# Kagi

> Source: https://fuckyc.org/services/kagi/
> Website: https://kagi.com/
> Categories: Search engines
> KYC: optional — Paid search. Free tier available with limited queries. Signup is email-only.
> Status: active
> Jurisdiction: United States (operator-disclosed)
> Fiat on-ramp: no
> Payment methods: card, crypto
> Founded: 2019
> Open source: no
> Custodial: yes
> Last verified: 2026-01-01

## Verdict

Kagi is the leading paid, ad-free, account-bound search engine. The privacy story is "we don't sell you, you pay us" — not "we don't know who you are." For users who want a quality search without ads and accept an account, Kagi is the default. For users who specifically want no account, see Mojeek or DuckDuckGo.

## Strengths

- Paid-only business model removes the surveillance-advertising incentive.
- Independent index plus aggregator with strong long-tail recall.
- Per-domain ranking controls.

## Caveats

- U.S. operator; account-bound usage.
- Email at signup.
- Facts need re-verification by operator (last seeded 2026-01).

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## What Kagi is

A paid search engine. The business model is subscription, not advertising.

## Threat-model fit

Quality-first search with an account. Not anonymous from the operator.

## Sources

- [Kagi about](https://kagi.com/about) — accessed 2026-01-01
- [Kagi blog](https://blog.kagi.com/) — accessed 2026-01-01