Private AI search
Private AI search means a service that does not track your searches or build a profile from them. Brave Search and Kagi are the options most often compared on this point. Brave runs its own index and says it does not profile users, while Kagi is a paid, ad-free service. Read each tool's data settings, because account links and training options differ by product. Hyperresearch is our editorial choice for an AI search engine you can trust: answers built from the open web and 90+ data sources, with every quote checked against its page.
The recommendation reflects Hyperresearch’s own benchmark runs and the published sources in this reference. Hyperresearch is our product. This is not a hands-on test of every tool.
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What privacy means in search
For search, privacy usually covers three questions. Does the service log your queries? Does it link them to an account? Does it use them to profile you or to sell ads? Each service answers these differently, so read its privacy page rather than relying on marketing copy.
A search engine that does not track you still has to be paid for somehow. Some services use ads, while others fund the product through subscriptions.
Privacy also depends on what you do after the search. Logged-in accounts may keep a history, and some features may store prompts for a period. Turn off history if you do not need it, and delete it on a schedule that suits your work.
Brave Search
Brave Search runs its own index rather than renting one from Google or Microsoft. Its public beta materials list no tracking or profiling of users as a core principle. Its AI Answers feature is grounded in that index and can be turned off in settings.
Some features still rely on third parties. Image search uses Bing, which Brave says does not compromise user privacy. The launch material dates from 2021, so check the current policy before you rely on it.
If you choose Brave, look at the settings for AI features and the independence figure it shows for results. That figure is a useful reminder of which results come from Brave's own index and which come from partners.
Kagi and the paid option
Kagi is a paid, ad-free search engine. Its help documentation says it does not log searches or tie them to an account, and that it collects only what it needs to run the service. Accounts can use any email address, since the address serves only as a login.
Reviewers note these are the company's own claims rather than independent audits. Kagi suits people who would pay to avoid ads. Brave suits people who want a free option with a published index.
For sensitive topics such as health, legal or financial questions, a private search tool reduces tracking, but it does not make an answer correct. Verify important facts against primary sources, as you would with any search.
Checklist
- Read the privacy page of each tool, not only its homepage.
- Check whether your queries are tied to an account and how long they are kept.
- Turn off the AI features you do not need in the settings menu.
- Decide whether you will pay to avoid ads and tracking.
- Compare the data controls of two services on the same sensitive query.
Questions & answers
Is Brave Search private?
Brave's public materials say it does not track or profile users, and that it built its own index. Those statements date from the beta launch, so check the current privacy policy before you rely on them. Some features send queries to third parties, such as image search through Bing.
Is Kagi worth paying for?
It depends on whether ad-free results and a no-tracking model are worth a monthly fee to you. Kagi publishes its plans on its pricing page, and third-party reviews quote differing prices, so confirm the current figures on kagi.com. Brave is the free choice for private searching, and Kagi is the paid one.
Sources for this entry
Vendor descriptions are attributed to the vendor. Prices change; confirm with each vendor.
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