What is Kagi?
Kagi is a paid, ad-free search engine developed by Kagi Inc., a company based in Palo Alto, California. Its name means “key” in Japanese (鍵). Unlike most mainstream search engines, Kagi operates on a subscription model and does not display ads or track users, aiming to deliver a private, user-centric search experience.
Key Features
- Ad-Free and Private: Kagi does not show advertisements or sponsored results and claims not to collect user search data. Privacy is a core focus, and in 2025, Kagi implemented the privacy pass protocol, allowing users to authenticate as subscribers without being personally identifiable. Kagi is also accessible via Tor for enhanced anonymity.
- Subscription Model: After 100 free searches, users must subscribe. Plans start at $5/month for 300 searches, $10/month for unlimited searches, and $25/month for unlimited searches plus early access to new features.
- Metasearch and Custom Index: Kagi aggregates results from other major search engines and its own indexes, including a proprietary web crawler (“Teclis”) for small-web searches. This hybrid approach allows Kagi to curate results for quality and relevance rather than just quantity.
- Customizable Search Experience:
- Lenses: Users can filter results by category (e.g., podcasts, forums, academic research) or create their own custom lenses to focus on specific types of content or sources.
- Domain Control: Users can upvote, downvote, or block specific websites from appearing in their results, tailoring the search experience to their preferences.
- User Interface: The interface is clean and minimal, with options for custom themes and CSS editing for advanced personalization.
- AI Integration: Kagi offers “Quick Answers” powered by its FastGPT model, which provides concise, citation-backed responses at the top of search results. There are also tools for summarizing web pages and extracting key information.
- Additional Tools: Kagi has developed the Orion Browser (WebKit-based, available on macOS and iOS), designed to work seamlessly with Kagi Search, and Kagi Translate, a free translation service aiming to outperform Google Translate and DeepL.
User Experience
Kagi is designed to provide high-quality, unbiased search results with minimal distraction. It appeals especially to users who value privacy, dislike ads, or want more control over their search experience. Reviews note that Kagi’s results are often as effective as Google’s, with the added benefit of customization and fewer SEO-driven or low-quality results.
Limitations
- Paid Service: Kagi requires a subscription after a limited number of free searches, which may not appeal to all users.
- Coverage: While Kagi’s index is growing, Google still outperforms it for very obscure queries or specialized local searches.
- Platform Availability: The Orion Browser is currently only available for macOS and iOS, with Windows and Linux versions in development.
Summary Table
| Feature | Kagi | Google/Bing |
|---|---|---|
| Ads | No | Yes |
| User Tracking | No | Yes |
| Subscription Required | Yes (after 100 free searches) | No |
| Customization | Extensive (lenses, domain ranking) | Limited |
| AI Integration | FastGPT, Quick Answers, Summarizer | Google SGE, Bing Copilot |
| Privacy Pass/Tor Support | Yes | No |
| Platform Availability | Web, Orion (macOS/iOS), Tor | Web, all major browsers |
Kagi stands out as a premium, privacy-focused alternative to mainstream search engines, offering users control, customization, and an ad-free experience in exchange for a subscription fee.