Arky vs Kagi

Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings

Analysis reviewed Live tool data as of 2026-08-31
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At a glance

DimensionArkyKagi
PricingFreemium (free tier + paid plans)Freemium (free tier + subscription plans)
Core FunctionVisual thinking canvas with AIAd-free private search engine with AI assistant
AI FeaturesAI chat with context awareness, background processing, deep web research with citationsAI Assistant with GPT-5.5, Claude 4.8 Opus, Gemini 2.5 Pro; Quick Answers; Summarize
Key IntegrationsYouTube, Vimeo, Mermaid, Notion (MCP), Linear (MCP)Orion Browser
Best ForStudents, researchers, product managers, writersPrivacy advocates, power users, teams, libraries
Latest News2026-06-04: Comments, background AI, deep research, embed blocks2026-07-02: AI toggle in search; widgets for coin flip, dice rolling

Choose Arky if you need a visual, AI-powered workspace to gather and structure complex ideas, ideal for research and project planning. Choose Kagi if you prioritize privacy and a superior search experience with AI assistance, but don't need a spatial canvas. For most buyers seeking a blend of structured note-taking and AI, Arky offers more specialized value; Kagi is purely a search/utility tool.

Try ArkyTry Kagi
Arky
Arky

Visual thinking workspace that turns scattered ideas into structured documents with AI assistance.

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Kagi
Kagi

Kagi: private, ad-free search engine with AI assistant, funded by users.

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Pricing
Freemium
Freemium
Plans
$0 per seat/month
$7 per seat/month
$0 per month
$12 per month
$30 per month
$0
$5/mo (+ Sales Tax)
$10/mo (+ Sales Tax)
$25/mo (+ Sales Tax)
Popularity
4 views
6.4k views
Skill Level
Intermediate
Beginner-friendly
API Available
Platforms
DesktopWeb
WebMobileDesktopAPI
Categories
🗺️ Diagrams, Whiteboards & Mind Maps📝 Notes & Knowledge Management
🤖 AI Assistants📰 News & Feed Digests✨ Translation & Localization
Features
Infinite spatial canvas for visual thinking
Drag, group, and nest shells and boxes
Markdown hierarchy with Docs view
AI chat with context awareness
Background AI chat (floating window)
Deep web research with citations and source chips
Canvas comments with @mentions
AI Skills (custom procedures via /skills)
Mermaid diagram rendering
Embed blocks for YouTube, Vimeo, tweets, maps
Arrow connectors between concepts
Mindmap and diagram creation
PDF viewing with drag-and-drop highlights
Real-time collaboration (beta)
Export to Markdown, PDF, Word (.docx), PNG, and PowerPoint (soon)
Ad-free search with anti-tracking
Customizable search controls (bangs, site-specific search, regex)
AI toggle to control AI-assisted results
Kagi Assistant with private access to multiple LLMs
Native iOS and Android apps for Kagi Assistant
Search API preview for developers
Seven-day trial with 100 searches and 100 Assistant interactions
Kagi News for private, clickbait-free news briefs
Kagi Summarize for article and video summaries
Kagi Translate for 240+ languages (free access temporarily disabled June 2026)
Small Web — curated non-commercial sites
Stocks widget with price charts (updated Aug 2026)
Coin-flip widget
Settings to automatically remove paywalled links
Direct lens URLs (e.g., /search?lens=forums)
Integrations
Vimeo
Orion Browser
Hacker News
Privacy Pass

What real users say: Arky vs Kagi

Not marketing copy and not our opinion — a structured sweep of public discussion (reviews, forums, communities and video comments), showing what people praise and what they complain about for each tool.

Arky

25 mentions across 3 sources · 57% positive — mixed

Hacker News, Product Hunt, Lemmy

What users praise

  • • Spatial canvas with markdown hierarchy for free-form ideation.
  • • AI chat understands context and works in the background.
  • • Exports to Markdown, PDF, Word, and PNG — flexible output.
  • • Imports Obsidian vaults from zip — smooth migration for note-takers.

What frustrates them

  • • Too early to judge reliability — beta software may have bugs.
  • • No integrations with popular tools like Notion or Slack.
  • • Free tier likely limited — exact restrictions not well documented.
  • • Spatial layout may not export fully, causing migration pain.

