Kagi

Privacy-first AI search engine with no ads and no tracking

Elicit

AI research assistant for finding and analysing academic literature

Kagi

Caution

11/25

Elicit

Caution

8/25

Score Breakdown

DimensionKagiElicit

Data Residency

Where is your data stored and processed?

Kagi: All data is processed on US infrastructure with no EU data residency option currently available.

Elicit: Data is processed on US infrastructure only with no EU data residency option currently available.

1/5

All data is processed on US infrastructure with no EU data residency option currently available.

1/5

Data is processed on US infrastructure only with no EU data residency option currently available.

Legal Jurisdiction

Which laws govern the company and your data?

Kagi: US-incorporated and subject to CLOUD Act; strong privacy-by-design model but US legal jurisdiction is a residual risk.

Elicit: US-incorporated under Delaware law and subject to CLOUD Act; limited EU-specific legal protections are in place.

2/5

US-incorporated and subject to CLOUD Act; strong privacy-by-design model but US legal jurisdiction is a residual risk.

2/5

US-incorporated under Delaware law and subject to CLOUD Act; limited EU-specific legal protections are in place.

Data Retention & Training

Is your data used for model training?

Kagi: No training on user search data, no persistent user profiling, and no ad-based tracking by design.

Elicit: Data handling for uploaded documents and queries should be verified against current terms; opt-out is unclear.

5/5

No training on user search data, no persistent user profiling, and no ad-based tracking by design.

2/5

Data handling for uploaded documents and queries should be verified against current terms; opt-out is unclear.

Certifications

ISO 27001, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, etc.

Kagi: No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other formal third-party security certifications are currently published.

Elicit: No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other recognised security certifications are currently published.

1/5

No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other formal third-party security certifications are currently published.

1/5

No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other recognised security certifications are currently published.

Regulatory Fit

Suitability for regulated industries and professional services

Kagi: Privacy-first business model is commendable, but lack of certifications and US jurisdiction limit regulated institutional use in Europe.

Elicit: Suitable for individual researchers with low-risk data; institutional European deployments require significant additional assurances.

2/5

Privacy-first business model is commendable, but lack of certifications and US jurisdiction limit regulated institutional use in Europe.

2/5

Suitable for individual researchers with low-risk data; institutional European deployments require significant additional assurances.

Total Score

11/25

8/25

Best For

Kagi

Best for teams on a tight budget.

Elicit

Best for privacy-conscious teams who need strong data retention controls.

Detailed Comparison

Elicit vs Kagi: Trust & Compliance Comparison

Elicit (Elicit, US) scores 8/25 overall with a Review Required (Caution) trust badge. AI research assistant for finding and analysing academic literature. Kagi (Kagi, US) scores 11/25 with a Review Required (Caution) trust badge. Privacy-first AI search engine with no ads and no tracking.

Dimension-by-Dimension Breakdown

#### Data Residency

Both score equally at 1/5.

●Elicit (1/5): Data is processed on US infrastructure only with no EU data residency option currently available.

●Kagi (1/5): All data is processed on US infrastructure with no EU data residency option currently available.

#### Legal Jurisdiction

Both score equally at 2/5.

●Elicit (2/5): US-incorporated under Delaware law and subject to CLOUD Act; limited EU-specific legal protections are in place.

●Kagi (2/5): US-incorporated and subject to CLOUD Act; strong privacy-by-design model but US legal jurisdiction is a residual risk.

#### Data Retention & Training

Kagi leads with 5/5 vs 2/5.

●Elicit (2/5): Data handling for uploaded documents and queries should be verified against current terms; opt-out is unclear.

●Kagi (5/5): No training on user search data, no persistent user profiling, and no ad-based tracking by design.

#### Certifications

Both score equally at 1/5.

●Elicit (1/5): No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other recognised security certifications are currently published.

●Kagi (1/5): No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other formal third-party security certifications are currently published.

#### Regulatory Fit

Both score equally at 2/5.

●Elicit (2/5): Suitable for individual researchers with low-risk data; institutional European deployments require significant additional assurances.

●Kagi (2/5): Privacy-first business model is commendable, but lack of certifications and US jurisdiction limit regulated institutional use in Europe.

Overall Verdict

Kagi has a clear trust advantage, scoring 11/25 compared to Elicit's 8/25. Kagi particularly excels in data retention & training.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for EU compliance, Kagi or Elicit?

Kagi has a TrustKit score of 11/25 while Elicit scores 8/25. Kagi currently rates higher across data residency, legal jurisdiction, data retention, certifications, and regulatory fit.

How do Kagi and Elicit compare on data residency?

Kagi scores 1/5 for data residency (All data is processed on US infrastructure with no EU data residency option currently available.), while Elicit scores 1/5 (Data is processed on US infrastructure only with no EU data residency option currently available.).

Are Kagi and Elicit GDPR compliant?

Both tools are assessed across five compliance dimensions. Kagi has a regulatory fit score of 2/5 and Elicit scores 2/5. Check the full comparison above for a detailed breakdown.

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