Kagi

Kagi is a paid search engine that returns ad-free web results and layers AI answers and a multi-model chat assistant on top, for people who are tired of sponsored links and SEO spam. It is funded by member subscriptions rather than advertising, which shapes the whole product: you can rank sites up or down, block domains you never want to see, and keep your queries out of an ad profile. The AI features sit beside a conventional results page instead of replacing it.

What is Kagi used for?

Most people switch to Kagi as a daily Google replacement, then lean on its AI tools when a question needs a summary rather than ten blue links. Kagi Assistant also works as a single place to try models from different labs without paying for each one.

• Everyday web search with no ads, affiliate links or sponsored placements
• Typing a question mark at the end of a query to get a Quick Answer that summarizes the top results with sources
• Personalizing results by boosting, lowering or blocking specific websites
• Using Search Lenses and bangs to focus on forums, academic sources or a single site
• Chatting with models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Mistral, DeepSeek and others in Kagi Assistant, with or without web access
• Uploading files to Assistant and switching models in the middle of a thread

Who Kagi is best for

Kagi suits researchers, developers, writers and other heavy searchers who value clean results and are willing to pay for them. It is also a sensible pick for people who want access to several AI chat models under one bill instead of separate subscriptions. Casual searchers who run a handful of queries a day, or anyone who will not pay for search on principle, will find the free options good enough.

Kagi pricing

As of October 2026, Kagi offers a free trial with 100 searches and 100 Kagi Assistant interactions. The Starter plan costs $5 per month for 300 searches plus Assistant in Quick mode. Professional costs $10 per month for unlimited searches and a larger Assistant allowance. Ultimate costs $25 per month and adds Assistant Research mode and flagship models from the major labs. Annual billing takes 10% off, and Family and Team plans are available. Kagi also credits a month back automatically if you did not use your plan that month. Check the official pricing page before buying, since plans change.

Limitations to keep in mind

• There is no permanent free tier, so you pay once the trial searches run out
• Assistant usage is subject to a fair use policy, even on paid plans
• The best models and Research mode are reserved for the most expensive individual plan
• Results draw on several underlying indexes, so niche local results may differ from what you are used to

Kagi vs alternatives

Perplexity is the better choice if you want an answer engine first and a results page second, since its whole interface is built around cited answers and follow-up questions. You.com offers a similar mix of search and AI chat with a free tier, which matters if you will not pay. Brave Leo AI comes with the Brave browser and Brave Search at no cost, making it the easiest free privacy-minded option. Kagi wins when you want a traditional results page you can tune site by site, with AI summaries as an extra rather than the default.

Tips for getting started with Kagi

Set Kagi as your default search engine in your browser on day one, otherwise the trial searches run out before you form a habit. Spend ten minutes blocking the content farms that annoy you and boosting sources you trust, because personalization is where Kagi pulls ahead. Try the question mark trick on factual queries and open the cited links to check the summary. If you mostly want AI chat, compare the Assistant allowance on Professional against Ultimate before upgrading.

Kagi FAQ

Is Kagi free?

No. Kagi offers a free trial with 100 searches and 100 Assistant interactions, then paid plans start at $5 per month for 300 searches.

Does Kagi have AI features?

Yes. Kagi includes Quick Answer summaries with sources, page summarization, and Kagi Assistant, which runs models from several AI labs with optional web search.

Is Kagi private?

Kagi says it shows no ads, does not track users for advertising, and does not use Assistant conversations to train AI models. Assistant threads are deleted after 24 hours of inactivity by default.

What is the best alternative to Kagi?

Perplexity is the strongest alternative for AI-first answers, while Brave Leo AI and Brave Search are the best free privacy-focused option.