Researched Jul 3, 2026

Kagi

66 mentions across 5 sources · 81% positive

Hacker News, Product Hunt, Bluesky, Lemmy, Tech Press

What users praise

  • • Completely ad-free, no tracking, and respects privacy.
  • • Power users love domain blocking/promoting result customization.
  • • Regular feature updates like Quick Answers, Small Web, and SlopStop.
  • • Ability to view Hacker News discussions directly under search results.

What frustrates them

  • • Monthly subscription is too expensive for many casual users.
  • • Non-English search results are significantly weaker than competitors.
  • • Founder's political ties and use of Yandex source raise ethical concerns.
  • • AI Assistant is less capable than dedicated tools like ChatGPT.

Researched Jul 25, 2026

Feature-by-feature

Arky excels as a visual thinking canvas with markdown hierarchy, allowing users to drag, group, and nest nodes. Its AI chat is context-aware and can process background research, providing citations and source chips in deep web research. It supports Mermaid diagram rendering and embed blocks for YouTube, Vimeo, tweets, and maps. Real-time collaboration via comments with @mentions and focus modes enhance productive work. In contrast, Kagi is an ad-free, private search engine with strong search controls like site-limiting '@' and bangs '!'. Its AI Assistant offers multiple LLMs (GPT-5.5, Claude 4.8 Opus, Gemini 2.5 Pro) and features like Quick Answers, Summarize, and News. Kagi also includes an Orion browser with ad-blocking and a Translate service (240+ languages, now part of subscription). However, Kagi lacks a spatial canvas or structured note-taking; it's primarily a search and AI assistant ecosystem. Arky's integrations with Notion and Linear via MCP contrast with Kagi's reliance on its own browser and services. Both have recent updates: Arky added comments and background AI; Kagi added an AI toggle and widgets.

Pricing compared

Both tools are freemium. Arky offers a free tier with limited features; paid plans unlock full canvas capabilities, AI usage, and exports. Kagi also has a free tier but restricts search volume and AI access; subscriptions start around $5/month for individuals, with team plans available. Kagi's latest news indicates Translate will become subscription-only. Arky's pricing details are not explicitly listed in the data, but as a freemium tool, it likely charges for higher AI usage, collaboration features, or export formats. Kagi's model is clearer: users pay for a private, ad-free experience. For heavy AI use, Kagi's unlimited assistant may cost more. Arky may be more cost-effective for visual knowledge workers who need the canvas; Kagi suits privacy-focused users willing to pay for search.

Who should pick which

  • Student researching a thesis
    Pick: Arky

    Arky's spatial canvas and deep web research with citations are perfect for synthesizing multiple sources into structured outlines.

  • Privacy-conscious web surfer
    Pick: Kagi

    Kagi offers ad-free, no-tracking search with AI assistant, ideal for someone who avoids Google's data collection.

  • Product manager planning roadmap
    Pick: Arky

    Arky's visual hierarchy, drag-and-drop nodes, and Notion/Linear integrations support roadmapping and priority visualization.

  • Power user needing advanced search syntax
    Pick: Kagi

    Kagi's site limits and bangs provide fine-grained control for efficient research across specific domains.

  • Writer drafting a structured article
    Pick: Arky

    Arky's canvas-to-Docs view, markdown export, and AI structuring are tailored for compiling research into drafts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Arky vs Kagi: which should you choose?

Choose Arky if you need a visual, AI-powered workspace to gather and structure complex ideas, ideal for research and project planning. Choose Kagi if you prioritize privacy and a superior search experience with AI assistance, but don't need a spatial canvas. For most buyers seeking a blend of structured note-taking and AI, Arky offers more specialized value; Kagi is purely a search/utility tool.

Can I use Arky for team collaboration?

Yes, Arky supports real-time collaboration with canvas and doc comments, including @mentions, as of version 1.1.

Does Kagi have a mobile app?

Kagi Translate has a mobile app, but the search engine is accessible via mobile browsers; no native search app is mentioned.

Can Arky import from other tools?

Yes, Arky can import Obsidian vaults via zip and supports web scraping, but no direct Evernote or Notion import is listed.

Is Kagi's AI Assistant free?

Kagi offers a free tier, but AI Assistant usage may be limited; full access requires a subscription.

Does Arky work offline?

Arky is primarily web and desktop, but it is not mentioned as offline-only; recent updates emphasize local file access for desktop apps.

Can I disable AI features in Kagi?

Yes, as of July 2026, Kagi added an option to disable AI features in search.

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Explore each tool further

Arky
View Arky reviewArky alternatives
Kagi
View Kagi reviewKagi alternatives

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Last reviewed: July 30, 2026