Last checked: October 2026. AI search tools change plans and prices often. Every fact below was taken from the vendor’s own pricing, help or product pages when we checked them. Where we could not confirm something on an official page, we wrote unknown instead of guessing.
| Tool | Free option | Paid tiers (USD/month) | Sources & citations | Privacy notes (vendor statements) | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perplexity | Yes, $0 with limited daily use and basic models | Pro: $17/mo billed annually (monthly-billing price: unknown). Max: $200/mo or $2,000/yr | Free plan states “citations in every answer” | Unknown, see Perplexity’s privacy policy | Quick answers with sources on any topic |
| Google AI Mode (in Google Search) | Yes, in supported countries (Canada and the US included) | Not required. Google AI Pro ($19.99) and Ultra ($99.99 / $199.99) give expanded access to the newest model in AI Mode, which has daily limits on free accounts | Answers include links to web sources. Sometimes it shows a set of links instead of an AI answer | Google says it uses Search interactions to improve its AI; data shown to human reviewers is disconnected from accounts; AI Mode history can be deleted | People who want AI answers without leaving Google |
| ChatGPT search | Yes, including without signing in (usage limits apply) | Go: $8 (US price; localized elsewhere). Plus: $20. Pro: $100, $200 or $500 | Responses can include citations and a Sources view | The Go plan “may include ads”. Other details: see OpenAI’s data controls page | People already using ChatGPT for writing and analysis |
| Microsoft Copilot | Yes, free with limits; sign-in optional | Included in Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and Premium plans (prices: unknown, not verified) | Web-grounded answers show hyperlinked citations. Copilot sends a short query to Bing | Unknown, see the Microsoft Privacy Statement | Windows and Microsoft 365 users |
| Kagi | Trial: 100 searches and 100 Assistant interactions | Starter: $5 (300 searches). Professional: $10 (unlimited search). Ultimate: $25 (Assistant research mode, flagship models). Plus tax. Unused months are credited | Classic ranked search results. How Kagi Assistant cites sources: unknown (not verified) | Vendor states “no ads, no tracking”; funded by subscriptions | People willing to pay for ad-free search |
| Brave Search / Ask Brave / Leo | Yes: Ask Brave on Brave Search, and Leo in the Brave browser | Leo Premium: $14.99 (per Brave Help Center) | Ask Brave answers are grounded in web results with citations | Brave says Leo does not retain or share chats, does not use them for training, and needs no account | Privacy-minded users on an independent search index |
| You.com | Developer API: 100 free Web Search queries/day via MCP | API: $5 per 1,000 Web Search calls. Consumer app plans: unknown (the official pricing page now lists APIs only) | The Research API returns cited answers | Enterprise zero data retention available (vendor) | Developers adding web search to their own apps |
| Phind | Shut down. Phind ended its search service on January 16, 2026 (founder’s email to users; phind.com no longer serves a search engine). Listed here only because people still search for it. | ||||
How we checked (methodology)
In October 2026 we read each vendor’s official pricing page, help center or product page and copied only what they state. We did not run paid accounts or benchmark answer quality, so this page compares plans and stated features, not which tool gives better answers. Privacy notes are the vendor’s own claims, not an audit. If something has changed, please tell us through the submit a tool page and we will recheck it.
Sources checked
perplexity.ai/pro and /hub/pricing; Perplexity Help Center (Max); support.google.com/websearch AI Mode help; one.google.com Google AI plans; chatgpt.com/pricing; help.openai.com (Pro tiers, Plus, searching the web); openai.com “Introducing ChatGPT Go”; support.microsoft.com (Copilot free vs Microsoft 365, Copilot transparency note); kagi.com/pricing; brave.com/leo, brave.com/blog/ask-brave, Brave Help Center; you.com/pricing; Phind shutdown email as posted on Hacker News (Jan 12, 2026).
Frequently asked questions
Which AI search engines have a free plan?
As of October 2026, Perplexity, Google AI Mode, ChatGPT search, Microsoft Copilot and Brave (Ask Brave and Leo) all have free options with usage limits. Kagi offers a 100-search trial, then paid plans from $5 a month.
Which AI search engines show their sources?
Perplexity, Google AI Mode, ChatGPT search, Microsoft Copilot and Ask Brave all state that their answers include links or citations to web sources. Always open the source to confirm important facts.
Is Phind still available?
No. Phind shut down its search service on January 16, 2026.
Which option is the most private?
We have not audited any of them. Kagi states it has no ads and no tracking, and Brave states Leo does not keep chats or use them for training. Read each vendor’s privacy policy before sharing sensitive information.
Does AI Searcher earn money from these links?
No. This page has no affiliate links or sponsored placements.