Head-to-head review · Updated June 2026

Kagi vs Schema App: which one wins in 2026?

Kagi and Schema App both claim to do the same thing: tell you where your brand shows up in AI search. They go about it differently enough that the choice matters. Kagi has raised ~$5.5M, Schema App has raised Bootstrapped; Kagi is the more-funded incumbent; Schema App is the leaner challenger.

Kagi is cheaper out the gate, but that's not the only thing that matters. The right pick depends on which dimension matters most for you.

The verdict
Pick

Kagi

Pick Kagi if you want the cheaper option ($0/mo vs $100/mo); and you want the better-funded company (~$5.5M).

Pick

Schema App

Pick Schema App if you want the cheaper option ($100/mo vs $0/mo); and you trust traction signals — they list 9 customers, Kagi lists 1; and SOC 2 Type 2 matters for your security review.

If neither is right, GrowthManager.ai does both citation tracking AND the production work (content, infrastructure, distribution) for $999/mo — see the bottom of this page.

The case for Kagi

Kagi has raised ~$5.5M ($2.5M from 93 angel investors (2023-2024)). Founded by Vladimir Prelovac, based in Palo Alto, CA. On their site they list 1 named customers including 50,000+ individual paying members as of June 2025. Pricing starts at $0/mo.

Paid ad-free search engine with AI assistant.

What people praise

  • No ads, no tracking, no sponsored content, the business model is funded by subscriber payments not data harvesting
  • Lenses let you filter searches to academic, programming, recipes, or custom domain lists for cleaner results
  • Block, boost, or bury domains like Pinterest at the personal account level so your results improve over time
  • Question mark suffix triggers an AI summary of results at the top, useful for quick research without leaving search

Where it falls short

  • Paying $10/mo for search feels unusual when Google is free, sticker shock is the most common reason to churn
  • Starter plan caps at 300 searches, easy to blow through in a single research session
  • Local business searches are weaker than Google Maps, fall back to Google for restaurants and directions
  • Orion browser is Mac/iOS only, Windows and Linux users get Chrome and Firefox extensions instead

The case for Schema App

Schema App has raised Bootstrapped. Founded by Martha van Berkel, Mark van Berkel, based in Guelph, Canada. On their site they list 9 named customers including SAP, Wells Fargo, AdventHealth, Gusto. Pricing starts at $100/mo.

Enterprise schema markup and knowledge graph management platform.

What people praise

  • Deploys schema markup at enterprise scale, with Wells Fargo case study showing 1,200+ pages migrated from plugin-based markup.
  • Direct case study evidence of correcting an AI Overview hallucination within weeks of schema deployment (Wells Fargo Hayden Lake branch).
  • Entity Hub structures and connects entities into a content knowledge graph that AI systems can consume reliably.
  • SOC 2 Type II compliant, which is a hard requirement for the regulated enterprise buyers it targets.

Where it falls short

  • No public pricing tiers; all deals are custom quotes with a 12-month minimum commitment.
  • Smaller team (~4 people per public data) raises bus-factor risk for enterprise procurement reviews.
  • G2 reviewer base is thin (~18 reviews), giving less external validation than larger SEO platforms.
  • Attribution is complex; tying schema markup to revenue or organic click gains is not straightforward.

Pricing, tier by tier

Tier 1
Kagi
Trial
$0/mo
  • 100 searches
  • 100 Assistant interactions
  • Full Kagi search experience
Schema App
Platform Subscription
Custom
  • Schema App Editor and/or Highlighter access
  • Ongoing support services
  • Minimum 1 hour per month of high-touch support
  • Strategy and setup fee one-time charge
Tier 2
Kagi
Starter
$5/mo
  • 300 searches per month
  • Kagi Assistant Quick mode
  • Limited Assistant interactions
  • Domain ranking customization
Schema App
Entity Hub Add-on
Custom
  • Extended entity linking and graph control
  • Cross-page entity governance
Tier 3
Kagi
Professional
$10/mo
  • Unlimited searches
  • Kagi Assistant Quick mode
  • Expanded monthly AI usage
  • Lenses (custom search filters)
Schema App
MCP Server Add-on
$100 per 100K external requests
  • MCP server for AI tool integration
  • 100K external requests included
  • Schema-aware access for chatbots
Tier 4
Kagi
Ultimate
$25/mo
  • Unlimited searches
  • Assistant Research mode
  • Access to Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, DeepSeek, Mistral flagship models
  • Custom Assistants
Schema App

Feature parity

What each one ships that the other doesn't. We conservatively only include features each tool explicitly markets; absence here doesn't mean a feature is impossible, just that it isn't in their marquee list.

