Cory Doctorow on Kagi Search

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Perceived Search Quality

  • Many report dramatically better results than Google: less spam, fewer SEO farms, and useful answers higher in the list, especially for product, medical, “best X/alternative to X,” and forum-style queries.
  • Others see little or no difference vs Google, aside from ads being removed. Some say Google can still match Kagi’s results for their queries.
  • Several note that after using Kagi, going back to Google highlights how many “sponsored” and low‑quality results dominate the page.

Customization & Features

  • Strong praise for per‑domain up/downranking, blacklisting sites like Quora/Pinterest, and lenses (e.g., “forums,” project‑specific lenses like Guix docs).
  • Users value Quick Answers/Summaries and AI summarization, which are opt‑in rather than always-on.
  • Redirect rules and private-session links are mentioned as workflow enhancements.

Pricing and Value Debate

  • $10/month is viewed by some as excellent value, even “underpriced,” given time saved and lack of tracking/ads. Others find it hard to justify, especially when combined with many other subscriptions.
  • There is demand for cheaper or per‑query plans; some use the $5/300‑search or $54/yr/3600‑search options, or family plans to reduce per‑person cost.
  • Affordability in lower‑income regions is a recurring concern; for some, $10 is a significant portion of monthly income.

Privacy, Tracking, and Business Model

  • Users appreciate the clear “I pay you, you serve me” model, with no ads, tracking, or behavioral profiling between searches.
  • Some dislike tying all queries to a paid account/credit card and remain wary despite Kagi’s privacy claims.

Reliance on Google and Sustainability

  • There is debate over whether Kagi is primarily a “front‑end to Google” vs a distinct engine that also uses multiple external indexes.
  • Unclear from the thread exactly which Google APIs are used and under what terms, but several assert Kagi pays for official access.
  • Some worry about long‑term risk if Google cuts them off or large platforms pressure or acquire them.

Broader Reflections on Search & Enshittification

  • Many see Kagi as an antidote to ad‑driven “enshittification” and an example of users funding what they value.
  • Others argue Google’s degraded results are partly an unavoidable outcome of mass SEO and its ad‑centric incentives, not an explicit desire to be “bad.”