Overview
Kagi and Perplexity are both AI Search tools, but they take different approaches. Kagi: Ad-free, subscription search engine with AI-assisted answers. Perplexity: AI answer engine with cited, up-to-date sources.
On a monthly-billing basis, Kagi starts lower at $5/month, while Perplexity starts at $20/month. Perplexity offers a free plan, while Kagi does not.
Platform support also differs. Perplexity: Web, iOS, Android, API.
Which one fits depends on your workflow and budget. The table below lines up the verified facts, and the interactive comparison lets you put Kagi, Perplexity, and any other tool side by side.
Side-by-side comparison
| Kagi | Perplexity | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $5/month | $20/month |
| Free Plan | No | Yes |
| Free Trial | Yes | No |
| Pricing Type | Free Trial | Freemium |
| Supported platforms | — | Web, iOS, Android, API |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Mobile | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Categories | AI Search | AI Search |
At a glance
Kagi: strengths & weaknesses
Pros
- Free trial before paying
- Verified pricing from $5/month
Cons
- Paid only — plans start at $5/month
Perplexity: strengths & weaknesses
Pros
- Answers come with clickable citations
- Fast, up-to-date web search grounding
- Focus mode for filtering source types
Cons
- Less suited to long-form creative writing
- Free tier limits the more advanced 'Pro search'
Choose Kagi if…
- you want the lower verified starting price ($5/mo vs $20/mo)
- you want to test it with a free trial first
Choose Perplexity if…
- you want to start on a free plan without paying
- your use case matches: Research questions that need cited sources, Quick fact-checking, Comparing viewpoints across sources
Alternatives worth considering
Other tools in the same category.
Google's AI research assistant that summarizes and answers questions from your own documents.
AI search engine that answers questions using findings from research papers.
AI research assistant for finding, summarizing, and extracting data from papers.
Search and content-extraction API for building AI agents and LLM applications.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Kagi or Perplexity?
Kagi has the lower verified starting price: $5/month vs $20/month on a monthly-billing basis. Higher tiers and annual billing differ — check each pricing page.
Do Kagi and Perplexity have free plans?
Perplexity offers a free plan; Kagi does not.
Do Kagi and Perplexity offer free trials?
Kagi offers a free trial; the other does not list one.
Which is better, Kagi or Perplexity?
There's no single answer — it depends on your use case and budget. Compare the verified facts above, then open the interactive comparison to line Kagi and Perplexity up with any other tools you're considering.
Can I use Kagi and Perplexity together?
Yes — nothing stops you from using both, and many people combine tools for different tasks. Add Kagi and Perplexity to the AI stack builder to see what the combination costs per month.
What platforms do Kagi and Perplexity run on?
Perplexity: Web, iOS, Android, API.
What are alternatives to Kagi and Perplexity?
Popular alternatives include NotebookLM, Consensus, Elicit, You.com, ChatPDF — each has its own detail page on ToolScanner with verified pricing.
Where can I verify current pricing for Kagi and Perplexity?
On each official website — providers change prices and plans at any time. ToolScanner shows the monthly-billing price as of our last verification, with the date on each tool's page.