Kagi and MevaSearch share the same basic assumption: the user pays for search, not advertisers. Both services run without ads and are funded by subscriptions, so this is not a comparison of a private engine with an ad-supported one, but of two different paths to a similar goal. We are writing about ourselves, so you know which side we are on, but we rely on Kagi’s documentation and on our own materials. Where Kagi has more to offer, we say so plainly.
Price and Trial
Let’s start with price, because Kagi comes out well here. Its plans, as shown on its pricing page, are Starter at $5 a month with 300 searches, Professional at $10 with unlimited searches and a larger monthly usage allowance for Kagi Assistant, and Ultimate at $25, which adds Research mode and flagship models in the Assistant. With us, the Lite plan starts at $4.99 and includes 500 searches, followed by Plus from $14.99 (1,500 searches), Pro from $34.99 (4,000) and Ultra from $59.99 (8,000).
The entry-level plans compare well for us: for roughly the same money, Lite gives you 500 searches against Starter’s 300. But if you search a lot, Kagi’s unlimited plan at $10 is simply cheaper than anything we offer above Lite.
Both services offer a trial, though they limit it differently: ours is three days with the Lite plan, while a Kagi trial account has a limit of 100 searches, according to its dashboard.
Privacy
On privacy, Kagi takes a strong stance. Its documentation says that queries are not attached to accounts, that it loads no analytics or telemetry, and that it does not track which results you click. It also offers things we do not: anonymous login through Privacy Pass, access through Tor, and cryptocurrency payments.
With us, queries are also not linked to your account and do not create a history, and our analytics run without cookies. However, we require an account with an email address, and we keep IP addresses in technical logs for up to 30 days. If anonymity is your absolute priority, Kagi gives you more tools.
Where the Results Come From
Results come from several sources in both cases. Kagi combines anonymized requests to traditional search indexes, including Brave, with its own indexes: Teclis (non-commercial content) and TinyGem (news). We combine our own WebAtlas index with Brave Search and Mojeek, plus other sources in individual tabs. Neither service relies solely on its own index. It is also worth remembering that some of the comparisons in Kagi’s documentation are its own assessments.
Control and Customization
Both search engines give you strong control over results, but in different ways. Kagi offers Lenses (ready-made search scopes), raising and lowering domains, custom bangs, URL redirects, and SlopStop, a feature for reporting AI-generated content.
We offer Orbit, a plain text rules file compatible with the Brave Goggles format, along with themes, custom CSS, and add-ons that label results, such as warnings about paywalls, tracking or ads.
Ecosystem and Extras
Kagi has a wider product ecosystem: an AI Assistant, Translate, Maps, News, Summarize, the Orion browser for Mac and iOS, and an API. We have a mobile app, a browser extension, MevaSearch Maps, and family or team profiles within a single plan.
AI
As for AI, the approaches are similar: the features are optional and can be turned off. Kagi stresses that search never uses generative AI until you trigger it yourself.
Who Should Choose What
Choose Kagi if you want unlimited searches for $10, maximum anonymity, and a broad toolkit, from a browser to an API.
Choose MevaSearch if you care about a full Polish interface, configurable looks, add-ons that label results, Orbit, and profiles for a family or team.
Summary
Kagi and MevaSearch answer the same question: how to search the web without being the product. Kagi wins on price for heavy users, anonymity tools, and breadth of products. MevaSearch offers a fully localized interface, deep visual customization, result-labeling add-ons, Orbit, and shared family or team plans. The best approach is to try it yourself: three days with us costs nothing.
This comparison is based on Kagi’s publicly available documentation and MevaSearch documents from October 2026. Prices and features may change, so check current details on both services’ websites before deciding.
