Google has dominated the search area for thus lengthy {that a} U.S. District Court docket choose not too long ago discovered that it has acted illegally to keep up a monopoly in on-line search. You might have most likely used Google Search for so long as you’ll be able to keep in mind; it’s what changed issues like cellphone books and encyclopedias.
However simply because Google runs the most well-liked engine doesn’t imply it’s a must to use it. In case you have by no means thought-about a search engine past Google, you could be shocked to see what else is on the market.
There are various Google Search options in the marketplace which have gained traction. Whether or not you’re searching for elevated privateness, enhanced AI options or simply one thing completely different, there are some notable choices price testing.
Whereas Microsoft’s Bing and Yahoo are arguably essentially the most well-known, there are tons of Google Search options which have additionally been round for some time. However for this listing, 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 options price exploring.
DuckDuckGo
If you need extra privateness while you search, DuckDuckGo could be the proper search engine for you. DuckDuckGo doesn’t monitor your search historical past, and its privateness coverage outlines that it doesn’t acquire or share any of your private data, not like Google, which collects your knowledge to personalize your search outcomes and the adverts it exhibits you.
DuckDuckGo has a easy structure that lets you seek for photographs, movies, information, maps and procuring 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 presents a protected search characteristic. You’ll be able to select to have it off or on a “strict” or “average” setting.
When you’re taken 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 received’t be used to coach AI.
Ecosia
Ecosia is an effective Google Search different for individuals who wish to assist save the planet. The search engine contributes to planting timber and has planted greater than 213 million timber to this point in over 35 nations. The entire search engine’s earnings go towards its tree-planting and different environmental tasks.
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 types of outcomes but in addition assist the atmosphere whereas doing so.
Ecosia makes use of important cookies to offer search outcomes, however searches are encrypted. When you do need customized search outcomes, you’ll be able to choose into them. Ecosia will ask in your consent earlier than enabling customized search outcomes and adverts.
Courageous Search
Like DuckDuckGo, Courageous Search additionally makes use of privateness as one in every of its promoting factors. The service says it doesn’t share, promote or acquire your private knowledge. Courageous Search doesn’t depend on different search engines like google and is as an alternative constructed by itself unbiased search index.
Courageous surfaces AI-powered solutions to most questions on the prime of your search outcomes. When you don’t need AI-powered solutions and solely wish to see customary outcomes, you’ll be able to toggle the characteristic 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” characteristic, which helps you to filter your outcomes with choices like “no Pinterest,” “tech blogs,” “information from the left,” “information from the precise” and extra.
Like another engines on this listing, Courageous presents a protected search characteristic which you can have “off” or on a “strict” or “average” setting.
Startpage
If you’re used to Google search outcomes and don’t wish to strive one thing else however need added privateness, Startpage could be a sensible choice. Whereas Startpage is powered by Google, it guarantees that customers don’t have to fret about private knowledge assortment, monitoring or focusing on.
The search engine’s “Nameless View” characteristic masks your id whilst you browse different web sites, much like a VPN. Startpage blocks trackers and in addition removes your IP deal with from all of its world premise servers.
Startpage additionally allows you to entry unprofiled information, which suggests it doesn’t present information based mostly in your searching conduct. 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 intervening time. Nonetheless, it is without doubt one of the most fashionable AI search engines like google in the marketplace, so it’s price mentioning.
In contrast to the opposite search engines like google on this listing that merely provide AI options on prime of their search outcomes, Perplexity was created as an AI-powered search engine. Consider it like combining an AI chatbot with a search engine.
Perplexity makes use of a conversational method to look and offers you a concise reply to a query. When you don’t need a simple reply, Perplexity supplies you with an inventory of internet sites along with its concise reply if you wish to discover the online. Plus, there’s a “associated” part on the finish of your search that brings up associated queries that encourage additional exploration.
Whereas the search engine is free to make use of, you’ll be able to join a $20 month-to-month subscription for added options, resembling entry to image-generation fashions and the choice to pick out your most popular AI mannequin.
SearchGPT
Though OpenAI’s SearchGPT isn’t broadly accessible, it’s positively 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 mentioned SearchGPT will give customers “quick and well timed solutions” to questions. It is possible for you to to sort in a question and obtain data and pictures from the online together with hyperlinks to related sources. You’ll be able to then ask follow-up questions or discover associated searches in a sidebar.
Responses from the service cite and hyperlink sources so you already know 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 positively be one to take a look at as soon as it’s broadly accessible.