Search in Stealth: Unveiling the Top 11 Private Search Engines of 2024
Search in Stealth: Unveiling the Top 11 Private Search Engines of 2024
Every time you type a query in a search engine, it collects information about you. This has made many users concerned about the personal data captured by search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, Baidu, etc.
Therefore, to protect privacy, increase security, and, in some cases, maintain anonymity, internet users are switching to private search engines when browsing the internet If you have any of the above-mentioned concerns and want to learn about private search engines, this blog is for you.
This blog will be your comprehensive guide to the top 11 private search engines in 2024. You will learn about what a private search engine is, its benefits, and the various features offered by different search engines available.
A private search engine is a program that allows you to browse the internet without storing your personal information of any kind. Private search engines are also known as secure search engines or anonymous search engines.
A private search engine maintains your privacy as a user. However, each search engine offers a different privacy level based on how it generates revenue.
The majority of search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing, amass extensive information about users. This includes
This data enables search engine companies to analyze your user behavior, deliver personalized advertisements, and track individuals. Remarkably, under EU GDPR laws, metadata and IP addresses are recognized as personally identifiable information.
To comply with GDPR, all search engine companies must provide users with the option to either withhold the disclosure of this digital data or be transparent regarding its collection.
Uncovering the specifics of the data collected about an individual and potentially removing it requires a thorough investigation. In many instances, there is no absolute assurance that the data will be completely erased. Nevertheless, you can take proactive steps within their control, such as deleting your search history.
A free or anonymous private search engine does not collect any of your data. However, it does need money to stay operational, and because of this, such private search engines are ad-supported. It means that a free private search engine may track your data.
Furthermore, when you click any of the ads shown, it allows the private search engines to generate revenue to survive.
A paid private search engine generates revenue through the sale of its subscription plans.
Consequently, a paid private search engine gathers data solely for enhancing your search experience without engaging in data selling practices. Compared to free alternatives, private search engines prioritize user privacy to a significantly greater extent.
Despite this, you have the flexibility to experiment with various free search engines for trial purposes. If a particular free search engine aligns with your preferences, making the switch to a paid alternative is strongly advised.
If you are in search of the best private search engines, take a look at our carefully selected top 11 private search engines in 2024.
DuckDuckGo is one of the most popular and widely used private search engines. It prioritizes user privacy through its commitment to not track searches or store personal information. Catering to millions of users, it offers a variety of features that enable web browsing by aggregating results from both other search engines and its own web crawler, effectively functioning as a metasearch engine.
One distinctive aspect of DuckDuckGo is its renowned “!bang” commands. This command allows you to search other sites directly through the DuckDuckGo search box.
For instance, if you wish to explore national parks in Texas using Google, you can input “!bang Google national parks Texas,” obtaining Google’s results without enduring data collection.
For revenue generation, DuckDuckGo specifies on its website that it generates income through private ads. This means users may encounter sponsored links at the top of search results, akin to mainstream search engines, while still maintaining a commitment to user privacy.
Best for:
Anonymous and private search experience without search engines or advertisers tracking you.
Benefits
Features
Price: Free
Qwant is a privacy-focused search engine created and hosted in France, delivering an impartial and secure search experience. With its independent web indexing, Qwant ensures unbiased information retrieval without data collection.
SearchEncrypt is an additional private search engine prioritizing data protection through local encryption. By obtaining results from its network of search partners, it ensures user privacy. Notably, SearchEncrypt automatically erases your search terms post-browsing, enhancing overall privacy.
Its default privacy features surpass those of DuckDuckGo. Additionally, you can benefit from the SearchEncrypt Google Chrome extension, offering a user-friendly experience for searching news, maps, and privacy-conscious videos.
Best for:
Benefits:
Features
Price: Free
Yippy is a meticulously organized private search engine that efficiently categorizes search results for your convenience. The platform provides the flexibility to flag or filter categories according to your preferences.
With a user-friendly interface and a no-ad policy, Yippy ensures a seamless experience. Furthermore, users can explore a diverse range of content, including jobs, news, images, blogs, and more, making it a versatile search tool.
Best for
Job searches, news, latest information, blogs, and more.
Benefits
Features
Price: Free
Searx is an open-source private search engine that compiles search outcomes from diverse sources. It allows you to either operate it on your own server or actively participate in code contributions via GitHub.
