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Side-by-side comparison · Research & Search

ChatGPT Deep Research vs Kagi vs Wokelo

Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.

ChatGPT Deep Research

3.8

From $8/mo

Best overall

Kagi

4.3

From $5/mo

Wokelo

3.8

Free to start

Comparing 3 tools, the maximum.

At a glance

Pick it if: ChatGPT users who want a proper write-up on a question and are happy to wait a few minutes for it.

Kagi4.3
Best overallEasiest to use

Pick it if: People who search all day for work and are tired of ads and spammy results.

Pick it if: Private equity, venture, investment banking, consulting and corporate development teams that research companies and markets every week.

Overview

AttributeChatGPT Deep ResearchKagiWokelo
In one lineChatGPT's research mode, which browses for you and writes up a cited report.A paid search engine with no ads or tracking, plus an AI assistant that cites sources.AI research agents that write company, market and due diligence reports for dealmakers.
Pricing modelFreemiumPaidPaid
Starting price$8/mo$5/moSee website
Free plan Yes No No
Works with Claude Code No Yes Yes

Rating breakdown

Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.

AttributeChatGPT Deep ResearchKagiWokelo
Overall rating3.84.3Winner3.8
Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.
4.0
4.5
4.0
FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together.
4.0
4.5
4.0
Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them.
4.5
4.5
4.0
Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan.
3.5
3.5
3.0
Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over.
3.0
4.5
4.0

Feature comparison

A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.

AttributeChatGPT Deep ResearchKagiWokelo
Access & platform
Free plan Yes No No
Mobile app Yes Yes–
Desktop app Yes No–
Browser extension Yes Yes–
API access Yes Yes Yes
Teams & business
Team workspace Yes Yes Yes
Enterprise plan or SSO Yes No Yes
Connects to other apps Yes Yes Yes
Open source or self-hosted No No No
AI abilities
Works with your files Yes Yes Yes
Understands images Yes Yes–
Makes images Yes No No
Makes video Yes No No
Writes code Yes Yes No
Runs agents or automations Yes No Yes
Learns your brand or style Yes––
Works in many languages Yes Yes–
Capabilities score16/ 179/ 176/ 17

Pricing

Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.

AttributeChatGPT Deep ResearchKagiWokelo
Plans

Free

Free

Seeing what a report looks like.

Trial

Free

Seeing the difference.

EnterpriseOur pick

Custom

Investment, consulting and corporate strategy teams.

Go

$8/mo

Casual users who want more chat, not more research.

Starter

$5/mo

Light searchers.

PlusOur pick

$20/mo

Anyone who wants deep research weekly.

ProfessionalOur pick

$10/mo

Anyone who searches every day.

Pro

From $100/mo

Heavy users who run research daily.

Ultimate

$25/mo

Heavy AI users.

Duo and Family

Duo $14/mo, Family $20/mo

Couples and households.

Which plan to pickIf you have Plus already, you are set; its deep research allowance covers most people. Do not buy ChatGPT just for research unless you also want the rest of it, because Perplexity Pro costs less and is faster. Pro is only worth it if you run reports every day.Use the free trial for a week, then take Professional. 300 searches on Starter goes in a couple of weeks for most people. Only pay for Ultimate if you'd otherwise pay for an AI chat subscription, since it bundles the top models. Yearly billing saves 10%.There is only a sales-led contract. Ask for a trial on a live deal or project before you sign, and check which premium data sources are included at your price.

Key features

AttributeChatGPT Deep ResearchKagiWokelo
Standout features
  • Clarifying questions
  • Long, cited reports
  • Runs in the background
  • Your own files and apps
  • Visual output
  • Agent mode
  • Ad-free results
  • Personalised ranking
  • Lenses
  • Kagi Assistant
  • Summaries
  • API and MCP
  • Research reports
  • Premium data
  • Agent builder and marketplace
  • Slides and Q&A
  • API and MCP

Pros and cons

AttributeChatGPT Deep ResearchKagiWokelo
Pros
  • Clarifying questions up front mean fewer wasted runs
  • Among the most complete and well-structured reports of the three
  • Runs in the background and notifies you when done
  • Can bring your own files and connected apps into the research
  • Exports to PDF with charts and tables
  • No ads, sponsored results or tracking
  • You control which sites show up and where
  • AI assistant with a choice of top models
  • Fair pricing: unused months are credited back
  • Cited reports that hold up better to checking than a general chatbot's
  • Premium private-market data built in
  • Builds PowerPoint slides from the research
  • Custom agents that follow your firm's process
  • Strong security and hosting options
Cons
  • Slowest of the three; 10 to 30 minutes is normal
  • Free and Go allowances are tiny and described only as limited
  • Reports run long and occasionally cite weak sources
  • Pro usage allowances have been cut for new subscribers
  • It costs money, and Starter's 300 searches run out fast
  • Top AI models only on the $25 Ultimate plan
  • Local results like maps and shops are weaker than Google's
  • API and MCP use is billed separately from the search plans
  • Expensive and sales-led, with no self-serve plan
  • Few independent reviews to judge it on
  • Thinner data on small private companies
  • Overkill for occasional market questions

Who each one is for

AttributeChatGPT Deep ResearchKagiWokelo
Best for
  • Market and industry scans
  • Comparing products or suppliers
  • Background briefs on a new topic
  • Reading lots of sources at once
  • Everyday search without ads or tracking
  • Research where you want trustworthy sources
  • Hiding spammy or low-quality sites for good
  • Trying several AI models in one assistant
  • First-pass due diligence on a target
  • Industry and market landscapes
  • Screening and sourcing acquisition targets
  • Competitor and peer comparisons
  • Drafting investment memos and client decks
You'll find it used by
  • ChatGPT subscribers
  • Marketers
  • Founders
  • Analysts
  • Researchers
  • Developers
  • Writers
  • Privacy-minded professionals
  • Private equity firms
  • Venture capital firms
  • Investment banks
  • Management consultants
  • Corporate development teams

Questions people ask

Which is better, ChatGPT Deep Research, Kagi or Wokelo?

Kagi scores highest overall in our ratings (ChatGPT Deep Research 3.8/5, Kagi 4.3/5 and Wokelo 3.8/5). ChatGPT Deep Research is best for market and industry scans and comparing products or suppliers. Kagi is best for everyday search without ads or tracking and research where you want trustworthy sources. Wokelo is best for first-pass due diligence on a target and industry and market landscapes.

Which is cheaper, ChatGPT Deep Research, Kagi or Wokelo?

ChatGPT Deep Research: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $8/mo. Kagi: There's no free plan. Paid plans start at $5/mo. Wokelo: Pricing isn't published; check the vendor's site for a quote.

Which is easier to use, ChatGPT Deep Research, Kagi or Wokelo?

Kagi rates highest for ease of use in our scores. People who search all day for work and are tired of ads and spammy results.

How we compare

Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.

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