> Loading more pages count as new search?

I have not ever loaded a new page with Kagi.

I generally need fewer searches than with other search engines, between their general features, and customized ranking, they are just that much better.

That said, I’m also in the early adopter plan ($10 for 1000 searches) which is enough for me (unlike the non-early one, as I sometimes go over 700 searches).

Search has a cost. You can either pay for your searches and own your results or have someone else, a complete stranger, pay for your searches and have the results be in their best interest.

Also check: https://help.kagi.com/kagi/plans/why-pay-for-search.html

I think it was Mark Twain who said about Web 2.0, "In every transaction where money changes hands there is a buyer, a seller, and a product. If you are not the buyer or the seller, then you are the product."

Unfortunately usually you are the buyer and the product these days even when companies say otherwise (e.g. Apple)

$25 per month for a service you use every day. Sounds fair.

If you save 1-2 hours per month not having to use a search engine that tries to trip you, that's a net win.

However, personally I use Google with a browser plugin that lets me hide unwanted results, and I find it works quite well.

Although I don't do much elaborate searching using operators etc.

The results I get with Kagi for researching technical topics are significantly better than I get from Google, so I can justify it as a professional expense.