Private Search Engines: 9 Alternatives to Google and Their Privacy Limits

Correction, November 5, 2026: This comparison contains nine services. Earlier descriptions incorrectly treated several providers as retaining no queries and described MetaGer as free. The policy summaries and access information have been corrected. A VPN also does not hide the connection’s assigned IP address from its internet provider.

For a straightforward alternative to Google, DuckDuckGo and Brave Search are useful places to start. Kagi offers a paid model, Mojeek an independent index, and SearXNG more control for people willing to manage an instance. The right choice depends on which data collection you want to reduce and which search features you need.

This guide compares nine services using their published privacy policies and documentation. It is not a security audit or a measured ranking of result quality. “Private search” does not necessarily mean no stored queries, no third-party processing or anonymous browsing after you click a result.

What changing from Google can change

Google’s privacy policy describes data collection for providing and improving services and personalized experiences. How activity is stored or associated with an account depends on the service and settings; Google Search can also be used signed out. It is inaccurate to say every query is necessarily attached to a signed-in account or that Google sells your search history as a product.

Changing search providers can reduce particular kinds of collection. It does not erase past activity, stop tracking on every website or change the permissions of apps on your phone. You can also review the activity and account information Google holds.

What to compare in a privacy policy

• Query retention: distinguish identifiable search history from anonymous queries, de-identified statistics and temporary debugging logs.
• Network information: check how IP addresses are processed, whether they are stored and whether partners receive them.
• Optional features: AI answers, maps, personalization and advertising may have different data flows from ordinary search.
• After the click: the destination site usually receives your visit directly unless you choose a working browsing proxy.
• Practical fit: try representative searches and check local results, accessibility and subscription limits before switching.

DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo is a convenient candidate if you want ordinary web search without an identifiable search-history profile. Its privacy policy says it saves anonymous search queries without unique identifiers to improve results. It also describes temporary processing of IP and device information for delivery and security. That is different from keeping an account-linked history, but it is not “no query storage.” Advertising and optional features have their own details, so check the section covering the feature you use.

Brave Search

Brave Search is worth considering if an independent web-search index matters to you. Its privacy policy says it stores de-identified queries with information such as country, language and platform, without linking them to a user, IP address or device. Optional Google Fallback Mixing and AI features have additional processing arrangements. Using the ordinary index is therefore different from a promise that no feature can involve another provider. Review those options before deciding whether the service fits your requirements.

Startpage

Startpage is an option for readers who want a search intermediary using results from larger providers. Its anti-abuse documentation describes access to both Google and Bing, rather than Google alone. It also explains processing one-way hashes to identify abusive traffic. Avoid treating intermediary search as a guarantee that every result will match a personalized Google page or that no data is processed. Check the current privacy policy and any browsing-proxy terms before using those features for sensitive work.

Kagi

Kagi offers a paid alternative to an advertising-funded search service. Payment does not mean that no operational data exists: its privacy policy describes billing-volume records and temporary, non-account-linked request logging for debugging, with retention periods depending on the log type. AI tools have additional provisions. Consider Kagi if you prefer paying for search, but assess the current plan limits and your own queries before concluding that a subscription is worth the cost. This comparison does not establish that its results outperform other engines.

Mojeek

Mojeek is another candidate for people interested in an independent search index. Its privacy policy says it does not track users and replaces an IP address with a country code in its logs. It also says logs, including items such as time, requested page and browser information, are retained indefinitely. The important distinction is the information retained and how it is linked, rather than a blanket “no logs” label. Try your recurring searches to judge whether the coverage suits your needs.

Qwant

Qwant’s current privacy policy describes different processing with and without consent, including account features and optional personalized advertising. It also describes Microsoft receiving search keywords and network or device information for results, security and advertising, depending on the context. Its default privacy positioning should not be translated into “no personal data processing.” A European location and GDPR obligations also do not, by themselves, guarantee that a search sends no data to partners. Review the consent choices offered in your region.

SearXNG

SearXNG is metasearch software, not one centrally operated search company. Its documentation explains that requests to external engines use the instance’s IP address and strip private data such as cookies. The selected engines still receive the query. A public instance requires trust in its administrator; self-hosting gives you more control over that administrator role but also makes you responsible for server security, logging and maintenance. It does not create zero third-party exposure or guarantee anonymity.

MetaGer

MetaGer is operated by the nonprofit SUMA-EV. Its privacy policy says search queries go to partners and results, including the search term, are kept for display for a few hours. It says IP addresses and user agents are not saved or shared in that search context. The service now uses an access key and tokens; read its key documentation and current purchase terms instead of assuming it is an unrestricted free search engine. Payment processing is separate from search-query handling.

Ecosia

If you are considering Ecosia for its environmental mission, assess its privacy arrangements separately. Its privacy policy says search partners Bing or Google can receive search terms and IP addresses for functions including result delivery and fraud prevention. Personalization and cookie choices also matter. Those disclosures do not support a promise that every search is anonymous or that no identifying network information reaches a partner. Read the choices shown for your region and distinguish Ecosia’s processing from its partners’ policies.

Check AI features separately

A search provider’s ordinary search policy may not describe every AI feature. Before sending a long prompt or uploading a document, check who processes it, whether a model provider receives it, retention periods and any training or deletion controls. Avoid putting confidential records or other people’s personal information into a tool merely because its search page uses a privacy label.

Your browser and network still matter

A different search engine does not change what a destination website can collect when you visit it. Review browser permissions, cookies and extensions separately. For alternatives, see browsers beyond Chrome. Signing into an account on a destination site can identify you even if the search that led there was not associated with an account.

A VPN changes the network path and can change the IP address visible to a destination. It does not hide your assigned IP address from the internet provider supplying your connection. A VPN also introduces trust in the VPN operator. Neither a VPN nor a private search engine guarantees anonymity.

Privacy comparison at a glance

Service	Main privacy limit to understand
DuckDuckGo	Anonymous queries are retained; no identifiable search-history profile.
Brave Search	De-identified queries are retained; optional features add data flows.
Startpage	Intermediary results; anti-abuse hash processing.
Kagi	Paid service; billing records and temporary debugging logs.
Mojeek	IP replaced with country code; operational logs retained indefinitely.
Qwant	Consent choices and partner processing vary by context.
SearXNG	Instance operator and selected external engines matter.
MetaGer	Key/token access; queries sent to partners and results cached.
Ecosia	Search partners can receive query and IP address.

How to change your default search engine

Open your browser’s search-engine settings and look for the default-provider option. Available choices and menu locations vary by browser, operating system and region. If the service is not listed, use that provider’s official setup instructions. Avoid installing an unrelated extension that asks for broader access than the search change needs. Then make a search from the address bar to confirm where it goes.

Which option should you choose?

Start by identifying the outcome you want: less account-linked history, fewer personalized ads, an independent index or control over a metasearch server. Try the services that fit that requirement with searches you actually make. Keep a second provider available if coverage falls short, and reassess the policy when enabling a new feature. Result quality is something to evaluate with your own needs, rather than assume from a provider’s privacy claims.

Frequently asked questions