Are you looking for an alternative search engine to Google? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’ll be discussing the 20 top search engine alternatives to Google – which one works best for you? With Google dominating the search engine landscape, it’s easy to forget that there are plenty of other search engines out there.
We’ll be taking a look at the top contenders, such as Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and more. All of these search engines have their own unique features and benefits that make them worth considering. So if you’re looking for an alternative to Google, keep reading to find out which search engine could work best for you.
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What are Search Engines?
Search engines are websites that you can use to find information or content online. Most search engines have a “search bar” at the top of their page. You can type words into the search bar to find content that is related to those words.
For example, if you want to find information about dogs, you would type “dogs” into a search engine’s search bar. The search engine would then find web pages related to this topic and display them on its “results page.” Once you have found the information you are looking for, you can click on that link and be taken to the web page where that information can be found.
There are many different search engines available, such as Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo. All these search engines provide the same basic service: They find information online and display a list of web pages related to your search terms.
The major search engines, like Google, Bing, and Yahoo, each have their own strengths and weaknesses. The “best” search engine really depends on what you’re looking for and your own personal preferences.
Search Engines You Can Use Rather Than Google
When you hear about search engines, the first idea that comes to your mind is likely Google. Of course, you can’t blame anyone for that, given the strong statistics that justify its performance. With about 92.37% of the market share, it is hard to question the features of this giant search engine.
Google’s customized user experiences and easy-to-use interface come at a cost. This search engine monitors your activity across various services, maintaining a comprehensive history of the websites you visit, your search queries, and more. What’s more, it catalogs your browsing pattern and shares that data with other interested third parties, such as advertisers. This has become a major pain point for its users.
But did you know there are numerous search engine alternatives rather than Google? If you’re not willing to trade your privacy for convenience or have particular search requirements, you can opt for alternative search engines that offer exceptional search experience.
List of 20 great search engine alternatives to Google
1. Yandex
If you’re looking for a great search engine outside the US, Yandex should be one of the leading options on your list. Over 51% of internet users in Russia use Yandex. Other countries where Yandex has a high market share include Ukraine, Turkey, Kazakhstan, and Belarus.
Generally, Yandex offers a collection of several pretty cool technologies and tools. Moreover, it features an intuitive interface enabling users to navigate the search engine easily.
2. CC Search
Are you looking for copyright-free content? CC Search is among the best search engines for copyright-free content – music, video, blog post image, or literally anything else.
CC Search uses a simple concept – it collects results from various platforms, such as Flickr, Wikimedia, and Soundcloud, and shows them as Creative Commons material. So, you don’t need to worry about an artist breathing down your neck for plagiarizing their work.
3. Bing
Microsoft Sites managed 25% of the total search queries in the US as of January 2022. Therefore, one can easily argue that Bing outshines Google in specific aspects. For instance, starters enjoy a reward program where they can accumulate points as they search. You can redeem these points at Windows and Microsoft stores, giving you an extra reason to browse with this search engine.
Bing’s image search user interface is more intuitive and arguably one of the best compared to its rivals. This search engine carries the same unbiased user experience when searching for videos. As a result, it is a go-to search engine for searching videos without YouTube bias.
Do you value privacy over anything else? If yes, try the following:
4. StartPage
StartPage offers answers from the Google search engine. It is ideal for anyone who prefers Google’s search results but is not ready to have their search queries and history stored, tracked, and shared with third parties.
This search engine features HTTPS support, proxy services, and a URL generator. Features like the URL generator are crucial to removing the need to collect personal data and cookies. Instead, the search engine recalls your settings while promoting privacy.
5. Swisscows
Swisscows is a special search engine that prides itself in honoring user privacy, never monitoring, collecting, or storing data. It’s driven by the motto, “Your search, your business,” and brands itself as an anonymous, family-friendly search engine.
This search engine utilizes advanced technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to determine the context of your query. Also, it promises to respond to any questions with surprisingly great accuracy.
6. DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo does not store, share or collect any personal data. Therefore, your search queries and information are safe from the boogeyman. This search engine is ideal for anyone looking to maintain the privacy of their personal data and browsing history.
7. OneSearch
OneSearch is a privacy-focused search engine launched in 2020 by Verizon Media. This search engine promises:
- Encrypted search terms
- No storage of users’ search history
- No sharing of personal information with third parties, like advertisers.
- Unfiltered, unbiased search results
- No personal profiling, re-targeting, or cookie tracking.
8. Gibiru
Gibiru offers uncensored private searches. This search engine claims that all its search results originate from a redesigned Google algorithm. Therefore, users can browse any information without worrying about privacy because it’s shielded from Google’s tracking practices.
What’s more, Gibiru does not install any tracking cookies on your PC. Therefore, it purports that users enjoy a faster search experience than NSA search engines.
9. Search Encrypt
Do you want to take your browsing privacy to a whole new level? Search Encrypt offers a secure browsing experience and uses encryption to ensure all your browsing activity remains private. This search engine uses multiple encryption standards, including AES-256 and Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption.