Only on Kagi
  • Ad-free search results. Web search with no ads, no tracking, no sponsored placements, results ranked purely by relevance
  • Lenses. Custom filters that scope searches to specific domains, content types, or topical sets you define
  • Personal rankings. Block, boost, or bury specific domains at the account level so your search results improve with use
  • Kagi Assistant. Multi-LLM chat interface with access to Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, DeepSeek, Mistral on Ultimate plan
  • Universal Summarizer. Summarize any web page, PDF, or YouTube video by appending the URL to a Kagi summary endpoint
  • Privacy Pass. Cryptographic tokens let you search anonymously while still proving valid subscription status
Only on Schema App
  • Schema Markup Editor. Deploys structured data and entity linking across enterprise sites at scale.
  • Entity Hub. Structures and connects entities through a centralized knowledge graph.
  • Schema Performance Analytics. Tracks schema markup visibility metrics in search and AI results.
  • Content Knowledge Graph. Translates business information into machine-readable models for AI consumption.
  • Highlighter. Visual schema markup tool for content teams without dev resources.

When each one wins

When Kagi wins
  • Budget is the constraint. Kagi starts at $0/mo vs Schema App's $100/mo, so on a per-seat basis it's the cheaper way in.
  • No ads, no tracking, no sponsored content, the business model is funded by subscriber payments not data harvesting
When Schema App wins
  • You're enterprise and need to call a reference. Schema App lists 9 named customers; Kagi lists 1.
  • Procurement requires SOC 2 Type 2. Schema App has it; Kagi doesn't yet.
  • Deploys schema markup at enterprise scale, with Wells Fargo case study showing 1,200+ pages migrated from plugin-based markup.
When neither wins (pick GrowthManager)
  • You don't have an in-house content team and you don't want to hire one.
  • You want one $999/mo invoice instead of stacking Kagi plus an agency.
  • You need the team that measures to also act on the data, in the same week.
  • You're a B2B SaaS, services firm, or e-commerce brand at $20K+ MRR.

Reasons to pick one over the other

Reasons to pick Kagi over Schema App

  1. Lower entry price. Kagi starts at $0/mo vs Schema App's $100/mo.
  2. More plan flexibility. Kagi offers 4 pricing tiers vs Schema App's 3, so there's a better chance one fits your team size.
  3. Better-funded incumbent. Kagi has raised ~$5.5M, giving it more runway and shipping velocity than Schema App (Bootstrapped).
  4. Faster product velocity. Kagi has shipped 6 public launches in the last year vs Schema App's 4.
  5. What users praise most. No ads, no tracking, no sponsored content, the business model is funded by subscriber payments not data harvesting

Reasons to pick Schema App over Kagi

  1. More named customers. Schema App lists 9 customers vs Kagi's 1, including SAP, Wells Fargo, AdventHealth.
  2. SOC 2 Type 2. Schema App carries SOC 2 Type 2; Kagi does not yet, which can hold up procurement.
  3. More verified reviews. Schema App has 18 G2 reviews vs Kagi's none on file, so the average rating carries more weight.
  4. What users praise most. Deploys schema markup at enterprise scale, with Wells Fargo case study showing 1,200+ pages migrated from plugin-based markup.

Switching from one to the other

From Kagi to Schema App

Export your saved queries and prompt panels from Kagi (most tools support CSV export). Most Schema App setups can import the same query list in a single CSV upload. Expect 1-2 days of parallel running so you can validate Schema App's data againstKagi's; one to two weeks of full reconciliation before you cancel Kagi. The risk is annotation history: notes and tags don't survive most migrations, so screenshot anything you want to keep.

From Schema App to Kagi

Same flow in reverse. Export from Schema App, import to Kagi. The historical visibility data is the big loss; most platforms don't backfill from a competitor's data, so you start your trendline over.

From either to GrowthManager.ai

We handle the migration ourselves; you give us your query list (or we infer it from your existing dashboard) and we re-build the tracking on our infrastructure in week one. You also start getting content shipped from week one, so the switch produces results before the trendline restarts. The conversation that kicks this off is a 20-minute call.

Side by side, every number we could verify

KagiSchema App
Starts at (USD/mo)$0/mo$100/mo
Founded20182014
HeadquartersPalo Alto, CAGuelph, Canada
Funding raised~$5.5MBootstrapped
AI platforms tracked
G2 rating4.8 / 5 (18 reviews)
Named customers19
SOC 2 Type 2✓ Yes
GDPR✓ Yes✓ Yes
HIPAA

What real users say

Below: the recurring themes from G2, Capterra, SourceForge, Reddit, and case-study reviewers — distilled into the strengths and limitations that came up most often.

