20 Alternative Search Engines to Google

Here are the best alternatives (in my opinion):

Startpage used to be Google without the tracking. That's because they predominantly used search results from Google. However, as of 2023, they're also partnering with MapQuest, HERE Technologies, Priceline, Tomorrow.io, Search Expander, and Microsoft Bing. Still, according to the Netherlands-based search engine, your queries are anonymized before search results are pulled from Google and Bing. This means all identifying information is blanketed, including your IP address. No tracking cookies are used either.

Startpage also complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a European Union regulation that protects users’ data.

The “Anonymous View” feature lets you visit websites from search results anonymously for both desktop and mobile. It essentially behaves like a VPN.

DuckDuckGo is easily the most well-known private search engine—privacy has been its focus since 2010.

Your search history is saved in a non-identifiable manner. This means tracking cookies and personal identifiers, such as IP addresses, are not stored.

Despite the fact that DuckDuckGo’s results are pulled from over 400 sources, DuckDuckGo assures its users that it doesn’t share any personal information with them.

DuckDuckGo’s “Bangs” feature takes you directly to search results on other sites. For example, typing “!w” and a keyword like “singapore” (i.e., “!w singapore”) takes you directly to Wikipedia’s page for Singapore.

The Goggles feature allows you to alter Brave Search's ranking using a set of instructions (rules and filters). When you select Goggles, a set of pre-built filters will appear.

If you dislike any of these Goggles, you can create your own.

Mojeek is a UK-based private search engine with its own search index of over six billion pages. This makes it excellent for unbiased information. But it also means there may be limited results, as it doesn’t pull results from other search engines.

Your personal data will also never be sold or distributed. If you’ve filled out its contact form, you can request to have the information deleted, as per the GDPR.

The emotion-based search classification feature allows you to enter a keyword and search by emotion.

Qwant claims to be private, and it says it doesn’t track your geolocation, collect data, or use tracking cookies. However, it keeps your IP address for fraud detection purposes.

Gibiru is an anonymous search engine that offers uncensored search results. That means it doesn’t filter results based on any specific content policies.

It also doesn't install cookies on your browser, store your search information (like IP addresses or search history), or sell your information to third parties.

Besides being a search engine, Gibiru also offers a mobile app that allows you to surf the web completely anonymously. All sites are opened and viewable via the app, so the websites can’t track you.

Why do search engines need to track you? The simple answer is because that’s how they make money.

Search is free, so search engines have to make money via advertising. To serve better ads and help advertisers reach customers efficiently, search engines need data.

But what if it doesn’t have to be that way? Kagi thinks there’s a different way. Rather than the standard ads model, Kagi has decided to go for a subscription model.

But will people actually pay for search? Apparently. As of January 31, 2025, Kagi has 38,066 paying members.

Kagi allows you to block domains you don’t want to see or boost domains you want to see more often.