Comparison
| Tool | Price from | Free plan | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
 iAsk | 9.95 USD/mo | yes | AI search engines |
 Mapify | 9.99 USD/mo | yes | AI search engines |
 Consensus | 12 USD/mo | ? | AI search engines |
 Knowt | not listed | yes | Education |
 Perplexity | not listed | yes | AI search engines |
 QuillBot | not listed | ? | Writing & editing |
 AnkiDecks | 5 USD/mo | yes | Education |
 Eduaide | 49.99 USD/yr | yes | Education |
 Kagi | 5 USD/mo | trial | AI search engines |
Each alternative in short
1. Mapify
Turns PDFs, YouTube videos, webpages, audio and text into structured, editable mind maps for students, researchers and knowledge workers.
Yes, there is a free plan. 30 AI credits one-time, 5 PDF/doc to mind maps, 5 YouTube videos to mind maps, prompt/Markdown to mind maps, YouTube transcript access, editing of mind maps. No credit card needed.
2. Consensus
AI academic search engine that finds, summarizes and analyzes peer-reviewed research papers for students, researchers and clinicians.
The vendor does not state this clearly on the homepage or pricing page.
3. Knowt
AI study app turning lectures, PDFs and notes into flashcards, quizzes and guides for students, with school bulk licences.
Yes, there is a free plan. Free plan includes flashcards with unlimited learn mode, a limited number of resources, and up to 20 files for teachers on the free tier (per the school pricing page).
4. Perplexity
AI answer engine giving sourced, real-time answers to questions, with a Computer mode for delegating work.
Yes, there is a free plan. Meta description describes Perplexity as free; plan limits are not stated in the text.
5. QuillBot
AI writing suite for paraphrasing, grammar checking, AI detection, and content creation, aimed at writers, students, and professionals.
The vendor does not state this clearly on the homepage or pricing page.
6. AnkiDecks
Generates Anki flashcards with AI from PDFs, slides, notes, YouTube videos and topics, for students studying med, languages and exams.
Yes, there is a free plan. 4 deck generations a month, 10-page documents, 5-minute videos, 5 AI image occlusions and 20 AI review feedbacks a month, unlimited spaced repetition and quizzes, Anki export.
7. Eduaide
AI toolkit that turns standards, objectives or source material into lesson plans, assessments, graphic organizers and classroom games for K-12 teachers.
Yes, there is a free plan. Free plan with generation limits for core creation workflows (lesson plans, worksheets, organizers, games, assessments), limited input context for topics, standards and uploads. No credit card required.
8. Kagi
Ad-free, privacy-focused search engine and AI assistant, funded by user subscriptions, for people who want search results without tracking or ads.
There is a free trial. Trial plan with 100 searches and 100 Kagi Assistant interactions; free use of 150 searches, Orion Browser, Kagi Translate and the Small Web.
FAQ
What is the best alternative to iAsk?
The most popular option in the same category is Mapify. See the comparison table above.