The Kagi search engine seeks to place the power of online search in the hands of users. This search engine is ads-free and lets users take control over what they search and how they get their information online.
Kagi is a privacy-focused search engine. It lets users block sites they don’t want to see and promote the ones they want to see. However, it’s not free. A monthly fee is required to use this search engine.
This post will reveal a lot of information about Kagi. So, keep reading for more details.
What Is Kagi Search Engine?
With tons of search engines springing up now and then, the competition has only gotten fiercer. Thus, new search engines must offer something extraordinary to beat the competition. They must offer something that a large section of internet users need.
For Kagi, the one highlighted feature that has made it a strong competitor in search engine marketing is its no-ads policy. It doesn’t collect or store users’ data. At the same time, it doesn’t serve ads.
Just visit and explore the internet. That’s what the search engine wants users to do. It also offers the option to block sites and promote the ones you want to see.
This search engine functions like a metasearch engine. It aggregates results from other search engines. However, it also provides only high-quality results to its users.
Kagi gives users access to well-written articles from lesser-known but high-quality blogs.
Is Kagi Search Engine Free To Use?
Running a search engine requires massive financial investment. In addition to paying the employees, there are other operational costs to take care of.
Most search engines don’t bother their users about payment. Instead, they mine users’ data for targeted marketing. The money these search engines generate from adverts is what they use to keep the search engine running.
Kagi is ads-free. So you can surf the internet and get access to quality results without encountering a single advert. This doesn’t happen on Google and other search engines.
The no-ads policy means no one will mine your data to deliver targeted ads. But in return, you have to pay a monthly or annual fee.
This search engine offers first-time users 100 free searches. If you enjoy using it, then you can start paying to continue your search.
How Much Does It Cost To Use Kagi?
Kagi offers three pricing tiers. But note that it offers 100 free searchers. After that, you must subscribe to continue using the search engine.
On the free 100 searches, the search results you’ll get are high-quality and the same as those on the paid plan. The free search is just like a welcome bonus and lets you have a glimpse of what you’re paying for.
The price for each tier varies.
The first monthly subscription plan is the basic plan. As of the time of writing, the plan costs $5 per month.
With this basic plan, you can make 300 searches.
The second monthly subscription plan cost $10. The package includes unlimited searches. You’ll also gain access to FastGPT and Universal Summarizer.
The third plan costs $25 per month. The package also includes unlimited monthly search and early access to new features. Additionally, you’ll enjoy unlimited access to the “Assistant.”
Most people choose the $10 monthly plan as it offers unlimited search and it’s more budget-friendly.
How Many People Are Using Kagi?
People love the ads-free idea this search engine proposes. They love the fact that they can surf the internet without having any security concerns because the search engine they are using isn’t mining their data.
As of January 29, 2024, Kagi had over 20,515 subscribers.
Who Created Kagi?
Kagi is way younger than Google, as the search engine was created in 2018. Vladimir Prelovac, an ex-GoDaddy employee, created the search engine.
Vladimir dedicates the search engine to his three children, as he claims the reason he created it was to make the web more friendlier and humane. On his Twitter (now X) bio, he used the word “Humanizing the Web.”
Is Kagi A Completely Anonymous Search Engine?
While Kagi doesn’t store users’ search engines, you are required to register and have an account. In other words, it’s impossible to use this search engine without an account. Registration is the first step to using the search engine, even if you’re conducting a free search.
Kagi states that users’ searches are private and that they don’t even see them. Statements like these show that search engines take privacy seriously, but we are all familiar with the phrase “talk is cheap.”
To open an account, you need to use an email and make a payment. The search engine might also request other information from you. But for now, email and password are the major information they need from you.
Kagi claims that the reason they require registration is to help track the number of searchers a user has conducted and for payment purposes. So, how can a user use Kagi anonymously?
Here is what you need to do. Don’t use your official email to open an account. You can open a new email account with different information and use it to register for Kagi.
To make payment, use Bitcoin. You can also check if the platform offers other payment options that you’re comfortable with.
What Are The Features Of Kagi?
Kagi boasts diverse features that make exploring the web a breeze and interesting. Let’s examine the different features of this search engine.
1. Lenses
Kagi plans to give users all the tools required to refine their search results, and lenses are one of those tools. What does this tool do?
You can filter search results with lenses via a given topic. Examples of this are news and programming. This search engine also allows users to search for PDF files directly. Get the information you seek in PDF.
This search engine puts internet search in your control. That is why many people are showing keen interest. For instance, it lets you create lenses, something other search engines with this feature don’t offer.
