Google has become synonymous with looking something up on the internet. However, the truth is that different browsers and different search services prioritize results differently. There is also a matter of personal preference, as well as avoiding mainstream services (for whatever reason). Here are a few alternatives to Google.
DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo is a search engine that prides itself on not prying deeply into its user’s preferences and privacy. It also has a wide spectrum of instant answers and it can perform searches based on other websites inner search engines. The only downside is that the search results don’t normally come with a timestamp, so unless you specify the time, you may find some very old info on the topic you are searching for.
Swisscows
If you are worried about ads that target your location or risky content, then Swisscows is the right search engine for you. It respects your privacy, has a child-protective lock on the content so children are very unlikely to see anything inappropriate, and the ads you will see are based entirely on your previous searches.
Yahoo!
You would think that Yahoo! is outdated, but it still ranks pretty high up when it comes to search engines, news, and mail services. It is integrated with Yahoo! Answers, so you can even get some information on a topic from its community and not only its own results.
WolframAlpha
Like I’ve said at the beginning, some people prefer specific search engines. WolframAlpha is perfect for mathematicians, statisticians, data scientists, economists, and any other profession or hobby where you need very specific data. You will not be hounded by ads and the search results are based on data and not on opinions. It’s a great site for looking up some information or writing a paper.
Search Encrypt
You will notice that I have listed many search engines that are very serious about your privacy. There is a reason for this and one of the biggest shortcomings of giants like Google and Facebook. That is why search engines that don’t care about your location or previous searches have such a large audience.
Search Encrypt doesn’t exactly find things for you directly – it uses a network of its numerous partners to give you the results. However, what separates it from other search engines is the fact that it uses local encryption to make sure you can’t be tracked and it erases your search history after 15 minutes of inactivity.
Lukol
If Lukol has a flaw, it is that it can’t filter the search results, so you have to be very specific. Other than that, it piggybacks on Google to deliver results but makes sure you remain anonymous and steers you clear from misleading sites.
SearchTeam
While it works like any other search engine for individual results, where it truly shines is the collaboration of the community. You sign in using one of your social media accounts, enter search terms, and work side-by-side with your friends and coworkers searching for the same thing. You can also invite others to join our group, but prevent them from editing your search results. It’s excellent for group projects.