AI enterprise search compared

chifty vs. amber

Find and apply distributed company knowledge. Compare the amber platform with chifty Knowledge, Chat and Office.

Discuss your requirements Compare the details

By the chifty editorial team · Updated 14 October 2026

01 / The decision

Which approach fits your team?

The AI search known as amberSearch is part of the amber platform with chat and agents. chifty Knowledge supplies approved information to chifty Chat and Office. Compare the whole journey from source to usable answer, especially when the next step is handling a customer enquiry.

Published by chifty. Competitor details come from the linked vendor sources and a written vendor statement dated 14 October 2026. The comparison is an editorial assessment, not an independent product test.

Deployment and Private AI details checked on 14 October 2026. Other feature and pricing information retains the dates shown with its sources.

Shortlist amber when …

Searching across existing business systems is your main challenge.
The connectors and search features you need are included in your chosen amber package.
You want to evaluate search, chat and agents within the amber platform.

Shortlist chifty when …

A curated set of approved sources should underpin useful work answers.
The same approved knowledge is needed in Chat and Office.
You want to introduce a bounded knowledge workflow with defined roles.
You want to plan Private AI on your own infrastructure for a small or midsized company.

02 / Side by side

amber and chifty: the key differences

Deployment details about amber checked 14 October 2026. Other details retain the dates listed with each source. On smaller screens, scroll the table horizontally. View sources

chifty vs. amber: amber and chifty: the key differences
Criterion	amber	chifty
Focus	Enterprise search within a broader AI platform.	A shared knowledge base for AI chat and email work.
Application on your infrastructure	Business includes a dedicated environment and database. Clarify customer-owned infrastructure terms in the Enterprise quote.	Application and knowledge base on your own infrastructure; agree the setup and operating responsibilities individually.
Local models and data flows	Multiple AI models; Enterprise lists own LLM keys. Confirm in the quote whether the models can also run entirely on customer-owned infrastructure.	Supported local models by agreement. Fully local processing requires local model endpoints and appropriately configured integrations.
Minimum size for the deployment	Business from 50 licences; Enterprise from 200 users for individual infrastructure and compliance requirements. This does not establish fully local deployment.	Individually planned for small and midsized companies too. Agree users, hardware, models and implementation in the quote.
Sources	Business includes AI search and Data Layer with up to 15 connectors; Starter offers them optionally with up to ten connected systems. Match the integration catalogue to the required source and package.	Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint, network drives and your own content; email through Office.
MCP integration count	Unlimited numbers according to the written vendor statement dated 14 October 2026. Separate from Data Layer connector limits and model or automation usage.	Agree required connections and actions for the intended setup.
Permissions and evidence	Describes source permissions and references to specific passages.	Approved content and source references support knowledge-based answers.
Workspace	Search, chat and agents within the amber platform, with additional application integrations.	Ask questions in Chat and use knowledge for reply drafts in Office.
Purchasing	Business starts at €17.99 per licence per month excluding VAT, with a minimum of 50 licences according to the pricing page. AI search and Data Layer are included; optional in Starter.	Discuss products and introduction individually; do not infer a price advantage without comparable quotes.

03 / Look closer

What matters beyond the feature list.

amber and your actual search task

When evaluating an amber alternative, consider the whole platform: it includes chat and agents as well as enterprise search. Comparing it only with basic file search would miss that broader scope.

Define the job: find a document, get a sourced answer or prepare a customer reply? chifty Knowledge is relevant when approved knowledge needs to serve both Chat and Office. Test the actual search and answer workflow to establish whether this fits your organisation.

Ask in your demo: Show the route from a business question through the original source to a usable result.

Private AI with amber: what do 50 and 200 users mean?

Business starts at 50 licences and includes a dedicated environment and database. Enterprise starts at 200 users and addresses individual infrastructure and compliance requirements. The pricing page does not establish that both application and AI models can run entirely on customer-owned infrastructure.

Own LLM keys concern model access. Confirm who operates the infrastructure, where model processing takes place and which external data flows remain. “Private AI from 200 users” would require confirmation of that specific setup.

chifty plans Private AI for small and midsized companies individually. Agree supported local models, required hardware, source connections and operating responsibilities before implementation. Include infrastructure, updates and introduction alongside licence and usage costs.

Ask in your demo: Which data leaves our infrastructure during indexing, retrieval and response generation, and which endpoint handles each step?

Connectors and permissions in your real source inventory

Evaluate enterprise search against the systems holding your information. A SharePoint library, a network drive and a business system may have different formats, inherited permissions and update cycles. A long connector catalogue does not replace that check.

amber describes source permissions and cross-system connections. chifty sources and access are configured for the chosen setup. In both cases, replace an outdated file, revoke access and search with two different roles. Confirm that the original source remains accessible to authorised users.

