Best Amazon Kendra Alternatives in 2026
The top Amazon Kendra alternatives are Sinequa, Mindbreeze InSpire and Coveo: 15 AI enterprise search software our editors would look at instead of Amazon Kendra, in our ranking order.
Amazon Kendra: A capable AWS search service with clear hourly pricing, but it is cloud-only and closed to new customers. Where it falls short: cloud-only deployment.
Switching from Amazon Kendra? For most ai enterprise search software buyers the best Amazon Kendra alternative is Sinequa, built for large enterprises needing broad, governed search. On a budget, Dashworks starts at $10/seat/mo. Elastic Search AI has a free plan, which Amazon Kendra does not. Mindbreeze InSpire offers the most source connectors (490).
Why People Look for an Amazon Kendra Alternative
- Cloud-only deployment
- No longer open to new customers
- Usage limits vary substantially by edition
- No free plan — 5 of the alternatives below have it
- Source connectors: 5 — up to 490 with Mindbreeze InSpire
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallSinequa9.4
Large enterprises needing broad, governed search
Visit Sinequa - Lowest priceDashworks8.1
Paid plans from $10/seat/mo
Visit Dashworks - Best free optionElastic Search AI8.9
Has a free plan (Amazon Kendra has none)
Visit Elastic Search AI - Most source connectorsMindbreeze InSpire9.3
490
Visit Mindbreeze InSpire
All 15 Amazon Kendra Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forLarge enterprises needing broad, governed search
- Better than Amazon Kendra:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 9.0
A governed search platform for large enterprises with complex information estates.
- Permission sync
- Answer citations
- Admin controls
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Sinequa -
Best forOrganizations with many heterogeneous data sources
- Better than Amazon Kendra:
- Source connectors: 490 vs 5
- Editor score 9.3 vs 9.0
A broad enterprise search platform for permission-aware answers across complex data estates.
- Permission sync
- Answer citations
- Admin controls
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Mindbreeze -
Best forMature enterprises needing personalized search
- Better than Amazon Kendra:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 9.0
A mature enterprise search platform with deep retrieval, personalization, and integration capabilities.
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Coveo -
Best forTechnical teams wanting flexible search infrastructure
- Better than Amazon Kendra:
- Free plan
Flexible enterprise search infrastructure with broad AI, security, and deployment options.
- Permission sync
- Admin controls
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Elastic -
Best forTeams needing live federated search without indexing
- Better than Amazon Kendra:
- Free plan
Live federated search with citations, permissions, and hybrid deployment.
- Permission sync
- Answer citations
- Admin controls
8.8/10★★★★☆Try SWIRL AI Search -
Best forLarge deployments needing many connectors
- Better than Amazon Kendra:
- Source connectors: 329 vs 5
A broad enterprise search platform with strong connectors, but a high annual entry price.
- Permission sync
- Answer citations
- Admin controls
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit SearchBlox -
Best forBudget-conscious teams wanting open enterprise search
- Better than Amazon Kendra:
- Free plan
- Source connectors: 50 vs 5
A free, open-source foundation for permission-aware enterprise search and AI agents.
- Permission sync
- Answer citations
- Admin controls
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit PipesHub -
Best forSelf-hosting teams seeking a free search platform
- Better than Amazon Kendra:
- Free plan
A flexible self-hosted search server for organizations that control their infrastructure and indexed data.
- Permission sync
- Answer citations
- Admin controls
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Fess -
Best forEnterprises combining search with service workflows
A permission-aware enterprise search platform that also answers questions and automates work.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Moveworks -
Best forGoogle Cloud teams needing cited AI search
A Google Cloud search service for cited answers, retrieval, and conversational discovery.
- Permission sync
- Answer citations
- Admin controls
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Google Cloud -
Best forEnterprises needing governed search and knowledge graphs
A governed enterprise search platform with cited answers, knowledge graphs, and agent workflows.
- Permission sync
- Answer citations
- Admin controls
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Squirro -
Best forTeams researching legacy workplace search
A capable workplace search product whose standalone service has been sunset.
- Permission sync
- Answer citations
- Admin controls
8.1/10★★★★☆View Dashworks -
Best forTeams needing broad app search across every device
A broad workplace search layer with cited answers, app connections, and multi-device access.
- Permission sync
- Answer citations
- Admin controls
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Dropbox Dash -
Best forTeams wanting search plus agents and analysis
- Better than Amazon Kendra:
- Free plan
A broad enterprise search workspace with agents, research, analysis, and self-hosting.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Onyx -
Best forTeams prioritizing audited, permission-safe answers
- Better than Amazon Kendra:
- Source connectors: 16 vs 5
A permission-safe search layer for teams that need auditable, cited answers.
- Permission sync
- Answer citations
- Admin controls
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Kaldros
Amazon Kendra Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Amazon Kendra?
Sinequa: #1 in our AI Enterprise Search Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A governed search platform for large enterprises with complex information estates.
Is there a free alternative to Amazon Kendra?
Yes. Elastic Search AI, SWIRL AI Search, PipesHub, Fess and Onyx have a free plan or a free tier.
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Amazon Kendra?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Dashworks starts lowest, at $10/seat/mo.
Why do people look for Amazon Kendra alternatives?
Cloud-only deployment; No longer open to new customers; Usage limits vary substantially by edition.
Which Amazon Kendra alternative has the most source connectors?
Mindbreeze InSpire, with 490.
How do I switch from Amazon Kendra?
Export your data from Amazon Kendra (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Amazon Kendra.
How to Switch from Amazon Kendra
- Export your data from Amazon Kendra (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Amazon Kendra.
Amazon Kendra vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Permission sync | Answer citations | Deployment options | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Amazon Kendra | No | $0.32 usage-based | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 9.0 |
| 1 | Sinequa | Yes | Yes | 9.4 | |||
| 2 | Mindbreeze InSpire | No | Yes | Yes | Hybrid | 9.3 | |
| 3 | Coveo | 9.2 | |||||
| 4 | Elastic Search AI | Yes | $99/mo | Yes | Cloud | 8.9 | |
| 5 | SWIRL AI Search | Yes | $24,000/yr | Yes | Yes | Hybrid | 8.8 |
| 6 | SearchBlox SearchAI | No | $24,000/yr | Yes | Yes | Hybrid | 8.7 |
| 7 | PipesHub | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Hybrid | 8.6 |
| 8 | Fess | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Self-hosted | 8.5 |
| 9 | Moveworks | 8.4 | |||||
| 10 | Google Agent Search | No | $1.50/unit usage-based | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 8.3 |
| 11 | Squirro Enterprise GenAI | No | Yes | Yes | Hybrid | 8.2 | |
| 12 | Dashworks | No | $10/seat/mo | Yes | Yes | 8.1 | |
| 13 | Dropbox Dash | No | $19/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 8.0 |
| 14 | Onyx | Yes | $20/user/mo | 7.9 | |||
| 15 | Kaldros | No | €39/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Hybrid | 7.8 |
Head-to-Head
- Amazon Kendra vs Sinequa
- Amazon Kendra vs Mindbreeze InSpire
- Amazon Kendra vs Coveo
- Amazon Kendra vs Elastic Search AI
- Amazon Kendra vs SWIRL AI Search
- Amazon Kendra vs SearchBlox SearchAI
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update