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Kagi alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Kagi: monthly subscription for something most engines give away, and free trial is limited to 100 searches. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Kagi, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Brave Search currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1SearXNG logoSearXNGOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 455.3
  1. SearXNG logo

    1. SearXNGTop pick

    Best for: Self-hosters who want private search pulling from many engines at once

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Kagi

    Self-hosted metasearch you control completely, at no subscription cost.

    Pros

    • Combines results from many engines in one page
    • No tracking or profiling, with optional JavaScript and cookies
    • Fully self-hostable and configurable

    Cons

    • Upstream engines sometimes block or rate-limit instances
    • Public instances vary in speed and reliability
    • Running your own takes some server know-how
    Visit SearXNG Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is SearXNG a good Kagi alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Engines supported
    Up to 261 search services
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.searxng.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Origin
    Fork of searx (2021)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.searxng.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Container, script or manual install
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.searxng.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best Kagi alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Brave Search logo

Best Kagi alternative for most people

Brave Search

Free, private and independent, with a paid ad-free tier if you want one.

Startpage logo

Best Kagi alternative for a free option

Startpage

Free Google-sourced results without tracking.

DuckDuckGo logo

Best Kagi alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

DuckDuckGo

Free private search if paying for search doesn't feel worth it.

SearXNG logo

Best Kagi alternative for open source

SearXNG

Self-hosted metasearch you control completely, at no subscription cost.

SearXNG logo

Best Kagi alternative for self-hosting

SearXNG

Self-hosted metasearch you control completely, at no subscription cost.

Perplexity logo

Best Kagi alternative for Mac

Perplexity

For people who mainly used Kagi's Assistant and want deeper AI research.

DuckDuckGo logo

Best Kagi alternative for Windows

DuckDuckGo

Free private search if paying for search doesn't feel worth it.

Brave Search logo

Best Kagi alternative for iPhone and Android

Brave Search

Free, private and independent, with a paid ad-free tier if you want one.

Brave Search logo

Best Kagi alternative for working in the browser

Brave Search

Free, private and independent, with a paid ad-free tier if you want one.

Kagi alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Kagi?

Brave Search ranks first right now. Free, private and independent, with a paid ad-free tier if you want one. DuckDuckGo and Perplexity follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Kagi?

Yes. Brave Search (free plan + paid), DuckDuckGo (free plan + paid), Perplexity (free plan + paid) and Startpage (free) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Kagi?

Yes: SearXNG. SearXNG can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Kagi?

The complaints we hear most: monthly subscription for something most engines give away; free trial is limited to 100 searches; local and maps results lag Google.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Kagi, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.