Vladimir Prelovac

Kagi is a privacy-focused search engine founded in 2018 and headquartered in the United States. The company operates as a bootstrapped venture with $7M in total funding and has not disclosed its valuation. Kagi positions itself as an alternative to Google and other ad-supported search engines by offering a subscription-based model that prioritizes user privacy and data protection. The platform uses its own search index alongside licensed results from multiple sources, reducing dependence on any single provider. Core features include customizable search results, the ability to block or prioritize specific websites, and tools designed for productivity and research workflows. Kagi targets users concerned about privacy, data harvesting, and algorithmic bias inherent in advertising-driven search models. The company emphasizes transparent business practices where revenue comes directly from users rather than advertisers tracking search behavior. Its competitive positioning centers on privacy guarantees, result quality, and user control over search experience customization. Kagi has attracted a growing community of privacy-conscious users and technology professionals. The company operates independently without venture capital backing, allowing autonomous decision-making regarding product direction. Growth trajectory reflects increasing demand for privacy-respecting alternatives to mainstream search engines, though market penetration remains limited compared to dominant competitors. Kagi's subscription-based model with privacy-first design directly challenges the ad-supported search framework by eliminating tracking and user data monetization.