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Alternative Search Engines You Can Use Instead of Google

Are you looking for alternative search engines & chatbots to use? Explore our comprehensive guide to discover new tools that can improve your search experience.

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Google has been the go-to search engine for over 20 years, but it’s not the only choice. Alternative search engines offer different features, from better privacy to unique search algorithms. Still, many people rely on Google for everything—quick searches, product lookups, and catching up on news.

Because it dominates the market, SEO and marketing experts have focused heavily on ranking well on Google.

But things changed when ChatGPT and Bing Chat entered the picture. Reports say Google’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, stepped back in to help shape Google’s chatbot plans.

By May 2023, Google launched Bard. A year later, on May 14, 2024, AI Overviews rolled out in the US. OpenAI wasn’t far behind, turning its SearchGPT prototype into a full search feature inside ChatGPT by late 2024.

Even with these changes, Google isn’t the only option. Many search engines bring their own advantages—better privacy, unique content, and different ranking methods.

Here are 24 solid alternatives worth checking out.

AI-Powered Search Engines

When search engines use AI chatbots built on large language models, mistakes happen. Sometimes, they even make things up.

If you’re looking for medical, financial, legal, or safety-related details, don’t take AI’s word for it. Always cross-check with trusted sources.

Editor’s note: Using AI to create content comes with legal risks. Ongoing cases could impact its use, so avoid publishing AI-generated text as if it were your own.

microsoft bing search engine
via bing.com

1. Bing.com

As of December 2023, Microsoft Bing handled 7.45% of all search queries in the United States.

Some say Bing does a better job than Google in a few areas.

For one, Bing Rewards lets you earn points just for searching. Those points can be used at Microsoft and Windows stores—a solid bonus.

From my experience, Bing’s visual search API is ahead of the competition. It’s easier to use and feels more natural.

That same clean layout extends to video searches. If you want results without YouTube taking over, Bing does the job.

On February 7, 2023, Bing rolled out an AI-powered update called Bing Chat—now known as Copilot. The idea? Better search, more complete answers, and a built-in chat tool that can even generate content.

Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, points out that 10 billion searches happen every day, but half of them don’t lead to answers. Bing is trying to fix that gap.

perplexity.ai search engine
via perplexity.ai

2. Perplexity.ai

Perplexity.ai launched in 2022 as a fresh take on search, pulling in 15 million users and handling 250 million queries by July 2024.

It works differently from Google. Instead of just linking to webpages, it acts like a chatbot—giving direct answers while showing the sources it pulls from. You can also ask follow-up questions, keeping the conversation going.

This back-and-forth makes searching feel more natural. Instead of clicking through links, you get straight-to-the-point answers and can refine them as you go.

Tobi Lütke, CEO of Shopify, shared his thoughts on how Perplexity.ai stands out.

One thing to watch out for—it runs on LLMs, which means answers aren’t always 100% accurate. It can make mistakes, sometimes pulling in wrong or misleading info.

you-com search engine
via you.com

3. You.com

You.com is an AI search engine that’s shaking things up. Founded by Richard Socher, a top NLP expert and former Salesforce chief scientist, it’s got a strong tech pedigree. By May 2024, the platform had already pulled in 11 million users.

The site works in two modes: personal and private.

In personal mode, you can set up your preferred sources. In private mode, it offers an entirely untraceable experience, with no data tracked.

They also offer a Chrome extension, AI-powered image generation, and YouWrite, an AI writing assistant.

Their open search platform invites developers to build apps and help make the internet more open and collaborative.

chatgpt.com search engine
via chatgpt.com

4. ChatGPT Search

Have you ever wished your search engine could do more than just provide a link list? Well, OpenAI has just launched ChatGPT Search, and it’s designed to do exactly that. By pulling in live web data, this feature serves up answers that are more relevant, up-to-date, and come with clear citations.

You might have heard of SearchGPT, the prototype that sparked this change. Now, it’s available for everyone with a Plus or Team account, or those on the SearchGPT waitlist.

Key features:

  • Follow-up Questions: You can ask more questions and get detailed responses.
  • Real-time Data: It pulls the latest web info to give you current answers.
  • Citations and Links: Each answer comes with links to the original content.
  • Publisher Control: Publishers now have tools to manage how their content shows up in ChatGPT Search.

At the moment, ChatGPT Search is available to a select group of users, but the plan is to roll it out to everyone eventually. This could shake up the search engine game as we know it. If you’re looking to stay ahead of the curve, now’s the time to watch closely.

A Revenue-Sharing Search Engine

yep search engine
via yep.com

5. Yep.com

Yep.com (by Ahrefs) stands out as a search engine that prioritises user privacy by not tracking or selling your data.

It tracks search term frequencies and link popularity based on clicks but doesn’t create a personal profile for targeted ads.

Designed with content creators in mind, Yep.com uses a 90/10 revenue share model, meaning 90% of the advertising revenue goes directly to the creators.

This ensures that creators are paid fairly for their work and that users can support their favourite creators directly.

Bonus: Best Examples Of Effective FAQ Pages

A Copyright-Free Search Engine

openverse.org search engine
via openverse.org

6. Openverse

Openverse should be your first stop when searching for copyright-free content.

Unlike Google, which gives a wide range of search results, Openverse stands out with its collection of open-source media, including images, audio, and videos, all searchable in one place.

It’s the ideal tool if you need music for a video, an image for a blog post, or anything else without the risk of copyright issues.