Another feature that sets this search engine apart is the ability to switch regions when searching. You can even base your search in your own country.
2. Discussions
Sometimes, information from organic internet discussions is crucial to broaden one’s understanding of a topic. Using lenses, you can use this search engine to ensure only discussions around a topic appear in the search result.
Kagi will aggregate relevant discussions from blogs, forums, and various discussion sites for you.
Another feature of this discussion tool is that it lets you filter your search results. With this, you can find real professionals and real individuals who have shed light on the topic.
3. Refining Search Results:
You can set how you want websites to appear in the search results. Kagi has diverse, smaller tools to perform such tasks.
This search engine automatically sorts search results, grouping commercial articles in one place and allowing the natural ones the space they need on the search result page.
4. Appearance Customization:
You can customize this search engine to meet your visual preference. Have tired eyes after hours of research and poor sleep? Customize Kagi by setting it to dark mode to soothe your eyes.
You can even customize the fonts too.
The Benefits Of Using Kagi
Contemplating whether Kagi would be a great search engine for you? It’s a good thing you’re giving it a thought in the first place. But to make it easier to make an informed decision, let’s discuss the benefits of this search engine. What sets it apart?
1. Zero Ads:
Kagi does not serve ads to users. So, it does not mine users’ data, and there is no reason to do so.
But then, for the no ads option, you’re paying $5, $10, or $25, depending on the plan you choose. For most people, this is a lot of money.
But if you sit down to think about how less confusing, no intrusive ads, and detailed the search engine’s results are, you will see that it’s actually worth it.
2. Highly Customizable:
Kagi is like a Google search engine. Both look almost similar in function. However, Kagi has features Google doesn’t, at least for now.
Kagi is customizable. You can change the fonts and even decide the sites you want to see. In other words, you can block sites you don’t want to see and promote only the ones you want to see.
3. Impressive Mobile Browser:
This search engine’s mobile app is a breeze that is so cool to use. It is simple to use, and its performance is exceptional.
Kagi’s mobile browser is called Orion.
4. High-Quality Search Results:
Being a no-ads search engine isn’t the only interesting thing about this search. Its search results stand out from the crowd.
Once you start using Kagi, you may not like to continue using Google or may even begin to visit Google less often.
Will People Really Pay To Use Kagi?
After using free search engines like Google, most people may have reservations when asked to pay to make use of a search engine. There must be something special a search engine is offering for people to consider paying for it.
There are currently over 20,515 people who have subscribed to Kagi, and nearly half of a billion search results generated. So, yes, there are people who treasure this search engine.
Kagi is for a selected few. It is not for everyone but for people who value high-quality results.
This search engine offers diverse, unique features that most popular search engines don’t provide. For instance, you can block platforms you don’t want to see and ensure only the ones you like pop up.
Kagi also delivers search results faster than most search engines. Unlike Google and other search engines that display millions of search results per query, Kagi only shows a handful of search results.
In some instances, you’ll find only 100 search results per query. Kagi will filter results from different search engines and display only the high-quality ones.
The Difference Between Kagi And Google Search Engine
The similarity between Kagi and Google is that both are search engines. You’ll get results when you type in a query in both search engines.
While Kagi and Google are search engines, there are diverse differences between both platforms. Let’s discuss them in detail.
- While Kagi is a paid search engine, Google isn’t. Kagi offers different payment plans. There is trial, starter, professional, and ultimate. The trial plan is free for a limited number of searches, while the starter is $5. The professional plan is #10, while the ultimate is $25.
- Kagi is ads-free, while Google isn’t. With Kagi, you can surf the internet without bothering about the search engine mining your data to serve targeted ads. With Google, that isn’t the case. You’ll encounter ads when exploring the Google search engine.
- Kagi generates revenue from paid membership, while Google generates revenue from ads and other digital products. Kagi doesn’t generate income from other means. It depends entirely on the money it gets from subscribers.
- While Google generates thousands or millions of search results per query, Kagi only generates a couple of hundred search results. Kagi filters the search results and only shows the most relevant ones to users. That isn’t the case with Google. Google displays both the appropriate and irrelevant search results, leaving users to filter the results themselves.
Conclusion
The Kagi search engine is one of a kind. It’s a paid search engine with a strong privacy policy. Unlike Google, Kagi doesn’t serve ads to its users. Thus, it doesn’t mine users’ data for advertising purposes.
Instead of running ads, Kagi gives users the option to pay a monthly fee. This helps the search engine to pay its operational costs. Kagi is like a meta-search engine. It aggregates results from diverse search engines, ensuring that users get only the most relevant results.
