As AI-powered enterprise search and productivity tools become critical to how work gets done, savvy buyers are digging deeper into how these platforms are priced – and looking closely at the value they truly deliver.

As a category leader in enterprise search, GoSearch is frequently evaluated alongside other tools like Guru and Glean. And one of the most common questions that arises in these comparisons is: “how much does Glean cost?”

Whether you’ve encountered Glean AI during your search for smarter workplace tools or are comparing vendors as part of a formal procurement process, this guide will help you understand Glean pricing, how it compares to other solutions in the market – and why buyers are asking for greater transparency.

What is Glean?

Glean is an enterprise search and AI assistant platform with a focus on search, knowledge discovery, and AI recommendations. However, before evaluating its capabilities, many potential buyers find it difficult to understand Glean’s pricing model. This lack of clarity around costs is frequently cited as a barrier to fully assessing the platform’s value.

Glean Pricing Overview: Why It’s Hard to Pin Down

If you’ve searched for information on Glean pricing, or ventured into the conversation on Reddit (see: glean pricing reddit threads), you’ve probably realized something: Glean does not publicly list its pricing.

This lack of transparency can be frustrating for mid-market or scaling teams trying to evaluate total cost of ownership.

Here’s what we do know about Glean AI pricing from industry sources, user testimonials, and competitor comparisons:

Glean Pricing Model

Glean follows a per-user, per-month pricing model, and notably, does not offer usage-based pricing. Actual pricing varies, depending on:

• Organization size
• Number of integrations
• Level of customization
• Support tier
• AI assistant features enabled – although 

Customers and prospects report that Glean’s pricing typically starts at $30 per user per month, and can climb to over $50+ per user monthly, depending on feature requirements and company size. According to Vendr, the median deal size is approximately $65K, with total contract values as high as $180K.

Note: These are estimates based on customer feedback and market analysis.

Glean Work AI Pricing

Glean recently expanded its offerings to include Work AI, a suite of generative AI tools.

This added layer of functionality typically comes at an additional cost, either as part of an enterprise plan or as an upgrade. Companies considering Work AI should be prepared for an additional cost of $15 per user/month.

Additionally, renewing customers can expect renewal pricing to reflect this added functionality, as Work AI is now bundled with enterprise search – no longer optional, but a core part of the platform.

How Does Glean Pricing Compare to Competitors?

Glean’s pricing positions it at the higher end of the enterprise search and AI productivity space compared to competitors.

Here’s how Glean compares to other enterprise search tools based on publicly available and reported pricing data:

Feature / Vendor	Glean	GoSearch	Guru
Starting Price (Est.)	$30–$50+ per user/month	Transparent pricing starts at $8/user/month	$12–$20 per user/month
AI Assistant Included?	Additional cost	Included in all plans	Limited AI capabilities
Trial Available?	Limited sandbox only	Full-featured free trial	Yes
Public Pricing?	❌	✅	✅
Modular Pricing Options?	❌	✅	Limited

GoSearch, built on the same open-source foundation as Glean, sets itself apart with transparent and scalable pricing. With enterprise search that includes agentic AI across all plans, GoSearch is the preferred choice for organizations prioritizing robust API integrations, granular permission controls, and streamlined onboarding.

Why Buyers Want More Price Transparency

Many buyers have taken to platforms like Reddit, G2, and community forums to voice their concerns or confusion around Glean pricing. Several key themes consistently emerge:

Lack of Pricing Transparency

• No public pricing is available on Glean’s website.
• The absence of upfront pricing leads to prolonged sales cycles filled with extensive back-and-forth communication.
• Unclear baseline pricing and unpredictable renewal terms make it difficult to accurately forecast total costs.

Sticker Shock for Startups and SMBs

• Minimum annual contract value (ACV) starts at $50K.
• Glean’s quotes often exceed the budgets of smaller teams and early-stage companies.

Limited Flexibility

• There are no role-based or usage-based pricing options.
• The per-seat pricing model can be cost-prohibitive for occasional users, discouraging wider adoption across teams.

Demand for Modular Pricing

• Buyers want the flexibility to pay only for the features they actually use (e.g., search-only vs. full AI assistant)
• Many buyers feel that Glean’s one-size-fits-all pricing structure does not reflect how their team actually works, driving demand for modular, customizable plans.

Hidden Service and Support Costs

• Support fees are 10% of annual recurring revenue (ARR) and cannot be removed.
• Implementation and onboarding come with additional service charges, including consulting fees, technical configuration, and training sessions. These costs are not always clearly itemized in initial proposals – leading to unexpected budget impacts.
• Implementation and onboarding come with additional service charges, including consulting fees, technical configuration, and training sessions, which are not always clearly itemized upfront—leading to unexpected budget impacts.

Inability to Try Before You Buy

• Glean offers a sandbox trial, but without access to actual organizational data, limiting the ability to fully assess day-to-day performance.
• Paid Proof of Concept (POC) trials can cost up to $70K, making affordable trialing challenging for many organizations.

Challenging Renewal Terms

• Glean does not offer multi-year agreements.
• Renewal price increases of 7–12% are common unless caps are negotiated.

Overall, feedback from customers and prospects indicates there is a strong appetite for more transparent, customizable, and competitive pricing options in the enterprise search space.

TL;DR: Glean Pricing Breakdown

• Pricing model: Per-user/month, varies by org size and feature set
• Est. cost: $30–$50+ per user/month, potentially more with AI features
• Transparency: No public pricing listed on Glean.com
• Alternatives: GoSearch, Elastic, Guru, Microsoft Azure Cognitive Search
• Best for: Companies with large budgets who want all their data indexed and are less concerned with the possibility of sensitive information being exposed

More questions about Glean pricing? Find answers in our Glean Pricing FAQ.

Learn more about Glean alternatives in our Enterprise Search Pricing Guide comparing Glean vs. GoSearch, Guru, and Elastic

Is Glean Worth the Cost?

Glean is a powerful enterprise search solution, well-suited for organizations with flexible budgets and a need for intuitive, cross-cloud document discovery. However, its pricing remains relatively opaque and is often significantly higher than comparable options in the market—making it a less viable choice for teams with tighter budgets or more focused search needs.

If you’re exploring enterprise search tools and want a more transparent, cost-effective alternative, GoSearch offers rapid deployment, cutting-edge AI capabilities, and enterprise-grade security designed to meet the most rigorous compliance standards. We’d love to show you how GoSearch can deliver fast, secure, and intelligent knowledge discovery—without the enterprise bloat