Side-by-side comparison · Research & Search
Exa vs Gemini Deep Research vs Kagi
Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.
Comparing 3 tools, the maximum.
At a glance
Pick it if: People using Claude Code or building their own assistants who want real web search behind them.
Pick it if: Anyone who needs a thorough written briefing on a topic and would rather edit than research.
Pick it if: People who search all day for work and are tired of ads and spammy results.
Overview
| Attribute | Exa | Gemini Deep Research | Kagi |
|---|---|---|---|
| In one line | A search engine built for AI tools, so Claude can find exactly the pages it needs. | Google's agent that browses for minutes and writes a long, sourced report. | A paid search engine with no ads or tracking, plus an AI assistant that cites sources. |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium | Paid |
| Starting price | From $4 per 1 | $4.99/mo | $5/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | No |
| Works with Claude Code | Yes | No | Yes |
Rating breakdown
Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.
| Attribute | Exa | Gemini Deep Research | Kagi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.3Winner |
| Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it. | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan. | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over. | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.5 |
Feature comparison
A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.
| Attribute | Exa | Gemini Deep Research | Kagi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access & platform | |||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | No |
| Mobile app | No | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop app | No | No | No |
| Browser extension | No | Yes | Yes |
| API access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Teams & business | |||
| Team workspace | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Enterprise plan or SSO | Yes | Yes | No |
| Connects to other apps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Open source or self-hosted | No | No | No |
| AI abilities | |||
| Works with your files | No | Yes | Yes |
| Understands images | No | Yes | Yes |
| Makes images | No | Yes | No |
| Makes video | No | Yes | No |
| Writes code | No | Yes | Yes |
| Runs agents or automations | Yes | Yes | No |
| Learns your brand or style | No | No | – |
| Works in many languages | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Capabilities score | 7/ 17 | 14/ 17 | 9/ 17 |
Pricing
Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.
| Attribute | Exa | Gemini Deep Research | Kagi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plans | FreeOur pick Free Personal use inside Claude Code. | Free Free The occasional big question. | Trial Free Seeing the difference. |
Pay as you go From $4 per 1,000 searches Anyone whose usage outgrows the free credit. | Google AI Plus $4.99/mo Light users who want a bit more headroom. | Starter $5/mo Light searchers. | |
Enterprise Custom Companies building products on top of it. | Google AI ProOur pick $19.99/mo Anyone who runs a few reports a week or also uses NotebookLM. | ProfessionalOur pick $10/mo Anyone who searches every day. | |
Google AI Ultra From $99.99/mo Power users who want the highest limits across all of Google AI. | Ultimate $25/mo Heavy AI users. | ||
Duo and Family Duo $14/mo, Family $20/mo Couples and households. | |||
| Which plan to pick | Start free. The monthly $10 of credit is plenty for one person using it from Claude Code, and if you do run out you only pay for what you use. Enterprise is for software companies, not for a business that just wants better search. | Try the free plan first; it is enough to see the style of report you get. If you want it weekly, Google AI Pro is the pick because the Pro model writes better reports and the same subscription upgrades NotebookLM and Gemini in Gmail and Docs. | 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%. |
Key features
| Attribute | Exa | Gemini Deep Research | Kagi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standout features |
|
|
|
Pros and cons
| Attribute | Exa | Gemini Deep Research | Kagi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pros |
|
|
|
| Cons |
|
|
|
Who each one is for
| Attribute | Exa | Gemini Deep Research | Kagi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for |
|
|
|
| You'll find it used by |
|
|
|
Questions people ask
Which is better, Exa, Gemini Deep Research or Kagi?
Kagi scores highest overall in our ratings (Exa 4.0/5, Gemini Deep Research 4.0/5 and Kagi 4.3/5). Exa is best for web search inside Claude Code and finding sites like one you know. Gemini Deep Research is best for industry and market reports and supplier or vendor comparisons. Kagi is best for everyday search without ads or tracking and research where you want trustworthy sources.
Which is cheaper, Exa, Gemini Deep Research or Kagi?
Exa: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at From $4 per 1. Gemini Deep Research: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $4.99/mo. Kagi: There's no free plan. Paid plans start at $5/mo.
Which is easier to use, Exa, Gemini Deep Research or Kagi?
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.
Swap in another tool
More tools from Research & Search in the library.