Kagiwhat users praise

  • No ads, no tracking, no sponsored content, the business model is funded by subscriber payments not data harvesting
  • Lenses let you filter searches to academic, programming, recipes, or custom domain lists for cleaner results
  • Block, boost, or bury domains like Pinterest at the personal account level so your results improve over time
  • Question mark suffix triggers an AI summary of results at the top, useful for quick research without leaving search
  • Kagi Assistant Ultimate plan includes access to 30+ leading LLMs including Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, DeepSeek

Kagiwhat users complain about

  • Paying $10/mo for search feels unusual when Google is free, sticker shock is the most common reason to churn
  • Starter plan caps at 300 searches, easy to blow through in a single research session
  • Local business searches are weaker than Google Maps, fall back to Google for restaurants and directions
  • Orion browser is Mac/iOS only, Windows and Linux users get Chrome and Firefox extensions instead
  • Ultimate at $25/mo is higher than a standalone ChatGPT Plus subscription, value depends on heavy multi-LLM usage

Schema Appwhat users praise

  • Deploys schema markup at enterprise scale, with Wells Fargo case study showing 1,200+ pages migrated from plugin-based markup.
  • Direct case study evidence of correcting an AI Overview hallucination within weeks of schema deployment (Wells Fargo Hayden Lake branch).
  • Entity Hub structures and connects entities into a content knowledge graph that AI systems can consume reliably.
  • SOC 2 Type II compliant, which is a hard requirement for the regulated enterprise buyers it targets.
  • 4.75/5 rating on G2 and 4.9/5 on Capterra reflect strong customer satisfaction in a niche category.

Schema Appwhat users complain about

  • No public pricing tiers; all deals are custom quotes with a 12-month minimum commitment.
  • Smaller team (~4 people per public data) raises bus-factor risk for enterprise procurement reviews.
  • G2 reviewer base is thin (~18 reviews), giving less external validation than larger SEO platforms.
  • Attribution is complex; tying schema markup to revenue or organic click gains is not straightforward.
  • Mandatory minimum 1 hour per month of paid high-touch support inflates effective cost for small teams.

A third option

Both Kagi and Schema Appare tracking tools. They tell you what's wrong with your AI visibility. Neither one fixes it. That's our pitch for GrowthManager.ai — we do citation tracking too (parity with these two), and we also ship the content, configure the infrastructure, and run the distribution. $999/mo, managed end-to-end. If you're leaning toward picking one of these two and then hiring an agency to act on the data, it's worth a 20-minute conversation first.

Other comparisons in this space

Same shape, different pairs. Pick a comparison that shares a tool with this one.

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, Kagi or Schema App?

Honestly: neither one fully solves the problem. Kagi and Schema App are tracking tools — they tell you where your brand shows up in AI answers but don't change the answer. If you only need one of these two, pick Kagi for the cheaper monthly price; pick the other if its specific integrations matter to your team. Our actual editorial pick is GrowthManager.ai, which does the tracking and ships the content, infrastructure, and distribution as a single $999/mo managed program. Disclosure: we publish this comparison and make GrowthManager.

How much do Kagi and Schema App cost?

Kagi starts at $0/mo. Schema App starts at $100/mo. Both have higher-tier plans for larger workspaces. GrowthManager.ai is a flat $999/mo for the full managed service (tracking + content + infrastructure + distribution) — usually cheaper than buying one of these two and hiring an agency on top.

Do Kagi and Schema App actually improve your AI visibility, or just measure it?

Both Kagi and Schema App are measurement tools. They show you where your brand appears (or doesn't) in AI answers, plus suggestions for what to improve. Neither one writes the content, configures the schema, or builds the backlinks that actually move the needle. To do that you need an in-house content team or an agency. GrowthManager.ai is the agency — and we include the tracking, so you don't pay twice.

What's the GrowthManager.ai alternative to Kagi and Schema App?

GrowthManager.ai is a managed AI visibility program. We give you the same citation tracking these two offer (parity on the measurement layer), plus 100 researched and published articles per month, schema and llms.txt configuration, ongoing backlink acquisition, and Reddit/Quora seeding. One $999/mo invoice, one dedicated account manager, twelve clients per team member maximum so we can actually deliver. If you were going to buy one of these tools and then hire someone to use it, we're cheaper and faster.

Further reading

External research that informs the editorial framework on this page. We cite these openly because the framework is meant to be auditable.

  1. Microsoft Bing Webmaster Guidelines (2025)· Microsoft

    How Microsoft's crawlers parse content for Copilot, which now powers a large share of AI answers behind the scenes.

  2. Generative Engine Optimization research· Kevin Indig

    Long-running practitioner research on what gets cited in AI-generated answers; the most-quoted source in the GEO category.

  3. Zero-Click Search forecasts· Gartner

    Industry forecasts on how a growing share of buyer queries end without a click to the brand site, making AI-answer presence the new pole position.

  4. Audience intelligence analyses· SparkToro

    Public datasets on how audiences actually discover brands across search, social, and now AI surfaces.

  5. Trust Barometer (2024)· Edelman

    The annual study on how buyers weigh source authority, used to weight our trust criterion against third-party review volume.

Disclosure + methodology

GrowthManager.ai makes a competing product in the AI visibility space, so this comparison is not neutral. Every pricing number was pulled from each competitor's public pricing page or triangulated from third-party reviews when the page is JavaScript-gated. Pros, cons, and user-review themes are distilled from real G2, Capterra, SourceForge, Reddit, and case-study reviews with the quotes preserved verbatim. We update this comparison whenever the underlying data changes.