Google search engine quality has declined over the years. It also feels to me like it has become worse every time I open it — more ads, more SEO-optimised AI slop content, and less of what I’m actually looking for. I’ve read about Kagi as an alternative search engine, but until now, I hadn’t given it a serious try. The recent addition of Google’s AI summary feature was the last straw for me — I want a different search engine that respects my search intent.
My first review about Kagi
After a week of using Kagi as my primary search engine, I’m impressed. The search is remarkably quick, often feeling faster than Google, especially when loading the initial results page.
The search results feel more relevant and less cluttered with SEO-optimised content. Of course, I’ll need more time to fully evaluate this, but my initial impression is positive. The results seem to prioritise quality content over heavily optimised pages.1
I particularly appreciate Kagi’s approach to AI integration. I can use AI-powered features when I want them, but they’re not forced onto me as the primary interface. This feels like a more respectful approach to search — giving me tools rather than making decisions for me.
I’ve signed up for the Ultimate plan to test all the features. If I continue using Kagi long-term, I might switch to the normal $10/month plan, but for now, I am eager to explore everything it offers.2
The only minor complaint I have is that the layout isn’t as space-efficient as Google, particularly on mobile. It feels like it uses too much vertical space on my phone, requiring more scrolling to see the same number of results. This is a small issue, but noticeable in daily use.
The iOS integration disappointment
One area where Kagi falls short is its iOS integration. I was surprised to discover that changing your default search engine on iOS isn’t as straightforward as it should be. Instead of simply selecting Kagi from the built-in options, you need to install a Safari extension to make it work properly.
Even more frustrating is that despite paying for a privacy-focused search engine, the default iOS search still sends my data to Google unless I jump through these hoops. This feels like a step backward from the seamless experience I was hoping for. As documented by various users, this isn’t Kagi’s fault, but rather Apple’s restrictive approach to search engine choices on iOS.
For a service that prides itself on privacy and user control, having to navigate this complicated setup process seems contradictory to Kagi’s core values. I understand this is largely due to Apple’s limitations, but it’s still a significant friction point for anyone trying to escape Google’s ecosystem completely.3
Overall, I’m cautiously optimistic that Kagi might be the search engine I’ve been looking for — one that prioritises relevant results and user control over advertising and AI gimmicks.
I’ve noticed that technical searches in particular return much better results, with more focus on developer documentation and thoughtful blog posts rather than content farm articles. ↩︎
The Universal Summarizer feature alone might be worth the price of admission — it’s like having a research assistant that can quickly digest long articles. But let’s see, I do quite enjoy reading stuff, and I’m not that busy. ↩︎
I’m hoping that with enough user demand, Apple possibly might add Kagi to the default search engine options, similar to how DuckDuckGo eventually made it onto the list. ↩︎