Kagi Search review
Ad-free search with strong source controls and AI tools, starting at $5 per month.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Kagi Search is a user-funded web search engine for people who want ad-free, tracker-free results and more control over what appears. It combines Kagi’s own indexes with other providers and vertical sources, and is aimed at individual users as well as teams. Search spans web, images, videos, news, maps and podcasts; the service also offers an Android app, browser extensions and a programmable Search API. Its customization and AI features make it a fit for power users, but the paid-only model and query limits on the entry plan will not suit everyone.
Its source controls are a notable strength: users can rank, block or boost domains, while Lenses can restrict results by sites, keywords, regions and file types. Quick Answer provides summaries with references to source pages, and Summarize Page works from search results. Kagi Assistant offers multiple LLMs and optional web access. Ultimate adds Research mode for multi-step research alongside premium models. These tools suit users who want to shape searches and follow answers back to sources; people seeking only a straightforward search box may find this feature set unnecessary.
According to the vendor’s pricing page, the Trial includes 100 searches and 100 Assistant interactions, rather than a time-based trial. Monthly Starter costs $5 for 300 searches and Assistant Quick mode; Professional costs $10 for unlimited Search and Quick mode; Ultimate costs $25 for unlimited searches, Research mode and premium models. Annual options are Starter at $54 for 3,600 searches, Professional at $108, and Ultimate at $270, with the same listed Assistant features as their monthly counterparts. Kagi is best suited to people willing to pay for ad-free search and fine-grained controls. Those who need a free service or an iOS Search app should look elsewhere.
Kagi Search pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Ad- and tracker-free search with domain ranking, blocking and boosting
- Lenses filter results by sites, keywords, regions and file types
- Quick Answers cite sources; Ultimate adds Research mode and premium models
- Where it doesn't
- No free plan; ongoing use requires a paid plan
- Starter limits monthly searches to 300
- The published mobile app is for Android; no iOS Search app is available
Kagi Search fact sheet, pricing and score →
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