Google has dominated the search area for therefore lengthy {that a} U.S. District Courtroom decide not too long ago discovered that it has acted illegally to take care of a monopoly in on-line search. You’ve gotten in all probability 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 preferred engine doesn’t imply you must use it. In case 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 in search of elevated privateness, enhanced AI options or simply one thing totally different, there are some notable choices value trying out.
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 value exploring.
DuckDuckGo
If you’d like extra privateness while you search, DuckDuckGo stands out as 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 info, in contrast to Google, which collects your knowledge to personalize your search outcomes and the advertisements it reveals you.
DuckDuckGo has a easy structure that lets you seek for photographs, movies, information, maps and procuring outcomes. You too can filter your outcomes primarily based 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 affords a protected search function. You possibly can select to have it off or on a “strict” or “moderate” setting.
When you’re fascinated by AI, DuckDuckGo provides you nameless entry to some totally 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 efficient Google Search various for individuals who need to assist save the planet. The search engine contributes to planting timber and has planted greater than 213 million timber thus far in over 35 international locations. All 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 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’ll be able to choose into them. Ecosia will ask to your consent earlier than enabling personalised search outcomes and advertisements.
Courageous Search
Like DuckDuckGo, Courageous Search additionally makes use of privateness as one among 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 a substitute constructed by itself impartial 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 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,” “news from the left,” “news from the right” and extra.
Like another engines on this listing, Courageous affords a protected search function which you can have “off” or on a “strict” or “moderate” setting.
Startpage
If you’re used to Google search outcomes and don’t need 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 knowledge assortment, monitoring or focusing on.
The search engine’s “Anonymous View” function masks your id when you browse different web sites, much like a VPN. Startpage blocks trackers and likewise removes your IP tackle from all of its world premise servers.
Startpage additionally helps you to entry unprofiled information, which suggests it doesn’t present information primarily based 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’ll ship you to Google or Bing.
Perplexity
Perplexity is embroiled in a collection of controversies in the mean time. Nonetheless, it is among the most fashionable AI search engines like google in the marketplace, so it’s value 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 gives 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’ll be able to join a $20 month-to-month subscription for added options, reminiscent of entry to image-generation fashions and the choice to pick out your most popular AI mannequin.
SearchGPT
Though OpenAI’s SearchGPT isn’t extensively out there, it’s positively one to look ahead to 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 “fast and timely answers” to questions. It is possible for you to to sort in a question and obtain info and photographs from the online together with hyperlinks to related sources. You possibly can then ask follow-up questions or discover associated searches in a sidebar.
Responses from the service cite and hyperlink sources so the place the data 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 are able to’t say an excessive amount of about it now, however it’ll positively be one to take a look at as soon as it’s extensively out there.
