There are tons of Google alternatives to choose from. But these are some of the best search engine alternatives currently available.
There’s no denying that Google is the most popular search engine. Google processes more than 5 trillion searches each year. But does its popularity mean it’s the only option?
Far from it! In recent years, privacy concerns have risen over Google’s willingness to track your searches and location. Because of this, exploring Google alternatives could be a smart move.
In this post, we’ll go over some of our favorite search engine alternatives that let you get the information you need without relying on the world’s most popular (and, dare I say, controversial) search platform.
- Brave
- DuckDuckGo
- Bing
- Yahoo!
- Qwant
- Gibiru
- Ecosia
- Seekr
- Swisscows
- Startpage
- Perplexity AI
- AOL Search
- Mojeek
- Why Use Search Engine Alternatives?
- Good Content Works on Every Search Engine
1. Brave
Best for: Privacy
Brave’s search engine is designed with privacy in mind. The platform blocks ads on many sites and prevents trackers from monitoring your activity. This alone makes the browser a top search engine alternative, but that’s not the only way it stands out.
Brave lets you filter out your searches more effectively than most other search engines. You can choose to view AI-powered results or eliminate them from your search entirely by toggling the “Answer with AI” button. You can also ask the search engine to remove celebrity or influencer-related content.
Key features:
- Digital fingerprint blockers to keep your activity private
- Optional AI-powered search answers
- Accompanying browser to further enhance privacy
2. DuckDuckGo
Best for: Anonymous searches
DuckDuckGo is a search engine that prioritizes privacy by not collecting your personal information whenever you use its search engine or proprietary browser. The company won’t sell your browsing habits, buying habits, or other information to advertisers. But its similarity to Google is what makes it stand out — and makes the transition easy.
DuckDuckGo also offers tools similar to Google, like maps, weather widgets, and news feeds. It even lets you explore SERP features like image packs and videos.
A word of warning: Some users have noticed trackers blocked with third-party extensions. If you’re going to rely on DuckDuckGo to fully anonymize your data, you may want to install a third-party extension like uBlock Origin on your browser.
Key features:
- Search tools and options similar to Google
- No stored search history or personal information
- Automatic website tracker blocking
3. Bing
Best for: AI-assisted search
Bing is owned and powered by Microsoft, and while it might still be one of the biggest tech companies in the world, Bing is far from the most trafficked search engine. And, honestly, it’s a shame. Bing offers a fantastic user experience, displaying featured snippets and AI-powered answers quickly and prominently.
The integration of Copilot, Microsoft’s AI tool, reduces load times and provides high-quality search results for just about any query.
Key features:
- Detailed AI-powered searches and webpage overviews
- Wide variety of search tools to help narrow down results
- One-click access to Copilot’s AI interface
4. Yahoo!
Best for: Personalized search experience
Yahoo’s search engine has been around for decades. While it dropped in popularity as Google surged, it’s making a comeback and is on the path to becoming one of the best search engine alternatives online. The search engine tries to make the experience more personalized by tailoring news, weather reports, and other featured information to your preferences.
The search engine does track your behavior, but if you’re looking for a more personalized experience than Google or other top search engine alternatives offer, Yahoo is a great choice.
Key features:
- Easy-to-use interface with familiar search options
- Personalized recommendations based on your preferences
- Integrated access to Yahoo’s news and financial outlets
5. Qwant
Best for: Worldwide search results
Qwant is a search engine operated out of the European Union and is ideal for users who want a more geographically diverse search experience. Like most major search engines, Qwant’s integrated AI tool generates short and to-the-point answers to simple queries, but it lacks some finesse that Bing, Google, and Brave provide.
Qwant is still working out the kinks, but it promises to become one of the top search engines in time.
Key features:
- Reliable AI-powered answers to queries
- Geographically diverse search results
- No data tracking or search history monitoring
6. Gibiru
Best for: Google-like results without the tracking info
I know: Sometimes, you just want to see Google’s search results, but their tracking habits can put your privacy at risk. That’s where Gibiru can help. This search engine shows results similar to those you’ll find on Google without those pesky privacy-violating tracking cookies.
The search engine lets you conduct searches anonymously and never installs cookies to monitor your browsing history. That said, Gibiru’s search results don’t exactly line up with Google. However, there’s a hefty amount of overlap, so you’ll have a general idea of what’s ranking and what’s not.
But if you’re looking for an easy-on-the-eyes interface, Gibiru leaves plenty to be desired. There’s no AI integration, and the images and news searches don’t always show results–even when they should.
Key features:
- No data tracking and full 256-bit HTTPS encryption
- Simple interface with organized search results
- No AI features for those looking for a pure search experience
7. Ecosia
Best for: Environmentally conscious users
In Google’s 2024 environmental report, they admitted that their 2023 emissions increased by 13%, largely due to the release of their AI tools. With daily searches and AI use on the rise, that number is likely to go up.
However, Ecosia aims to reduce the impact of those emissions by planting trees. To date, Ecosia has planted nearly 229 million trees, and they let users monitor Ecosia’s environmental impact and energy use.
The search results themselves look almost identical to what you’d find on Google, and the image, video, and news feeds leave nothing to be desired. They even have integrated AI tools to remain competitive. Hypocritical? Maybe. But at least they’re transparent about their environmental commitment and impact.
