Are you looking for a Google alternative, maybe for privacy reasons, safe search or something else? In this article, you’ll find search engines and we have categorized them into the following.
- Privacy focused
- Localized
- Safe Search
- charity
- AI search engines
- Other useful search engines
Privacy Focused Search Engine
Unlike traditional search engines that build detailed user profiles, these platforms refrain from tracking search history, personal information, or browsing habits.
By emphasizing data privacy, they offer users a more secure and controlled online experience, allowing individuals to search the web without compromising their personal information.
Brave
More than just a privacy focused search engine, Brave provides a browser that enhances the privacy of its users.
And just like Firefox or Google Chrome, you can download and install the browser to your device to enhance the privacy of your web activities. And even in the Brave search privacy notice, it says Brave search is designed to be private by default, so you don’t need to with complex settings to keep your data safe.
And they give promises of never to track or learn anything about you.
Brave prides itself on not relying on big tech to produce the search results. They deliver the results based on their build from scratch index so that the search results will not be biased. So Brave is an awesome search engine if privacy is your focus.
DuchDuckGo
Similar to Brave, DuckDuckGo does not track users or their search history. According to them, some data sources support the search results come from specialized sources and crowdsourced sites like Wikipedia,
Bing and many indexes, and they maintain their own web crawler as well called DuckDuckBot.
Because they aggregate data sources from various pre-anonymized sources, the search results can avoid being biased on anyone’s search engine’s algorithm or partnerships.
If privacy is what you are after, then DuckDuckGo is for you. And to add another layer of privacy, install the DuckDuckGo browser.
Startpage
Startpage is another privacy-focused search engine. But instead of a privatized search index like Brave or an aggregation of hundreds of data sources, Startpage offers search results from Google, but with privacy.
According to them, your personal data, search history, and IP address are not collected when searching for something on Startpage.
To achieve that, they explain the process of separating and deleting your data at every step of your search activity.
So if you’re comfortable with the search results from Google but are concerned with your privacy, then Startpage offers a unique solution for you, as it is also compliant with the privacy laws and regulations of the EU, including the GDPR.
Swisscows
Swisscows is hosted in Switzerland, a country with strong privacy laws.
They pride themselves on operating a search engine without data storage, which means they don’t collect any of your information in the first place and thus respect your privacy. Swisscows do not have their own search index, so they are working with Bing to support their search results.
It says it is a family friendly search engine. However, you need to know that it only removes explicit and adult content, but it does not censor violent content.
Overall, if you are looking for a privacy-focused search engine and you are comfortable with Bing’s search results, Swisscows could be a good option for you.
Ecosia
If you are looking to use search engines for a cause, there are a couple of them that allow you to do good while you search, but we find that the most reputable is Ecosia.
Ecosia is a search engine with a mission to plant trees through its ad revenue. So every search you make on Ecosia and every ad you see and click, the money generated from those ads will go towards saving the Earth.
Ecosia doesn’t compile its massive index of web pages to deliver the search results. They partnered with Bing and with your consent, google to provide you with the search results and ads.
So if you are not concerned with Bing and Google’s privacy issues, why not do your search on Ecosia and save Mother Earth?
On top of being just a traditional search engine, they provide an AI chat feature as well.
Just like chat GPT and Google Gemini, you can simply ask a question and they will provide you with a reply.
Most importantly, the reason why we share Ecosia instead of the rest of the charity search engines is that they do not operate behind closed doors.
They publish their financial reports monthly so that you have a good idea of where the money flows. And they also provide regular updates on tree planting projects.
Kiddle
Parents always worry about kids being exposed to things they shouldn’t see. So the next popular search engine is Kiddle.
Kiddle is a safe search engine powered by Google Search, specifically designed for children as it serves age appropriate search results.
It filters out explicit content, violence and anything unsuitable for younger audiences.
Kiddle claims not to collect any personally identifiable information and their logs are deleted every 24 hours. So you can rest easy and leave your kids alone to search freely.
Localized Search Engines
Localized search engines cater to specific regions or countries and provide results based on local language and culture.
Some popular localized search engines include:
Yandex
Yandex is a popular search engine in Russia. As Yandex evolves, it employs sophisticated machine learning algorithms to tailor search results to its users’ needs, much like Google’s RankBrain.
And whenever we talk about tailoring and customizing to users’ needs, it comes with collecting user data and search behavior.
Yandex operates under Russian data protection regulations, which differs from Google and other US-based companies, and users from different countries will be subjected to different applicable laws. So if privacy is your concern, then you may want to read Yandex’s privacy policy before you use the search engine.
If you are traveling to Russia, it will be helpful if you use Yandex Maps to search for the best restaurant.
It will provide much better results than other search engines if you want to browse products sold in Russia, you can check out Yandex Market. It also has Yandex Music, Yandex Taxi to help you book a cab in Russia, and Yandex image search.
