Google has dominated the search area for thus lengthy {that a} U.S. District Court choose lately discovered that it has acted illegally to keep up a monopoly in on-line search. You have most likely used Google Search for so long as you’ll be able to bear in mind; it’s what changed issues like telephone books and encyclopedias.
But simply because Google runs the most well-liked engine doesn’t imply it’s important to use it. If you may have by no means thought of a search engine past Google, you is likely to be stunned to see what else is on the market.
There are many Google Search alternate options available on the market which have gained traction. Whether you’re searching for elevated privateness, enhanced AI options or simply one thing completely different, there are some notable choices value trying out.
While Microsoft’s Bing and Yahoo are arguably essentially the most well-known, there are tons of Google Search alternate options which have additionally been round for some time. But for this checklist, we’re specializing in newer, lesser-known entrants into the search engine area. (Disclaimer: TechCrunch is owned by Yahoo.)
Now, let’s get into some Google Search alternate options value exploring.
DuckDuckGo
If you need extra privateness if you search, DuckDuckGo stands out as the proper search engine for you. DuckDuckGo doesn’t observe your search historical past, and its privateness coverage outlines that it doesn’t accumulate or share any of your private info, in contrast to Google, which collects your information to personalize your search outcomes and the advertisements it exhibits you.
DuckDuckGo has a easy format that means that you can seek for photographs, movies, information, maps and buying outcomes. You can even filter your outcomes based mostly on time, so you’ll be able to select to see outcomes from the previous day, week, month or yr. Plus, you’ll be able to base your outcomes on particular areas.
Like Google, DuckDuckGo gives a protected search function. You can select to have it off or on a “strict” or “average” setting.
If you’re fascinated with AI, DuckDuckGo provides you nameless entry to a couple completely different AI fashions, together with OpenAI’s GPT-4o mini, Anthropic’s Claude 3, Meta’s Llama 3.1 and Mixtral. DuckDuckGo reassures customers that their conversations gained’t be used to coach AI.
Ecosia
Ecosia is an effective Google Search various for individuals who need to assist save the planet. The search engine contributes to planting bushes and has planted greater than 213 million bushes so far in over 35 nations. All of the search engine’s earnings go towards its tree-planting and different environmental initiatives.
The search engine is straightforward to make use of, and its outcomes are powered by Google and Microsoft’s Bing, so you continue to get the identical kinds of outcomes but additionally assist the atmosphere whereas doing so.
Ecosia makes use of important cookies to offer search outcomes, however searches are encrypted. If you do need customized search outcomes, you’ll be able to decide into them. Ecosia will ask on your consent earlier than enabling customized search outcomes and advertisements.
Brave Search
Like DuckDuckGo, Brave Search additionally makes use of privateness as one in all its promoting factors. The service says it doesn’t share, promote or accumulate your private information. Brave Search doesn’t depend on different serps and is as a substitute constructed by itself unbiased search index.
Brave surfaces AI-powered solutions to most questions on the prime of your search outcomes. If you don’t need AI-powered solutions and solely need to see customary outcomes, you’ll be able to toggle the function off within the search engine’s settings.
The search engine additionally has a “Discussions” part that may show content material from boards like Reddit. Plus, you’ll be able to refine your search outcomes with the engine’s “Goggles” function, which helps you to filter your outcomes with choices like “no Pinterest,” “tech blogs,” “information from the left,” “information from the appropriate” and extra.
Like another engines on this checklist, Brave gives a protected search function that you could have “off” or on a “strict” or “average” setting.
Startpage
If you might be used to Google search outcomes and don’t need to strive one thing else however need added privateness, Startpage is likely to be a sensible choice. While Startpage is powered by Google, it guarantees that customers don’t have to fret about private information assortment, monitoring or focusing on.
The search engine’s “Anonymous View” function masks your id whilst you browse different web sites, just like a VPN. Startpage blocks trackers and likewise removes your IP tackle from all of its international premise servers.
Startpage additionally enables you to entry unprofiled information, which implies it doesn’t present information based mostly in your shopping habits. The search engine does present you promotional content material on its homepage and search outcomes web page, however you’ll be able to flip this off in Startpage’s settings.
The search engine operates fairly equally to Google, however if you wish to entry Maps, it is going to ship you to Google or Bing.
Perplexity
Perplexity is embroiled in a collection of controversies in the meanwhile. However, it is among the hottest AI serps available on the market, so it’s value mentioning.
Unlike the opposite serps on this checklist that merely provide AI options on prime of their search outcomes, Perplexity was created as an AI-powered search engine. Think of it like combining an AI chatbot with a search engine.
Perplexity makes use of a conversational strategy to go looking and provides you a concise reply to a query. If you don’t need a simple reply, Perplexity gives you with a listing of internet sites along with its concise reply if you wish to discover the net. Plus, there’s a “associated” part on the finish of your search that brings up associated queries that encourage additional exploration.
While the search engine is free to make use of, you’ll be able to join a $20 month-to-month subscription for extra options, resembling entry to image-generation fashions and the choice to pick your most popular AI mannequin.
SearchGPT
Although OpenAI’s SearchGPT isn’t extensively obtainable, it’s undoubtedly one to stay up for as soon as it formally launches. Given the success of OpenAI’s different merchandise, the discharge of SearchGPT is bound to trigger a ripple in Google’s Search dominance.
OpenAI has stated SearchGPT will give customers “quick and well timed solutions” to questions. You will be capable to kind in a question and obtain info and pictures from the net together with hyperlinks to related sources. You can then ask follow-up questions or discover associated searches in a sidebar.
Responses from the service cite and hyperlink sources so you recognize the place the knowledge is coming from. OpenAI has famous that since SearchGPT is about search and is separate from coaching OpenAI’s generative AI basis fashions, the service will floor outcomes from websites even when they’ve opted out of generative AI coaching.
SearchGPT continues to be a prototype, so we will’t say an excessive amount of about it now, however it is going to undoubtedly be one to take a look at as soon as it’s extensively obtainable.