Key features:
- Transparency about energy use and environmental impact
- Active tree-planting initiatives to offset emissions
- Familiar interface with high-quality results
8. Seekr
Best for: News searches
There have been questions over the quality of Google’s search results. In 2019, it was thought that Google manipulated its autocomplete feature to display content it viewed favorable or preferable.
Seekr avoids this entirely by analyzing its results and providing insight into which side of the political spectrum the results lean toward. Seekr’s search is ideal for news-related queries. However, it’s not the best fit for those looking for general information.
Key features:
- AI-powered news analysis
- Easy-to-use interface with clear results
- Clear bias ratings to help you choose the right sources
9. Swisscows
Best for: Family-friendly search results
Swisscows is a Swiss-based search engine that prioritizes privacy and family-friendly search results. The browser offers a clean interface and lets you search for videos, images, shopping deals, and more. But there’s a catch: it won’t display pages that contain adult content or content that the search engine deems inappropriate for younger users.
This is great if you’re looking for a search engine that’s safe for work or want one your kids can use without stumbling across questionable content. But if you’re looking for a search engine that gives you a clear picture of what’s ranking, you may be better off working with one of the other alternatives to Google search.
Key features:
- Strong privacy protection
- Ability to load read-only pages that don’t track activity
- Family-friendly search results, making it safe for use in office environments
10. Startpage
Best for: Google-integrated experience
Startpage is widely considered to be the closest match to Google in terms of search experience. But unlike the most popular search engine in the world, it doesn’t track your behavior and won’t invade your privacy. You’ll find familiar search options, including images and maps.
The company says it never stores personal data or search history and regularly removes all IP addresses associated with your browser from its servers. Sounds great, right? It is, but when you search for information in the Maps tab, you’ll typically be redirected to Google.
Since Google will track your behavior, this creates a vulnerability that we can’t ignore. But if you’re comfortable with tracking on maps and other integrated redirects, Startpage could be a great choice.
Key features:
- Private browsing
- Anonymous View option for browsing the web via proxy server for enhanced security
- Does not store personal information or IP addresses
11. Perplexity AI
Best for: AI-powered searches
Perplexity AI is one of the most interesting search engines we’ve found. It leverages AI to compile sources and information into a user-friendly outline that makes interpreting that information easy. Even better, it actually cites its sources. That’s right — no AI hallucinations here!
The interface itself functions similarly to other AI platforms. You can run searches using natural language and receive results that rival what you’d find on Google. But it’s far from perfect. Ranking on AI search engines like Perplexity is a bit trickier than Google, so the results you’ll find may be different depending on the complexity of the query you submit.
The free version may not provide the most in-depth answers, though you do get three free “pro” searches a day, which can give you better search results. The pro version gives you up to 300 pro-level searches per day but costs $20 a month.
Key features:
- Easy-to-interpret information from each search query
- Works with natural language
- Updates information in real time as new data becomes available
12. AOL Search
Best for: Trending news searches
Believe it or not, AOL is still around. And their search engine isn’t half bad if you like curated content or want ranked results similar to what Google generates. The search engine offers a user-friendly interface and makes it easy to filter content to fit your needs.
The main search page also displays trending news and images if you want to see what’s popular on a given day. However, using AOL Search can put your privacy at risk. Activity tracking is turned on from the outset, and while you can turn it off by disabling permissions in your account’s privacy settings, you must create an account.
Key features:
- Customizable filters to give you control over your search
- Optional tracking when signed into your account
- Ranked search results similar to Google
13. Mojeek
Best for: Independent search results
Mojeek is nearly 20 years old and has prioritized privacy since day one. The search engine never tracks your behavior, browsing history, or location, and the company promises it never will.
Mojeek stands out from the rest because of its independent search results and algorithm. The results you see through Mojeek can differ dramatically from any other browser. Why? Because it compiles its own information rather than pulls it from larger search engines.
Key features:
- Independent search results driven by a proprietary algorithm
- True privacy when browsing pages
- Fast load times despite relying on smaller systems
Why Use Search Engine Alternatives?
Google may have the reputation of being the gold standard for search engines these days, but using one of the search engine alternatives can have its benefits.
Here’s why you should consider incorporating one of the best search engine alternatives into your internet search routine:
- Protect your privacy: Google tracks anything it can. Your location, your browsing history, your search behaviors, and more. You may be able to keep your searches private by using a different search engine.
- See different results: Since many search engines use different algorithms, you’ll get a better feel for the types of content out there. This can help you better understand what your audience is really looking for during keyword research.
- Get a better user experience: Google may be convenient, but the interface can seem cluttered for some users. By trying a different search engine, you may get a better experience and find browsing the internet more enjoyable.
Look. Google has its place. There’s no denying that the search engine behemoth is a useful tool. But by trying one of the alternatives, you can better understand what users are searching for. This can strengthen your content strategy and could help you rank better in the long run.
Good Content Works on Every Search Engine
Using Google alternatives can give you a better, deeper understanding of what your target audience is looking for. But the simple truth is that creating high-quality blogs and web content optimized in a way that works for the reader will help you stand out regardless of the search engine.
Learn about our content marketing services and contact our experienced strategists to help you get your site in front of more eyes.
