence). This matches owner-name SPELLINGS — it is NOT a verified corporate, parent-subsidiary or beneficial-ownership link. Use when the user names a person, LLC, trust, or company and wants to see what is titled under that name. Do NOT use when starting from a parcel (use parcel_lookup, which returns owner inline). `ticker` is best-effort: it runs an owner-name search (GET /api/v1/owners/search) for the ticker text and uses the top match, returning the candidates under `resolution` — verify them, or call again with `name`. `state` filters the returned properties client-side (the summary stays portfolio-wide). Free read — never purchases anything.hazard_scoreHazard profile for a parcel (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}/risks): flood (FEMA zone + SFHA flag), wildfire, seismic, windstorm, air quality and crime blocks, plus withhold_gate / identity_gate provenance. Use when the user asks about a property's risk profile — insurance pricing, underwriting, or due diligence. Do NOT use to compare multiple parcels (use parcel_compare, which includes each parcel's hazards). Every requested key is present: the value, or null when PropRaven does not hold it. Coverage varies by hazard. Free read — never purchases anything (this is not the paid risk-score product).valuation_estimateValue fields for a parcel from its free card (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}): market_value, avm_value with avm_confidence / avm_method, total / land / improvement assessed value, tax, last sale price and date, price_per_sqft. Numbers are normalized to JSON numbers (null = not held). Use when the user asks for a property's value, market estimate, AVM, or wants to compare assessed vs market. Do NOT use as a substitute for an appraisal — this is a modeled estimate. Historical AVM (as_of) is not supported; the tool returns the current snapshot. Free read — never purchases anything.permits_historyTimeline of building / construction / demolition permits filed against a parcel (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}/permits). Each permit includes permit_number, permit_type, permit_status, description, work_class, issued_date, completed_date, estimated_cost, contractor_name (where disclosed). Use when the user asks about construction activity, recent renovations, planned work, or wants to detect a property that's actively changing. Do NOT use to find properties WITH recent permits across a market. At most 100 permits are returned (newest first). `permit_count` is the parcel's TRUE count when `permit_count_basis` is "exact"; "capped" means it is the size of the 100-row window (a floor); `truncated: true` means the parcel has more permits than returned. `since` / `types` filter the returned window only (`returned_count` is after filtering). Coverage varies by county. Free read — never purchases anything.sales_historyDeed / transaction timeline for a parcel (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}/deeds): recorded sales and transfers with recording and sale dates, sale price (where disclosed), grantor (seller), grantee (buyer), deed/document type and book/page. Use when the user asks about a property's transaction history, flip activity, or holding period. Do NOT use to find properties with recent sales market-wide, or to estimate current market value (use valuation_estimate). Note: 13 states do not disclose sale prices on deeds (KS, MS, TX, UT, WY, etc.). `event_count` is the number of events returned. `status` says where they came from: per_deed (deed rows), rollup_events (dated rollup entries), summary_only (no events served, but `known_deed_count` deeds are known — see known_deed_count_basis), or none. UCC liens are NOT available here (they are only in the paid parcel report, which this server never buys). Free read — never purchases anything.
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Exa MCP Server
{
"mcpServers": {
"exa-labs-exa-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"exa-mcp-server"
]
}
}
}
Propraven
{
"mcpServers": {
"propraven": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@propraven/mcp"
],
"env": {
"PROPRAVEN_API_KEY": "YOUR_PROPRAVEN_API_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Exa MCP Server is categorized under Search & Data Extraction and uses a local stdio subprocess. Propraven belongs to Real Estate and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Exa MCP Server for search & data extraction work and Propraven for real estate.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Exa MCP Server is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. Propraven has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add exa-labs-exa-mcp-server and propraven as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Exa MCP Server has a quality signal of 73/100 (Great) with 11 views, 0 installs and 5,162 GitHub stars. Propraven has 60/100 (Good) with 1 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.