Google might be popular enough that people say they’ll Google something versus search for it. But, many Google search alternatives are just as good and often better. If you are looking for a good alternative to Google Search, here are our recommendations.
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1. DuckDuckGo
Likely the best-named alternative on this list, DuckDuckGo has from its infancy focused heavily on privacy. Leveraging hundreds of sources, including Microsoft’s own Bing browser or its own web crawler, search results are highly customizable. On top of its privacy focus, the search results page is fairly minimal, so your attention is on quality results.
I love the lack of clutter and ads. I also get far more relevant search results per page than Google. For example, searching for “DuckDuckGo” in both – I got seven results in Google and 14 in DuckDuckGo. And, I never have to worry about one search affecting my next, like with Google’s forced personalization. If you love AI, DuckDuckGo even has its own built-in AI chat in the search engine.
2. Bing by Microsoft
While Windows is the most widely used OS, Microsoft Bing is still trailing in popularity, but I still love it as one of the top Google search alternatives. Even some other alternatives use Bing’s results. Unlike Google’s super minimalist search screen, Bing offers a beautiful background visual. The results screen looks similar to Google with yet again, better results.
It’s not the most private search engine, but I do like how easy it is to customize. I can even log in and earn points for my browsing to cash in for rewards, or use it without logging in. Of course, Microsoft Copilot is built-in to the browser too, but you don’t have to use it.
3. Startpage
Startpage gives you the best of Google and Bing without shouting all your details to marketing companies. Think of it as being able to search Google privately. When I search, my queries are sent to Google and Bing anonymously. Once the search is finished, the data is erased, so nothing to track.
The only thing that’s stored is preferences. These are stored in a single cookie, which is deleted if you delete your cookies. Startpage gives you a custom URL with your preferences, so just bookmark that URL or set it as your default search engine instead to avoid cookies. For even more privacy, take advantage of Anonymous View to visit websites from the search results anonymously.
4. Brave
Brave has become not only one of the top Google search alternatives, but Chrome browser alternatives too. I was already using the Brave browser, but skipped the default Google search for DuckDuckGo for more privacy. Since Brave developed its own search engine using indexing separate from Google, I’m all in on Brave thanks to the focus on privacy.
One nice feature I love is Goggles. Quickly filter results to limit certain content, such as politics, no social media (choose specific networks), and no celebrity content. You can even create your own Goggles, but I find the defaults work well enough for me.
5. Qwant
When I first stumbled across Qwant, I was immediately surprised to see it also had a Junior version for safer searches for kids. This Google search alternative is hosted in Europe and treats you like a person, not a product (it’s part of their motto).
While Qwant does have its own indexing service, it still makes use of APIs from other popular search engines to provide more comprehensive results. In my experience, the results feel more like old-school Google before all the profiling and marketing, in short, better than Google today.
6. Gibiru
Gibiru is the most minimal of all the Google search alternatives. No ads, no snippets, nothing but search results. Plus, it doesn’t track you. If you want nothing but a list of results, which is actually a nice change sometimes, this is the perfect option. There are only four filters, too – Web, Images, Videos, and News.
While I like Gibiru lets me filter by All Results or Censored, I don’t think the Censored option works well. In fact, it tends to scrap random results for no reason, For example, I searched for “gibiru search engine.” The Censored results got rid of a page from Gibiru about the mobile app. But, the All Results are usually good and it’s a nice break from more cluttered search engines.
7. Mojeek
Everyone is used to seeing the same Web, Images, and News filters on search engines, but what about Substack and Emotions? Mojeek is a bit unique, offering two unique ways to search. I admit, I do enjoy playing around with the Emotions search. Enter a term and choose an Emotion filter. Mojeek analyzes the feel of webpages to find pages that match the tone you’re looking for.
Of course, if you love Substack newsletter, Mojeek lets you limit your searches to just those. And, it’s all private with no tracking. Everything’s hosted in a green data center in the UK and the company’s committed to providing unbiased results. The results window is more minimal compared to Google, but also offers AI summaries like many larger competitors.
No matter how you choose to search, just know Google isn’t your only option. In fact, there are alternatives to most Google products, including Google Analytics. Simply change your default search engine in your favorite browser and you’re all set. If it keeps resetting itself, try these fixes.
Image credit: Unsplash, All screenshots by Crystal Crowder
Crystal Crowder –
Staff Writer
Crystal Crowder has spent over 15 years working in the tech industry, first as an IT technician and then as a writer. She works to help teach others how to get the most from their devices, systems, and apps. She stays on top of the latest trends and is always finding solutions to common tech problems.
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