Problem

Local LLM users (Ollama, LM Studio) face significant barriers adding web search capability:

  • Google Custom Search API requires API key setup, 100/day limit, ongoing costs
  • Brave Search API recently dropped free tier, moved to full metered billing
  • SearXNG MCP is free but requires complex settings.yml, Docker Compose, manual mcp.json wiring
  • Paradox: chose local LLM for privacy, but search forces cloud API dependency

Pain Intensity: 7/10 - Web search is the #1 requested capability for local LLM users

Market

  • Primary Market: Local LLM users (Ollama, LM Studio, llama.cpp)
  • Segment: Privacy-conscious developers, self-hosted AI infrastructure operators
  • TAM: LLM tools market $2-3B (2025), on-premises deployment holds 62.8% share
  • SAM: MCP server market $2.71B, Ollama community 158K GitHub stars
  • Comparable: Tavily raised $25M Series A, $2.8M revenue (cloud-only)

Solution

Local LLM Web Search Gateway - MCP-native multi-backend search proxy with Docker one-click deployment

Core Features

  1. Multi-Backend: Google, Bing, Brave, DuckDuckGo unified into one API
  2. MCP Native: Instantly connects to Ollama, LM Studio, Claude Desktop via MCP protocol
  3. Caching + Rate Limiting: Redis-based result caching reduces repeated query costs
  4. Docker One-Click: Deploy with a single docker run command

Usage Example

# Run directly with Docker
$ docker run -d -p 3100:3100 llm-search-gateway

# Add to Ollama MCP config
# mcp.json
{
  "search": {
    "url": "http://localhost:3100/mcp",
    "tools": ["web_search", "news_search", "image_search"]
  }
}

# Local LLM can now search the web
> "What changed in React 19?"
→ [Auto web search → answer]

Competition

CompetitorPriceWeakness
Tavily1,000 req/mo free, $0.008/reqCloud-only, no self-hosted option
Brave Search MCP2,000 req/mo, $5/1K reqDropped free tier, single backend
SearXNG MCPFree (OSS)Complex setup, no rate limiting, no caching
PerplexicaFree (OSS)Full app, does not expose MCP API

Competition Intensity: Medium - Individual elements exist but no integrated product Differentiation: Only product combining multi-backend + MCP native + Docker + caching

MVP Development

  • MVP Timeline: 5 weeks
  • Full Version: 4 months
  • Tech Complexity: Low
  • Stack: Node.js/Python (API gateway), Redis (caching), Docker

MVP Scope

  1. Brave Search API + DuckDuckGo dual backend
  2. MCP protocol endpoints (web_search, news_search)
  3. Redis result caching (1-hour TTL)
  4. Docker image published

Revenue Model

  • Model: Freemium + Usage-based
  • Pricing:
    • Free: Self-hosted Docker image (unlimited)
    • Hosted Starter: $9/mo (5,000 queries/month)
    • Hosted Pro: $19/mo (20,000 queries/month)
  • Expected MRR (6 months): $1,500-4,000
  • Expected MRR (12 months): $5,000-12,000

Risk

TypeLevelMitigation
TechnicalLowAPI gateway + caching is a proven pattern
MarketMediumTavily could add self-hosted option → speed to market
ExecutionMediumHosted tier margin management (API cost pass-through)

Recommendation

Score: 91/100 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  1. Fastest MVP at 5 weeks
  2. Ollama’s 158K star community is an immediate distribution channel
  3. Tavily ($25M raised, $2.8M revenue) validates the market
  4. Brave’s free tier removal creates surge in alternative demand

Risk Factors

  1. Low ARPU ($9-19/mo) → can be resolved by integrating into Agent Control Plane
  2. Google scraping TOS risk → prioritize official API backends

First Actions

  1. Build Brave Search API + DuckDuckGo dual backend MCP server PoC
  2. Publish Docker image on Docker Hub
  3. Recruit early adopters from r/LocalLLaMA, Ollama Discord

This idea is inspired by noapi-google-search-mcp (Playwright-based Google Search MCP) and productized with multi-backend support, caching, and a hosted tier. Maximum value when integrated as a built-in MCP tool within Agent Control Plane.