Search1api MCP vs MCP Server Perplexity
A side-by-side look at the Search1api MCP and MCP Server Perplexity MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Search1api MCP for search & data extraction work as a local process; choose MCP Server Perplexity for search & data extraction as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Search1api MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Search & Data Extraction domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
SEARCH1API_KEY. - You want tools like
search, news, crawl.
Choose MCP Server Perplexity when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Search & Data Extraction domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
PERPLEXITY_API_KEY. - You want tools like
ask_perplexity.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Search & Data Extraction | Search & Data Extraction |
| Quality signal | 67/100 · Great | 48/100 · Fair |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | API key required | API key required |
| Pricing | Paid service | BYOK (pay the provider) |
| Required env vars | SEARCH1API_KEY | PERPLEXITY_API_KEY |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 173 | 96 |
| Directory activity | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 2 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 5 | 1 |
| Full listing | View Search1api MCP | View MCP Server Perplexity |
Tools & capabilities
Search1api MCP tools 5
searchSearch the live public web when the user needs current information, sources, or research. Returns citable results with id, title, URL, and text. Pass a result URL to crawl to retrieve the full page.newsSearch current news when the user asks about recent events, announcements, or coverage. Returns citable article results with title, URL, snippet, and optional extracted text.crawlExtract the readable title and full text from a public URL supplied by the user or returned by search.sitemapDiscover related public links from a page or domain when the user wants to explore a site's structure or available pages.trendingList currently trending repositories or stories from GitHub or Hacker News when the user asks what is popular now.
MCP Server Perplexity tools 1
ask_perplexityRequest chat completion with citations from Perplexity
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.
Search1api MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"fatwang2-search1api-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"search1api-mcp"
],
"env": {
"SEARCH1API_KEY": "YOUR_SEARCH1API_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
MCP Server Perplexity
{
"mcpServers": {
"tanigami-mcp-server-perplexity": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"mcp-server-perplexity"
],
"env": {
"PERPLEXITY_API_KEY": "YOUR_PERPLEXITY_API_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Search1api MCP is categorized under Search & Data Extraction and uses a local stdio subprocess. MCP Server Perplexity belongs to Search & Data Extraction and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Search1api MCP for search & data extraction work and MCP Server Perplexity for search & data extraction.
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.
Search1api MCP is listed as a paid service. Auth: api key required. MCP Server Perplexity is bring-your-own-key: usage is billed by the API provider you supply a key for. Auth: api key required. 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 fatwang2-search1api-mcp and tanigami-mcp-server-perplexity as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Search1api MCP has a quality signal of 67/100 (Great) with 1 views, 0 installs and 173 GitHub stars. MCP Server Perplexity has 48/100 (Fair) with 2 views, 0 installs and 96 GitHub stars.