Google has dominated the search house for thus lengthy {that a} U.S. District Courtroom choose just lately discovered that it has acted illegally to keep up a monopoly in on-line search. You will have in all probability used Google Search for so long as you may 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 you must use it. When you have by no means thought-about a search engine past Google, you may be stunned to see what else is on the market.
There are a lot of Google Search options in the marketplace which have gained traction. Whether or not you’re on the lookout for elevated privateness, enhanced AI options or simply one thing completely different, there are some notable choices value testing.
Whereas Microsoft’s Bing and Yahoo are arguably probably the most well-known, there are tons of Google Search options which have additionally been round for some time. However for this checklist, we’re specializing in newer, lesser-known entrants into the search engine house. (Disclaimer: TechCrunch is owned by Yahoo.)
Now, let’s get into some Google Search options value exploring.
DuckDuckGo
In order for you extra privateness whenever you search, DuckDuckGo often is the proper search engine for you. DuckDuckGo doesn’t observe your search historical past, and its privateness coverage outlines that it doesn’t gather or share any of your private info, in contrast to Google, which collects your information to personalize your search outcomes and the advertisements it reveals you.
DuckDuckGo has a easy structure that means that you can seek for pictures, movies, information, maps and buying outcomes. You may as well filter your outcomes primarily based on time, so you may select to see outcomes from the previous day, week, month or yr. Plus, you may base your outcomes on particular areas.
Like Google, DuckDuckGo provides a protected search function. You’ll be able to select to have it off or on a “strict” or “moderate” setting.
When you’re eager about AI, DuckDuckGo offers you nameless entry to some 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 various for individuals who wish to assist save the planet. The search engine contributes to planting bushes and has planted greater than 213 million bushes thus far in over 35 international locations. The entire search engine’s income go towards its tree-planting and different environmental initiatives.
The search engine is easy 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 supply search outcomes, however searches are encrypted. When you do need personalised search outcomes, you may decide into them. Ecosia will ask on your consent earlier than enabling personalised search outcomes and advertisements.
Courageous Search
Like DuckDuckGo, Courageous Search additionally makes use of privateness as considered one of its promoting factors. The service says it doesn’t share, promote or gather your private information. Courageous Search doesn’t depend on different engines like google and is as a substitute constructed by itself unbiased search index.
Courageous surfaces AI-powered solutions to most questions on the high of your search outcomes. When you don’t need AI-powered solutions and solely wish to see customary outcomes, you may toggle the function off within the search engine’s settings.
The search engine additionally has a “Discussions” part that can show content material from boards like Reddit. Plus, you may refine your search outcomes with the engine’s “Goggles” function, which helps you to filter your outcomes with choices like “no Pinterest,” “tech blogs,” “news from the left,” “news from the right” and extra.
Like another engines on this checklist, Courageous provides a protected search function which you could have “off” or on a “strict” or “moderate” setting.
Startpage
If you’re used to Google search outcomes and don’t wish to strive one thing else however need added privateness, Startpage may be a good selection. Whereas 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 identification 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 helps you to entry unprofiled information, which suggests it doesn’t present information primarily based in your looking conduct. The search engine does present you promotional content material on its homepage and search outcomes web page, however you may flip this off in Startpage’s settings.
The search engine operates fairly equally to Google, however if you wish to entry Maps, it should ship you to Google or Bing.
Perplexity
Perplexity is embroiled in a collection of controversies for the time being. Nonetheless, it is without doubt one of the most common AI engines like google in the marketplace, so it’s value mentioning.
In contrast to the opposite engines like google on this checklist that merely supply AI options on high 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 provides you a concise reply to a query. When you don’t desire a simple reply, Perplexity supplies you with a listing of internet sites along with its concise reply if you wish to discover the online. Plus, there’s a “related” 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 may join a $20 month-to-month subscription for added options, resembling entry to image-generation fashions and the choice to pick your most well-liked AI mannequin.
SearchGPT
Though OpenAI’s SearchGPT isn’t broadly obtainable, it’s undoubtedly one to sit up for as soon as it formally launches. Given the success of OpenAI’s different merchandise, the discharge of SearchGPT is certain to trigger a ripple in Google’s Search dominance.
OpenAI has mentioned SearchGPT will give customers “fast and timely answers” to questions. It is possible for you to to sort in a question and obtain info and images 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 remains to be a prototype, so we will’t say an excessive amount of about it now, however it should undoubtedly be one to take a look at as soon as it’s broadly obtainable.
