searchgpt vs kagi
SearchGPT vs Kagi — features, pricing, and which to choose for your SEO workflow in 2026.
Quick Verdict
SearchGPT and Kagi represent two fundamentally different approaches to next-generation search. SearchGPT integrates OpenAI's conversational AI directly into search, delivering summarized answers with source citations within ChatGPT's interface. Kagi takes the opposite approach — a traditional search engine that prioritizes result quality over advertising revenue, offering clean, ad-free results ranked purely by relevance.
The choice between them comes down to whether you want AI-powered search summaries or premium traditional search results. SearchGPT transforms how you interact with information by providing direct answers, while Kagi improves the classic search experience by removing commercial bias from rankings.
Feature Comparison
SearchGPT provides real-time web results directly within ChatGPT conversations, generating AI summaries of search results with proper source citations. You can ask follow-up questions about search results, refine queries conversationally, and get explanations that synthesize information from multiple sources. The integration means you never leave the ChatGPT interface — search becomes part of your conversation workflow. Kagi operates as a standalone search engine focused on result quality and user privacy. It blocks ads entirely, uses independent ranking algorithms that prioritize content quality over SEO optimization, and offers advanced filtering options like blocking specific domains or boosting trusted sources. Kagi also includes features like discussion search (Reddit/HackerNews), image search, and the ability to summarize search results through their own AI assistant called Kagi Assistant. The core difference: SearchGPT transforms search into conversational AI interaction, while Kagi perfects traditional search by removing commercial interference. SearchGPT excels at complex queries requiring synthesis, while Kagi delivers cleaner, more relevant traditional search results.
Pricing Comparison
SearchGPT is free for basic usage through ChatGPT's free tier, with expanded access through ChatGPT Plus at $20/month. The free version includes search functionality but with usage limits and potential delays during peak times. ChatGPT Plus provides unlimited search queries, faster response times, and priority access. Kagi starts at $5/month for 300 searches, $10/month for unlimited searches, and $25/month for their Ultimate plan with additional AI features. There's no free tier — Kagi's business model depends entirely on subscription revenue rather than advertising. This pricing reflects their commitment to ad-free, unbiased search results. For budget-conscious users, SearchGPT's free tier provides significant value. However, Kagi's $10/month unlimited plan is competitive if you value ad-free, unbiased search results and don't need AI-powered summaries.
Best For
SearchGPT works best for research-heavy workflows, content creation, and complex queries requiring synthesis from multiple sources. If you're already using ChatGPT regularly and want search integrated into your conversational AI workflow, SearchGPT eliminates context switching. It's ideal for users who prefer AI-generated summaries over scanning multiple search results manually. Kagi suits users frustrated with traditional search engines' ad-heavy, SEO-gamed results. It's perfect for professionals who need clean, relevant search results without commercial bias, privacy-conscious users who want to avoid tracking, and anyone willing to pay for significantly better search quality. Kagi excels for factual searches, technical queries, and users who prefer evaluating sources themselves rather than relying on AI summaries.
The Verdict
For most users, SearchGPT offers better value and functionality. The free tier provides substantial search capabilities, and the conversational interface genuinely improves how you interact with search results. However, if you're frustrated with Google's increasingly commercial results and prefer traditional search over AI summaries, Kagi's $10/month unlimited plan delivers noticeably cleaner, more relevant results. Choose SearchGPT for AI-enhanced research workflows; choose Kagi for premium traditional search without ads or tracking.