How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Brave Search is the closest free drop-in replacement, with its own index and no account required.
- Startpage gives you Google-quality results without Google tracking, while Mojeek offers the most independent index of all.
- Kagi is the only paid pick here, and it suits heavy searchers who want ad-free, tunable results.
- Most alternatives still rely on Bing or Google underneath, so check where results come from before assuming independence.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Brave Search | Best free all-rounder | Free | Yes |
 Startpage | Google results without tracking | Free | Yes |
 Mojeek | Fully independent index | Free | Yes |
 Ecosia | Searches that fund climate work | Free | Yes |
 Qwant | European privacy-first search | Free | Yes |
 Kagi | Ad-free, tunable paid search | $5 per month | Free trial |
 Perplexity | AI answers with citations | Free | Yes |
 Swisscows | Family-safe private search | Free | Yes |
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The best DuckDuckGo alternatives
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Brave Search is the easiest switch from DuckDuckGo. It runs its own index, built from its own crawler, and stopped relying on Bing in 2023, which makes it one of the few free engines that is genuinely independent. It does not profile users, and its Goggles feature lets you apply custom ranking rules or choose presets that filter results differently.
The honest catch is the free tier's ads and the index gap on rare queries, where Brave sometimes falls back to other sources. An ad-free Premium plan costs $3 per month inside the Brave browser. For everyday private searching with no account and no setup, Brave Search is the strongest free alternative here.
What we like- Own independent index
- No profiling or account needed
- Optional Goggles ranking controls
Watch out for- Free tier shows ads
- Smaller index than Google or Bing for obscure queries
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Startpage solves a specific problem: you like Google's results but not Google's tracking. It proxies Google results through a privacy layer, strips identifying information, and offers Anonymous View, which lets you open result pages through a proxy so the destination site does not see you either. Based in the Netherlands, it operates under EU privacy law.
The honest catch is independence. Startpage does not crawl the web itself, so its results carry Google's ranking decisions, including whatever biases those contain. If your concern is tracking rather than ranking independence, that trade-off is fine. For Google-quality results with the tracking removed, Startpage remains the best option.
What we like- Google-quality results with no tracking
- Anonymous View for private page visits
- Based in the Netherlands
Watch out for- Not an independent index
- Inherits Google's ranking biases
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Mojeek makes the strongest independence claim in this comparison. It is the only major alternative running a fully independent index from its own crawler, with no reliance on Google or Bing infrastructure and no personalization based on search history. It shows no ads and no tracking, presenting classic link results without AI summaries.
The honest catch is coverage. A smaller index means results can be thinner on obscure or highly specific queries, since there is no larger index behind it to fall back on. Independent tests still found Mojeek answering most everyday searches correctly. For users who want zero Big Tech involvement in their search, Mojeek is the principled pick.
What we like- Own crawler and index with 9B+ pages
- No tracking and no personalization
- No ads
Watch out for- Thinner results on obscure queries
- No AI answer features by design
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Ecosia turns everyday searching into climate funding. It dedicates all of its profits to climate action, mostly tree-planting projects, and publishes monthly financial reports showing income and spending. With more than 20 million users and hundreds of millions of trees planted, it has the most visible social impact of any engine here.
The honest catch is that Ecosia is not a privacy-first engine in the same sense as Brave or Mojeek. Its results come from partners such as Bing and Google, and its free version shows ads that fund the tree planting. For users who want decent private search with a tangible side benefit, Ecosia is an easy, feel-good switch.
What we like- 100% of profits fund climate action
- Monthly financial transparency reports
- Simple switch from any engine
Watch out for- Results come from partners, not its own index
- Free version shows ads
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Qwant is France's privacy-first search engine, hosted in Europe and built around a simple promise: it does not sell personal data and does not retain search data. It blends its own European index work with partner results, and its interface covers web, news, images, and maps without requiring an account.
The honest catch is scale. Qwant's independent coverage is smaller than Brave's or Mojeek's, and its AI features lag behind Perplexity and Brave. For European users who prefer their search data under EU jurisdiction, or anyone who wants a straightforward private engine with a local feel, Qwant is a solid choice.
What we like- European hosting and privacy law
- Does not retain search data
- Clean interface with news and maps
Watch out for- Smaller independent index blended with partner results
- Fewer AI features than rivals
Starting price$5 per month
Free planFree trial
Kagi takes the opposite business model from every other engine here: you pay, so advertisers do not. Plans start at $5 per month, and in return you get ad-free results drawn from multiple indexes, tools to boost, lower, or block specific sites, and lenses that focus searches on categories like programming or academic sources. Searches are not stored after results are returned.
The honest catch is the paywall and the account requirement, which free-engine users may dislike on principle. Heavy searchers consistently say the $10 tier pays for itself in time saved, but casual searchers will struggle to justify it over Brave or Startpage. If ads and sponsored clutter are what drove you from mainstream search, Kagi is the cleanest answer.