Once you type your query, the search engine pulls the results from its various search partners and provides the requested data. The best thing about Search Encrypt is that all your search queries and terms eventually expire. Therefore, your data will stay private even when someone has local access to the PC.
Do you fancy crowd-sourced search engines? You should try…
10. Boardreader
If you’re looking for a message board or forum about a particular subject, Boardreader is an ideal option. Boardreader queries its search results from a vast collection of forums and message boards online. Therefore, you will find the forum of your wish in just a few clicks.
11. Wiki.com
This search engine pulls search results from the numerous wikis on the internet. It’s ideal for users who appreciate community-driven information or crowd-sourced search results like those found on websites such as Wikipedia.
Do you prefer search engines that focus on doing social good? Try…
12. Ekoru
Ekoru has taken the whole search engine business to another level in promoting sustainability. This search engine recognizes the climate change threat. As a result, it donates 60% of monthly earnings to one of the various partner charities, from those concentrating on climate action and reforestation to those dedicated to animal conservation and welfare.
Ekoru aims to choose a varying charitable cause each month. What’s more, it uses renewable energy sources to power up its data centers. Also, it honors civil rights and does not store users’ personal or search-related information on the servers. So, if you’re looking for a green search engine, Ekoru can be an ideal choice.
13. Ecosia
Are you looking to participate in saving the world, one tree at a time? If yes, Ecosia is one of the best eco-friendly search engines in the market. While it may come as a surprise, did you know Google search engine emits a significant amount of carbon dioxide?
To battle carbon emissions, Ecosia utilizes the earnings from the search engine to plant trees. Usually, it takes about 45 Ecosia searches to plant a tree. So, it’s a search engine that makes a difference by planting trees for a better future.
14. giveWater
giveWater describes itself as a social impact-driven search engine aiming to attain a positive impact on society. It empowers users to solve critical issues in the community, including inadequate sanitation and low water quality in underdeveloped countries.
giveWater’s CEO met the founder of Charity Water, an agency that focuses on making a difference by solving the water crisis issue. This meeting inspired the CEO to create an innovative search engine to provide clean water to vulnerable communities.
You can debate if the following are search engines. However, you cannot reject the fact that you’ll find loads of data at:
SlideShare enables you to search and find the results of numerous documented slideshow presentations. Also, you can find PDFs and e-books, making it a great tool for anyone looking to prepare a business presentation.
Moreover, you can save and download slideshows for offline use. Therefore, you don’t have to go online again to search and find the same slideshow repeatedly. Instead, you can access them from your local computer.
16. Twitter
While you may think of Twitter as a social media, there’s plenty of information you can find on this platform. It is hard to beat this real-time search engine, making it ideal for finding minute-by-minute updates when a major event occurs.
17. Neeva
Developed by ex-Google executives to provide an affiliate-free and ad-free search experience, Neeva is among the best search engines for private searching. It offers a browser extension supported by all primary browsers to block third-party tracking tools and ads on the sites you visit.
Neeva lets you subscribe for a free 4-month trial without inputting your payment details to test how the search results match those of the competitors. During this spell, you can determine whether it is worth your investment. After the trial period expires, you’ll only need to subscribe to a $4.95 monthly plan.
18. Internet Archive
Internet archive is a perfect Wayback machine for unearthing old websites and much more. As its name suggests, the search engine queries an enormous compilation of documented material, such as millions of free software, music, books, and videos. Generally, this search engine offers an extensive online library for anyone to access any type of information you can think of.
19. WolframAlpha
This search engine is based on the computational knowledge concept that enables you to search and generate solutions to problems through expert-level information on various subjects, including linguistics, health, and algebra. WolframAlpha also offers pro features for educators, students, and individuals who need professional-level analysis and computation of imported data. Monthly subscription plans start at $5.49.
20. Brave
Brave search engine boasts incredible loading speeds. Users estimate that Brave is about 3-6 times faster than Google Chrome. The current beta mode provides a user-focused, independent, and private alternative to the Google search engine. With Brave, you enjoy zero ads on all sites you visit, prevent third parties from monitoring your browsing activity, and block potential malware.
Which Search Engine Works Best For You?
As you can see, there are lots of different search engines you can use as an alternative to Google. The trick is to find one that suits your needs and is useful for your particular needs. All these search engines have their pros and cons. You’ll need to take a look at all of them and decide which search engine works best for you.
You may want to choose a search engine that has certain features that Google doesn’t offer, such as a “private” mode. You may also want to choose a search engine that is tailored towards a certain topic or subject. In the end, it all comes down to what works best for you.
Final Thoughts
While Google is the most famous search engine, it may not be the best on all occasions, especially if you have specific priorities and needs, such as privacy requirements. Most of the listed search engines, like Google, can offer similar or even better search experiences.
So, whether you want your privacy to be respected or literally want to turn to other search engines, there are always plenty of choices to go for. Try any of the listed search engines – Who knows – you may never go back to Google.