Plus, as an SEO, if you want to rank any sites on Yandex, it provides you with its very own webmaster tools, similar to the Google Search Console.
So Yandex, although it is a popular search engine among Russians, anyone in the world can utilize its features if they want to.
Naver
Naver is a dominant search engine in Korea and a visit to Navel and you will get a ton of information to start your day.
You get the weather forecast, the latest news, most trending products, stock market information and a ton more.
You can say that it is an SEO heaven because it integrates with various user generated content platforms like blogs and cafes directly into the search.
Naver has a shopping smart blog powered by AI that is composed of product recommendations based on what you have bought, most sought after products during each season, and the most popular products at that time.
So if you are a business person operating in Korea, then Naver is a necessity for your business to be found.
Baidu
Next on the list is Baidu. It is the largest search engine in China and dominates search within the vast Chinese market.
It offers a similar search experience to Google’s, with a clean interface and focuses on relevant results.
And much like any other search engine, it adheres to its local internet regulations.
Baidu is not just a search engine. As you can see, it offers a ton of other services as well, including Baidu Maps which works similar to Google Maps.
So if you understand the Chinese language, or are going to China Baidu may be a good alternative search engine for you.
Coc Coc
Coc Coc is a major search engine in Vietnam. It caters to the specific needs of Vietnamese Internet users by offering a Vietnamese language interface, prioritizing Vietnamese search results and integrating local features.
These are the features the search engine offers. It provides different search functions for
- Education
- Travel
- Entertainment
- Weather
- Finance
- Calendar
The search engine will prioritize search results in the Vietnamese language. So if you are doing business in Vietnam and you want to be found by the locals and tourists, have a website in the Vietnamese language.
It also offers a safe search feature.
And for all the SEOs, there is a search console for you to submit your web pages.
So the next time you are visiting Vietnam, you may want to consider using Coc Coc to search for what you need.
AI-Powered Search Engines
AI search engines are like having a super smart friend. Instead of just finding websites with your keywords, they understand what you’re looking for.
They can figure out the meaning behind your question and give you the best answers, even if you don’t use the right words.
It’s like having a personal assistant who helps you find exactly what you need.
Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI leverages the power of large language models to generate a response.
Perplexity is free to use and it can be a powerful tool for research.
However, do keep a lookout for the GPT model they are using because older AI models are trained with fewer data points, hence their response may not be that accurate.
So always fact check before trusting the response. But for common questions, questions that people always ask, this would do a good job.
You.com
Another AI search engine on the list is You.com. Just like Perplexity AI, you can ask any questions and it will provide you with immediate answers without you visiting any web pages.
So, this is another cool AI search engine you can try. Maybe you will find it helpful.
Iask.ai
Of all the AI search engines mentioned, Iask.ai resembles the modern Bing and Google the most, as it encompasses AI produced results together with the traditional list of index websites.
It even provides the sources of information. You will see a list of the most relevant index web pages.
So if you are looking for immediate answers from the search engines without using Google or Bing, then iask.ai may be a good alternative.
Specialized Search Engines
Specialized search engines cater to particular needs, providing results based on specific criteria.
Wayback Machine
Wayback Machine may be an unconventional search engine. But you can use it if you want to see the previous version look of a website.
You can search for any domain and it will probably have a snapshot of how the website looked in the past.
Some SEOs will do a check on a domain to figure out if a domain has a shady past before they commit their efforts to the domain. Some will use the Wayback Machine for research purposes or whatever.
Wayback Machine is simply a search engine for archives of web pages that ever existed.
But do note that it will only take snapshots, so don’t expect the functions of the old web pages to work properly.
Searchcode
Searchcode may be a programmer’s heaven because it allows you to search over 75 billion lines of code from over 40 million projects.
So whatever projects you are currently working on, there will probably be lines of code or references that will fit your project.
Wolfram Alpha
Wolfram Alpha is not a typical search engine, but it excels in providing factual answers, computation and analysis of data.
It doesn’t crawl and index the web like search engines, but it relies on a vast knowledge base and algorithms.
If you need to calculate future value, just search for it and it will provide you with a tool to do just that.
They will also provide you with the equation and example together with graphical representations.
So the next time you have a mathematical or scientific issue, Wolfram Alpha is a great search engine to solve your problems.
Copyright-Free Search Engine
Openverse
If you are a content creator looking for images or audio to be used on your project without any legal issues, you’ve got to check out Openverse.
Simply search and you will find many images and audio you can use.
What’s helpful is you can filter the content by their licenses or by its allowable use cases.
They have a safe browsing setting as well.
Conclusion
Each search engine offers unique strengths and caters to specific needs, whether it’s privacy, accuracy, or satisfying the search intent.
Comment down below and let us know what your favourite search engine or what search engine that we have missed.
