Kagi Search
Kagi Search is a paid, ad-free search engine with AI answers. In 2026 plans start at $5/month for 300 searches, unlimited at $10/month.
About Kagi Search
What is Kagi Search (2026 update)
Kagi Search is a subscription-based, ad-free search engine that charges users directly instead of selling their data or attention to advertisers. It combines traditional web search with AI-generated summaries, source citations, and personalization controls that let you reshape how results are ranked.
What is new in 2026
Kagi’s AI Assistant now bundles access to multiple premium large language models, including Claude, GPT-5, and Gemini, on the top Ultimate tier, so subscribers can chat with several frontier models from inside the same search subscription. The company also shipped new browser extensions in March 2026 aimed at improving what it calls the Small Web experience, surfacing more independent blogs and forums instead of SEO-heavy content farms. On the downside, Kagi temporarily turned off free, signed-out access to its Translate tool in June 2026 while it worked out the cost of running that feature, so Translate now requires a paid account.
Key features
- Ad-free, no-tracking search results with a clean interface
- Personalization controls: boost, lower, or block specific domains in your results
- Lenses for narrowing results to contexts like developer docs or academic sources
- AI-generated Quick Answer summaries with citations for factual queries
- Bundled AI Assistant that can call multiple LLMs depending on plan tier
- Family and Duo plans for sharing a subscription across a household
Pricing in 2026
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Trial | Free | 100 searches plus 100 AI interactions to test the product |
| Starter | $5/month | 300 searches per month, no bundled AI Assistant |
| Professional | $10/month | Unlimited searches plus AI Assistant with standard models |
| Ultimate | $25/month | Unlimited searches plus AI Assistant with flagship models like Claude, GPT-5, and Gemini |
| Family | ~$25/month total | Shared plan for up to 6 users, check the official site for exact terms |
Kagi also sells a separate Search API, priced from free up to $25 per 1,000 queries depending on tier, aimed at developers rather than everyday searchers.
Who should use it
Kagi fits people who are tired of ad-cluttered results and are willing to pay a flat monthly fee for cleaner, more controllable search. Power users who read a lot of technical documentation, developer content, or independent blogs get the most value from Lenses and domain boosting. It also suits anyone who wants one subscription that covers both search and casual access to multiple AI chat models on the Ultimate tier.
Limitations and alternatives
Kagi is not free for regular use beyond the trial, and the per-search Starter plan can run out quickly for heavy searchers, effectively pushing most users toward the $10 or $25 tiers. Some features, like Translate, have had free access pulled back in 2026, so check the official site for current feature-to-plan mapping before subscribing. Alternatives include Google Search for a free, ad-supported option, Brave Search for a free privacy-focused option with fewer personalization tools, and Perplexity for an AI-answer-first search experience.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Kagi Search cost in 2026?
Plans run from $5/month for 300 searches (Starter) up to $25/month for unlimited searches with flagship AI models (Ultimate), with a free trial of 100 searches to start.
Is there a free version of Kagi Search?
Kagi offers a free trial with 100 searches and 100 AI interactions, but there is no permanent free tier for regular use after the trial.
What AI models does Kagi include?
Depending on your plan, Kagi's AI Assistant can access standard models on Professional and flagship models like Claude, GPT-5, and Gemini on the Ultimate plan.
Does Kagi have a family plan?
Yes, Kagi offers Family and Duo plans that let multiple people share one subscription; check the official pricing page for exact current terms.
Information last verified: September 2026.
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