What we like- No ads or sponsored results
- Rank sites up, down, or block them
- Lenses for focused searching
Watch out for- Paid after a trial
- Account required, unlike free rivals
#7Perplexity
Best for: AI answers with citations4.4/5 on
G2 (361 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit perplexity.ai
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Perplexity suits a different kind of searching: asking a question and getting a synthesized answer with citations, rather than a page of links to sort through yourself. It retrieves live web results and cites sources, which makes it useful for research, comparisons, and current events. A free tier covers casual use, with paid plans adding more advanced models and features.
The honest catch is fit. Perplexity is not a drop-in DuckDuckGo replacement for link-style searching, and its privacy story is weaker than engines built specifically for privacy. Use it alongside a private engine: Perplexity for research questions, and Brave or Mojeek for everyday searching you do not want profiled.
What we like- Cited answers for research questions
- Live web retrieval
- Free tier for casual use
Watch out for- An answer engine, not a classic link list
- Privacy weaker than dedicated private engines
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Swisscows is a Swiss search engine built around two ideas: privacy and family safety. It filters violent and pornographic content from results entirely, making it suitable for households and schools, and it operates under Swiss data protection law. A Pro subscription offers fully anonymous, ad-free searching with no data storage or sharing.
The honest catch is the free version's advertising, delivered through a partner, which involves some usage data processing. Users who want full anonymity need the Pro plan. For families, schools, or anyone who wants a safe default search for shared devices, Swisscows fills a niche no other engine here addresses.
What we like- Family-friendly results with no explicit content
- Swiss hosting and data protection
- Pro option for full anonymity
Watch out for- Free version includes advertising through a partner
- Smaller index than mainstream engines
How we chose
We compared search engines that offer a real alternative to DuckDuckGo, drawing on vendor pages, documentation, and recent independent comparisons of privacy and results quality. We included independent-index engines, privacy proxies, a paid option, an AI answer engine, and a family-safe option, so different reasons for leaving DuckDuckGo are covered. Prices reflect published plan rates where available, and we noted where results come from, since that determines how independent an engine truly is.
What to check before you switch
Start with why you are leaving DuckDuckGo. If you want a more independent index, Brave Search or Mojeek fits. If you want Google-quality results without tracking, Startpage fits. If ads are the problem, Kagi solves it by charging you instead. Matching the engine to the reason avoids a switch that changes nothing important.
Test with your own searches before committing. Run ten of your typical queries, including an obscure one, a local one, and a shopping search, on two or three engines and compare the top results. Independent tests show most engines handle common queries well, but gaps appear on rare topics and local results. Also check your browser's default search setting after switching, since some engines need an extension or a manual setting to become the default.
Privacy is a stack, not a single tool
A private search engine stops the engine from profiling you, but your internet provider and the sites you visit can still see traffic. Pair your chosen engine with a privacy-focused browser, and consider a VPN if you want IP-level protection as well. No search engine alone makes you anonymous, and any engine that claims otherwise deserves skepticism.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best DuckDuckGo alternative?
Brave Search is the best free all-rounder, with its own index and no account required. Startpage suits users who want Google results without tracking, Mojeek suits users who want full independence, and Kagi suits heavy searchers willing to pay for ad-free results.
Is Brave Search really private?
Brave Search does not profile users and runs its own index, which independent privacy guides have recognized. Its free tier shows ads, and an ad-free Premium plan costs $3 per month in the Brave browser. It remains one of the strongest free privacy options available.
Why would I pay for Kagi when free engines exist?
Kagi removes ads and sponsored results entirely and lets you control rankings by boosting, lowering, or blocking sites. Free engines fund themselves through ads or partnerships, which shapes what you see. If you search heavily and value clean, tunable results, the $5 monthly starting price can be worth it.
Do these search engines work as my browser default?
Most do, either through built-in browser options or an extension. Brave Search is the default in the Brave browser, DuckDuckGo alternatives like Startpage and Mojeek can be added manually in Chrome and Firefox settings, and Kagi offers extensions for major browsers that handle authentication.
Are private search engines really unbiased?
No engine is fully unbiased, since ranking always involves choices. Mojeek and Brave Search offer the strongest independence claims because they crawl the web themselves, while Startpage inherits Google's ranking. Transparency features, such as Brave's Goggles, let you inspect and adjust ranking rules rather than trusting a claim.
Can I use a private search engine and still get AI answers?
Yes. Brave Search offers optional AI answers, Ecosia includes an AI chat feature, and Perplexity is built around AI answers with citations. Mojeek deliberately offers no AI features, and most engines let you ignore or disable AI boxes if you prefer classic link results.
Sources we checked (10)
- https://search.brave.com
- https://www.startpage.com
- https://www.mojeek.com
- https://www.ecosia.org
- https://www.qwant.com
- https://kagi.com
- https://www.perplexity.ai
- https://swisscows.com
- https://www.outrank.so/blog/alternative-search-engines-to-google
- https://www.patharoundtheworld.com/best-private-search-engines/
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.