Algolia gives DocSearch free to documentation sites in exchange for a search link

Algolia gives its DocSearch tool free to eligible documentation sites, which apply to join and must keep a visible Search by Algolia link. The company frames the program as a way of repaying open source. Its homepage says more than 9,000 projects use DocSearch. No source ties those free users to paying customers or to Algolia's wider growth.

By Race to Scale Desk, edited by Lila Odinaev. Published 24 Oct 2026. How we work

What they ran

Algolia runs DocSearch, a search tool it gives away to documentation sites that pass its eligibility rules, and sites apply to get in. In return, each site must keep a visible "Search by Algolia" link, so developers see Algolia's name when they search the docs. Algolia frames the program as repaying the open source community for what it has done for the company. Algolia describes itself as offering an AI search platform.

What happened

The DocSearch homepage says more than 9,000 projects use the tool. Algolia's company page says it serves industries including retail, ecommerce, SaaS and media, and lists a "For Open Source" quick link. The free terms and the attribution rule are set out in Algolia's DocSearch explainer.

What the account does not show

The 9,000+ figure is Algolia's own count, and the homepage gives no start date for it. No source names which projects use DocSearch. No source links free DocSearch users to paying customers, so Algolia's wider business cannot be credited to this move. The sources give no baseline and no figure for Algolia's size when DocSearch began. The open source link on the company page gives no detail on the program.

Questions

Is Algolia DocSearch free?

Yes, Algolia offers DocSearch free to documentation sites that meet its eligibility requirements, and sites apply to join.

What does Algolia get in return for free DocSearch?

Sites must keep a visible Search by Algolia link, which puts Algolia's name in front of developers. Algolia also describes the program as a way to repay the open source community.

How many projects use Algolia DocSearch?

Algolia's DocSearch homepage says more than 9,000 projects use it, though it gives no start date for that count.