Consensus vs Kagi — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Consensus starts at $20/mo. Kagi starts at $5/mo. Kagi is $15/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Consensus.
AI research assistant for scientific literature — answers questions with citations from 200M+ academic papers. Pricing: Free (unlimited basic search), Premium $8.99/mo (Consensus Meter, GPT-4 summaries), Enterprise custom. Popular with academics, medical professionals, and researchers who need evidence-backed answers.
Ad-free, subscription-based search engine with AI features. Pricing: Trial (100 free searches), Starter $5/mo (300 searches), Professional $10/mo (unlimited + AI features), Ultimate $25/mo (unlimited AI + advanced features), Family $14/mo (up to 6 users). Positioned as the anti-Google — paid search with no ads, no tracking, user control over ranking.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Consensus monthly | Consensus annual | Kagi monthly | Kagi annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free / Trial | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Pro / Starter | $20 | $12 | $5 | $5 |
| Mid tier 1 | — / Professional | — | — | $10 | $10 |
| Mid tier 2 | — / Family (2 users) | — | — | $14 | $14 |
| Mid tier 3 | — / Family (6 users) | — | — | $20 | $20 |
| Pro / power | Deep / Ultimate | $65 | $45 | $25 | $25 |
| Enterprise | Team / Enterprise / — | Custom | Custom | — | — |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Consensus is worth it if… researchers, medical professionals, and analysts who need answers grounded in peer-reviewed literature with citations — not a general web AI. 99/mo is one of the cheapest AI research tools in market.
Kagi is worth it if… privacy-conscious users who are willing to pay $5-25/mo for search without ads, tracking, or algorithmic promotion. Professional at $10/mo is the sweet spot — unlimited searches + AI features.
Bottom line: Choose based on how you want to pay — Consensus is per seat, Kagi is tiered.
Choose Consensus over Kagi if…
Choose Consensus if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $20/mo).
- You match the profile Consensus is built for: researchers, medical professionals, and analysts who need answers grounded in peer-reviewed literature with citations — not a general web AI.
- You need a general-purpose productivity option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Kagi if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (tiered, from $5/mo).
- You match the profile Kagi is built for: privacy-conscious users who are willing to pay $5-25/mo for search without ads, tracking, or algorithmic promotion.
- You need a general-purpose productivity option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Consensus | Kagi | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Entry price | $20/mo | $5/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | No |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | Tiered |
| Last verified | September 20, 2026 | September 20, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 20, 2026. Tracked daily.