Searches conducted on Searx do not get logged in its records or appear in your URL history, ensuring a heightened level of privacy. Notably, Searx operates as a non-profit initiative, guaranteeing an ad-free experience without sponsored links.
Best for
Privacy-conscious users who want a customized search experience.
Features
Price: Free
Best for:
Privacy-conscious users who want a customized search experience.
Benefits:
Features:
Swisscows has established itself as an independent private search engine tailored for the German market. It integrates Bing for web searches, functioning as a partial metasearch engine. The platform employs semantic data recognition to produce search outcomes.
It also enhances accuracy by interpreting the intent and context of search terms rather than relying solely on literal matches. Swisscows is not limited to search; it has developed TeleGuard, a WhatsApp alternative, and GetDigest, an AI-based program.
Best for
Precise search results while safeguarding your privacy and data security at all times.
Benefits
Features:
Price: Free
MetaGer is an open-source meta-search engine hailing from Germany. It compiles search results from multiple search engines with servers operating on 100% renewable energy. Committed to user privacy, MetaGer refrains from collecting, storing, or sharing your personal data.
Mojeek is a standalone UK-based private search engine. It pioneered the adoption of a no-tracking policy, setting a precedent in the search engine domain. Mojeek offers beyond standard web and image search capabilities and provides unfiltered world news, free from user profile curation. The platform sustains itself through contextual advertising for revenue generation.
Ecosia is an unconventional private search engine with a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability. It exclusively utilizes Bing for searches, essentially acting as an intermediary between users and Bing.
This search engine generates its revenue through the Microsoft Advertising Network. Therefore, you will see paid ads from Bing in your search results. As a non-profit entity, Ecosia directs its ad revenue toward tree-planting initiatives. Furthermore, the company has established solar plants, contributing to its carbon-negative status.
Best for
Privacy-focused searches on an eco-friendly private search
Benefits
Features
Price: Free
Gibiru is a private search engine dedicated to delivering uncensored and unfiltered search results. It provides you access to information beyond Big Tech’s censorship constraints to ensure privacy. Gibiru offers a search experience devoid of cookies, logging, and targeted advertising.
For added privacy, you can utilize the Gibiru Wormhole app available on Android or iOS. This allows you to search without a trace of search history or visited sites. The platform generates revenue through commissions earned on paid ads and affiliate links.
Best for
Privacy-focused searches on an eco-friendly private search
Benefits
Features
Price: Free
WolframAlpha, more accurately described as an answer engine rather than a search engine, sources information from academic databases to provide fact-based responses to queries. It operates without tracking user searches and prioritizes the delivery of precise information.
The interface of this private search engine is structured with entry points categorized broadly. These include mathematics, science, and technology. Further subdivisions of categories include physics,
chemistry, and engineering. WolframAlpha sustains itself through a subscription-based revenue model.
Best for
Computational and factual search results queries with ultimate privacy.
Benefits
Features
Price: Free, Upgrade to Pro or Pro Premium
Achieving absolute online privacy is nearly impossible. However, various private search engines provide varying degrees of privacy for users. It is crucial to assess the specific privacy features that matter to you and select a private search engine that aligns with the level of anonymity you find suitable.
All private search engines mentioned earlier are solid choices, and the majority of them cater to a wide range of user preferences. To determine the best fit for you, consider the features that matter most. Typically, the desire for increased online safety and privacy involves a higher level of effort. Therefore, it’s essential to balance the level of privacy you seek with the effort you’re willing to invest.
Yes, they should. However, you must read the privacy policy before proceeding with a private search engine is essential. Having said that, will they use your data more than Google already does? Highly unlikely.
Our recommendation is to streamline your choices to two or three options that align with your requirements. Subsequently, carefully review the privacy policy for these brands to assess the safety of your data and whether they engage in selling customer data to third parties. Additionally, it’s crucial to understand how the search engine generates revenue.
Other factors worth considering include the accuracy of search results, user-friendliness, the use of cookies, flexibility in settings, and the level of trust you have in the organization.
Despite overwhelming dominance of the Google’s search engine algorithm, you need not succumb to its extensive influence. The private search engines highlighted in this blog are suitable alternative search engines that offer a browsing experience free from intrusive targeted ads and data collection for sale. Armed with this knowledge, you can now make an informed choice about which search engine aligns best with your preferences.
