Kagi Assistant vs Perplexity

Kagi Assistant

• Kagi Search subscribers who want an assistant on the same plan
• People who want several model developers without separate subscriptions
• Research that should draw on ad-free, personalized search results

Perplexity

• Research questions where you want the sources behind each answer
• Follow-up questions that build on an earlier search
• Quick, current answers by voice or text on a phone

Kagi Assistant

• Kagi Assistant is not sold on its own: it comes with a Kagi Search subscription, and the plans listed are Kagi's plans.
• Premium models and Research mode are limited to Ultimate at $25 per month. Other plans use standard models and Quick mode.
• Usage is capped by value: the plan price sets the token allowance, and AI interactions stop until the next billing cycle once it is used up.
• The free Trial is a one-time allowance of 100 searches and 100 AI interactions and does not renew.

Perplexity

• The plans page quotes annual-billing prices only: Pro at $17 and Max at $167 a month. The US App Store lists monthly subscriptions at $20.00 for Pro and $200.00 for Max.
• Pro and Max are described as for personal use only.
• Credits are sold separately in packs from $5.00 for 500 to $50.00 for 5,000.

Kagi Assistant

Many models, one subscription

Pick from models by OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Mistral, Meta, DeepSeek and others, and switch model in the middle of a thread. Premium models are limited to the Ultimate plan.

Web access through Kagi Search

A toggle controls whether the Assistant searches the web. Its searches can apply your Kagi Lenses and personalized results, and pasted URLs are fetched as context.

Quick and Research modes

Quick answers within seconds on every plan. Research, on Ultimate, plans multi-step work with up to about 15 tool calls, including a Python interpreter, image generation and Wolfram|Alpha.

Custom assistants

Save assistants that combine a chosen model, custom instructions and web access settings, and open built-in ones such as Code, Study and News with bangs from the search box.

File uploads

Upload text, PDF, DOCX, PPTX, spreadsheets, images and audio as context, up to 30 MB in total. Uploaded content stays in the thread for later messages.

Thread retention and privacy

Threads are deleted after 24 hours of inactivity unless set to permanent. Kagi says data is not used to train models and no account information is shared with model providers.

Perplexity

Cited answers

Responds to questions with answers drawn from current web content and lists the sources used for each one.

Pro Search and Deep Research

Guided AI search modes for exploring a question in more depth than a single answer.

Thread follow-ups

Ask follow-up questions in the same thread so later answers build on earlier ones. Past threads are kept in your Library.

Assistant

Handles tasks such as drafting emails, scheduling appointments and booking reservations.

Perplexity Labs

Turns a request into a finished report or project rather than a short answer.

Voice

Ask questions by speaking instead of typing and get up-to-date answers back.

Kagi Assistant

• Starter$5

  per month, or $54 per year

  Kagi plan with 300 searches and up to 300 AI interactions a month on standard Assistant models, plus Kagi Translate.

• Professional$10

  per month, or $108 per year

  Kagi plan with unlimited searches and Kagi Assistant on standard models in Quick mode, with a larger monthly usage allowance.

• Ultimate$25

  per month, or $270 per year

  Everything in Professional, plus premium models and Research mode in Kagi Assistant and best-quality mode in Kagi Translate.

• Duo$14

  per month for 2 accounts, or $151.20 per year

  Two Professional accounts for a couple. Each member can be upgraded to Ultimate features for $15 a month.

• Family$20

  per month for up to 6 members, or $216 per year

  Professional accounts for up to 6 family members with Kagi for Kids and parental controls. Members can be upgraded to Ultimate for $15 a month each.

• Team$10

  per user / month, monthly billing only

  Team Professional with admin controls and shared lenses. Team Ultimate, with Research mode and flagship models, is $25 per user / month.

Perplexity

• Free$0

  Cited answers, follow-up threads, a library of past searches and sync across devices.

• Pro$17

  per month, or equivalent, when billed annually

  Deep research, a choice of AI models, expanded Computer access, document and app creation, and higher usage limits and memory.

• Max$167

  per month, or equivalent, when billed annually

  Everything in Pro with the highest usage limits, 10,000 monthly credits, frontier models and priority access to new features.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Listed alongside Pro and Max on the plans page; pricing is not shown.

Kagi Assistant

• Annual discount

  10% off with annual billing

  Kagi's pricing page lists 10% off for paying annually: Starter is $54, Professional $108 and Ultimate $270 a year. Team plans are monthly only.

• Other savings

  Unused months are credited back

  Under Kagi's fair pricing policy, a month with no searches or AI interactions is credited in full to the next billing cycle. On yearly plans the same applies to a whole unused year.

Perplexity

• Annual discount

  Lower monthly cost with annual billing

  Perplexity's plans page prices Pro at the equivalent of $17 a month when billed annually; the US App Store lists the monthly subscription at $20.00.