Top 10 best search engines alternatives
Updated: 15th September 2022
Reading time: 6 min
Are there some search engines alternatives to Google? The big G for more then 10 years, has consistently been the leader in the ranking of the most visited websites. Already in 2002, it overtook Yahoo and became the most popular Internet search engine in the world. Today, over 90% of people using search engines choose Google.
Google is one of the biggest digital companies. However, the fact that a given product is the most popular on the market does not always mean that it is the best and that it will work in every case. In this post, we will take a closer look at less popular search engines and suggest why you should pay attention to them.
Search engines alternatives to Google
The product of the Mountain View giant is so popular for a reason. The search engine responds very accurately to user inquiries, is intuitive to use and reliable.
In addition to the search function itself, you will also find many useful tools. These include, among others, Gmail, Google Maps, and irreplaceable in marketing Google Analytics. The largest search engine, however, has flaws.
Many users consider Google's controversial approach to privacy to be a big drawback. As a free tool, Google lives off advertising. To enable advertisers to reach a specific group of recipients, the search engine collects data on the activity of individual users. That is why it is sometimes considered a âspyâ who interferes too much with our privacy and makes data available to many partners.
There are also doubts about the objectivity of search results. Google is sometimes accused of manipulating them in such a way as to promote its services at the expense of competition.
Other issues concern the approach to copyright, environmental impact or the use of censorship in some parts of the world. In addition, many people believe that Google uses monopolistic practices, which always negatively affects customers.
Another reason to become interested in less popular search engines may also be searching for information from various cultures. As you'll see in a moment, Google is not a monopoly in all markets. In some cases, it is better to use local products.
Fortunately, you can find many solutions that compete with Google on the web. Here is a list of some of the most interesting Internet search engines in our opinion.
WebWave AI Writer
Generate your website copy with just one click.
WebWave AI Writer
Generate your website copy with just one click
1. DuckDuckGo
The developers of this tool advertise it as a search engine that respects user privacy. Therefore, it is supposed to be a good alternative to Google. However, if you carefully read the regulations, you will find out that the search engine stores information about searches, but does not link them with specific users. IP addresses or other data that could facilitate the identification of specific people using DuckDuckGo are not collected.
According to the developers of this search engine, data archiving is necessary to improve it and repair errors caused, for example, by typos.
2. StartPage.com
This search engine is another tool where user privacy comes first. Here, the developers went a step further than with DuckDuckGo. StartPage.com gives you the opportunity to use a Proxy server that increases anonymity.
There is a downside to this solution, because pages load a bit slower than other search engines.
StartPage uses Google's search results. Thanks to this, users who are used to working with the largest search engine can easily get used to this more niche tool.
3. Quant
Google collects and analyzes information about user behavior not only for advertising purposes. This practice allows for precise matching of search results to the intentions of users. The algorithms recognize that the sources of information you have used in the past are reliable for you, and you will be happy to return to previously visited pages or sites similar to them.
This solution seems convenient at first glance. In the long run, however, it creates an information bubble. Information from the same sources is usually similar. As a result, they narrow the point of view and make it difficult to objectively assess the facts.
The creators of the Quant search engine decided to use a different solution. Their tool does not track or save search data. Thanks to this, it does not filter information sources and the results may turn out to be more objective than in the case of Google.
4. Ecosia
Google has been criticized for contributing to global warming and environmental degradation. Powerful servers to function properly consume a huge amount of electricity. It has an impact on nature.
The creators of the Ecosia search engine drew attention to this problem. They try to reduce the environmental impact by allocating profits to tree planting. The energy necessary to power the servers in this case comes from renewable energy sources. According to the company's declaration, each search reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by 1 kg.
5. Bing
It's a somewhat forgotten search engine made by Microsoft. Although its glory days are rather past, it is still worth attention for at least two reasons.
First, it offers an affiliate program. Users receive points for each search, which they can exchange for discounts on Microsoft products.
Second, it is extremely useful in finding video materials. Google owns the YouTube platform, which is why videos from this site are most often at the top of the list of results. With Bing, the results are more mixed.
For 10 years, Google has consistently been the leader in the ranking of the most visited websites. Already in 2002, it overtook Yahoo and became the most popular Internet search engine in the world. Today, over 90% of people using search engines choose Google.
6. Swisscows
As the name suggests, it is a Swiss search engine. It has its own indexing system for German-language pages. For other languages, it uses the Bing engine.
Swisscows should primarily be of interest to parents. This search engine is distinguished by the fact that it blocks content not suitable for minors. You will not come across violence or pornography here.
7. CC Search
The Internet is a rich source of non-copyrighted material. CC Search is a search engine that makes it easy to find this type of content.
Here you can find graphics, films and music for free use on the website. CC Search filters content using popular sources such as Soundcloud or Flickr and selects those published under Creative Commons licenses.
8. Wiki.com
This tool will come in handy for people who are looking for user-generated content on wiki pages like the popular Wikipedia or fan pages for movies and series.
9. Yandex
It seems to be a little known brand. However, it is very popular in Russian-speaking countries. In Russia alone, it is responsible for about 50% of searches - more than Google (about 46% of the local market belongs to the American big brother).
Yandex is a really powerful tool that offers many services similar to Google. Here we will find an Analytics equivalent under the name AppMetrica.
Like the Mountain View giant, Yandex is sometimes accused of interfering too much with users' privacy. However, it can be an interesting solution for people who are looking for information in the Russian-language part of the Internet.
10. Baidu
It is the leader of the search engine market in China. There it is responsible for over 60% of inquiries. It gained popularity at a time when Google withdrew from the Chinese market for a while. In addition to the typical search options, Baidu users can use a Chinese-English dictionary, forum or community knowledge portal.
Conclusion on search engines alternatives
Google owes its good position on the market primarily to high quality. However, there are many interesting solutions on the market that are worth paying attention to. They let you look at searched information for broader perspective and give you the access to valuable content, which are not always visible for google users.
Author: Jan Chmielowski
Other articles.
WebWave website builder is your AI-powered solution for building an online presence. Create your website in 3 minutes, add an online store or a blog, and grow your business.
We created this website with WebWave.
Follow us on social media
Company.
Help.
Templates.