MCP integrations are available in unlimited numbers according to a written vendor statement dated 14 October 2026. This quantity is separate from Data Layer connections: Business includes up to 15 connectors; Starter offers up to ten connected systems as an option. Unlimited numbers of MCP integrations do not mean unlimited model or automation usage.

Ask in your demo: Which files, metadata and permission rules does our specific connector support?

amber costs: search packages and minimum seats

According to the amber pricing page, Business includes AI search and Data Layer with up to 15 connectors. Pricing starts at €17.99 per licence per month excluding VAT, with a minimum of 50 licences.

Starter offers AI search and Data Layer as an option with up to ten connected systems. Request a quote for the required scope. Smaller teams need to consider the selected plan’s minimum purchase as well as its per-licence price.

Clarify connected systems, onboarding, OCR needs and any automation usage in the quote. For chifty, include Knowledge storage, Chat users and Office mailboxes. Compare the same first operating year, including source maintenance and internal project effort.

Ask in your demo: What is the total quote for our required sources and actual active users?

Changing enterprise search without losing source coverage

Before switching, inventory search sources, document owners, access groups and frequent questions. The transition also affects review: a retrieved document and a generated answer require different checks.

Start with a bounded source set. Agree update intervals, deletion behaviour and responsibility for outdated content. Importing an existing search index is not promised here. Keep the existing search route available until the agreed cases have been accepted.

Ask in your demo: Who confirms that sources, permissions and frequent search tasks are covered in the new setup?

04 / Put it into practice

Three sources. One traceable answer.

A bounded source inventory makes differences in search, access and knowledge maintenance visible.

Discuss your requirements

Select representative sources
Use an approved library, a folder and a required business source. Confirm the specific connection before testing.
Define actual search tasks
Search for an item number, a business question and a rule appearing in several documents.
Test permissions and changes
Compare results using two roles. Update a source and then revoke access.
Use the result in everyday work
Check the source and answer, prepare an email draft and record the necessary corrections.
Verify the deployment
List the application, knowledge store, embedding and inference endpoints. Test the required configuration with approved sample data and document external connections, operating responsibilities and hardware costs.

Questions before you choose

Questions about amber and chifty

How does AI search differ from an AI knowledge base?

AI search helps find information across existing sources. An AI knowledge base organises approved material used for answers. Products can overlap, so evaluate connection, maintenance, access and the use of results rather than the label alone.

Is chifty an amber alternative for smaller teams?

It may fit a bounded source inventory used across Chat and Office. Required integrations, storage, workflows and the actual quote determine suitability. A smaller team size alone does not establish a price advantage.

Is amber only a search engine?

No. The amber platform offers chat and agents alongside AI enterprise search. Check the selected plan’s included capabilities rather than relying on older product descriptions.

Which solution costs less?

Comparable offers are needed. Use the same number of users and mailboxes, source volume, functions and commitment. Include model usage, introduction and operation.

How can we assess chifty for our workflow?

Bring a representative task to a demo discussion. Identify required sources, roles, outputs and decisions that need human approval. Agree the available features and deployment before introduction.

What does Private AI mean when comparing amber and chifty?

Business includes a dedicated environment and database. Clarify customer-owned infrastructure terms in the Enterprise quote. Multiple AI models; Enterprise lists own LLM keys. Confirm in the quote whether the models can also run entirely on customer-owned infrastructure. Business from 50 licences; Enterprise from 200 users for individual infrastructure and compliance requirements. This does not establish fully local deployment.

Can a smaller company plan Private AI with chifty?

Yes. chifty plans application hosting and supported local models individually for small and midsized companies. Agree user numbers, hardware, integrations, implementation and operating responsibilities in the quote. Fully local processing depends on the configured model endpoints and data connections.

Transparent comparison

Sources & editorial approach

Published by chifty, a provider included in this comparison. Vendor documentation establishes feature availability; our evaluation questions are recommendations, not measured results. Package details can change.

About chifty

amber · Platform
Vendor documentation, accessed 14 October 2026.
amber · Enterprise search
Vendor documentation, accessed 14 October 2026.
amber · Integrations & source permissions
Vendor documentation, accessed 14 October 2026. Supplementary written vendor statement from the same date: unlimited numbers of MCP integrations, separate from Data Layer connections.
amber · Packages & minimum seats
Vendor documentation, accessed 14 October 2026. Business: AI search and Data Layer with up to 15 connectors, from €17.99 per licence per month excluding VAT, minimum 50 licences. Starter: up to ten connected systems as an option.
chifty · Products and available scope
Product descriptions; agree the specific setup before implementation.
chifty · Security and deployment
Check application operation and model processing separately.