Mainstream Search Engines

Mainstream search engines are the Google alternatives that have managed to keep a small market share over the years.

yahoo search engine
via yahoo.com

7. Yahoo.com

Yahoo.com search market share in the US was 2.56% as of December 2023.

What sets Yahoo apart is its wide range of services, including email, news, finance, and, of course, search.

Yahoo’s been around for over 20 years, constantly adapting and growing.

On January 20, Yahoo posted a mysterious tweet about making search cool again, but they didn’t respond when I asked what that actually means.

ecosia.org search engine
via ecosia.org

8. Ecosia

Ecosia stands out because it uses the money made from ads to help the environment, mainly by planting trees.

This is a not-for-profit company that puts all its profits back into nature, working with local communities to plant and look after trees worldwide.

Ecosia also teams up with Microsoft Bing for its search index and ads. Plus, it has a browser extension for easy access to its search engine.

aol.com search engine
via aol.com

9. Aol

AOL Search was one of the very first search engines to hit the internet.

Right now, it has a small market share of just 0.09% in the US.

What makes AOL different?

Instead of relying solely on its own technology, AOL partners with Google and Bing for its search results.

While Google casts a wide net across the internet, AOL focuses more on curated content. It brings up results that are heavy on news, entertainment, and a mix of its own content alongside external websites.

AOL does track user data to serve more personalised ads.

But, compared to Google, AOL’s targeting is pretty basic. Rather than using detailed personal profiles, it goes after broad categories like demographics and general interests.

duckduckgo search engine
via duckduckgo.com

10. DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo held 2.13% of the search market in the United States as of December 2023.

It’s a search engine that focuses on privacy. Unlike Google, it doesn’t track, store, or use your personal data.

When you search on Google, your history, preferences, and clicks shape the results and ads you see. DuckDuckGo does none of that. It doesn’t build a profile on you, and it doesn’t follow you around with ads.

This means:

  • No personalised search results – everyone sees the same results for the same query.
  • No tracking – your searches stay private.
  • No targeted ads – what you look up doesn’t come back to haunt you later.

If you don’t like the idea of your online habits being monitored, DuckDuckGo keeps things simple. You search, get results, and move on—no strings attached.

For mobile users, there’s DuckDuckGo Lite—a lightweight version that works just as well without the extra baggage.

startpage.com search engine
via startpage.com

11. Startpage

Startpage is a search engine that pulls results from multiple sources instead of crawling the web itself.

It gathers results from Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and others, focusing on links that show up across all of them.

If you like Google’s search results but don’t want your search history tracked, this is a solid option.

It also comes with a URL generator, proxy service, and HTTPS support.

The URL generator is handy because it saves your settings without using cookies, keeping your searches more private.

swisscows.com search engine
via swisscows.com

12. Swisscows

Swisscows stands out as a family-friendly search engine.

It runs on Bing for web searches but has built its own index for the German language.

Privacy is a big deal here—no data collection, no tracking, no storage.

It also uses AI to understand what you’re asking.

The more you use it, the better it gets at finding what you need.

gibiru.com search engine
via gibiru.com

13. Gibiru

Gibiru promotes itself as a private search engine that doesn’t track users or sell their data.

It says its search results come from a modified version of Google’s algorithm, allowing people to look up information without being monitored.

Instead of using personal data for ads, Gibiru makes money when users click on links and make purchases. This keeps its focus on privacy while still generating revenue.

brave.com search engine
via brave.com

14. Brave

Brave Search is now fully independent. It no longer pulls results from Bing or any other search engine. Everything runs on its own index, focusing on privacy and transparency.

By January 2024, Brave Search had 24.57 million daily users. More people are switching to private search options, and this number proves it.

It’s more than just a search engine. Users get free video calls, offline playlists, and a customisable news feed.

For security, Brave packs in IPFS integration, Tor (Onion Routing), and a crypto wallet.

It also offers rewards for privacy-friendly ads. More than 65 million people use Brave’s browser every month, choosing speed and security over trackers and data collection.

Knowledge-Based Search Engines

wiki.com search engine
via wiki.com

15. Wiki.com

Wiki.com gathers results from thousands of wikis across the web.

It’s a great search engine for anyone who values information built by communities, similar to what you’d find on Wikipedia.

x.com search engine
via x.com

16. X (Formerly Twitter)

X is one of the best places for real-time searches.

If something major happens, you’ll find updates by the minute.

Google will catch up, but nothing moves faster than a tweet when things are unfolding.

Want to get the best results? Take a look at our guide to X/Twitter Advanced Search.

slideshare.net search engine
via slideshare.net

17. SlideShare

SlideShare lets you find slideshow presentations, ebooks, and PDFs.

It’s a handy tool if you’re working on a business presentation.

You can save slides or download the full slideshow to use on your computer.

archive.org search engine
via archive.org

18. Wayback Machine

The Internet Archive, also known as the Wayback Machine, is more than just a tool for checking old websites.

It’s a massive online library packed with videos, books, music, and software—all free to access.

Think of it as a time capsule of the internet, storing snapshots of web pages and a huge collection of digital content.

Specialized Search Engines

Specialized search engines focus on specific needs and deliver results based on what you’re looking for.

wolframalpha.com search engine
via wolframalpha.com

19. WolframAlpha

WolframAlpha is a powerful tool that helps you solve problems and find expert-level information across different topics, like algebra, language, and more.

It also has a Pro version for people who need high-level computation and detailed analysis of imported data.

Plans start at £5.49 a month.

linkedin.com search engine
via linkedin.com

20. LinkedIn

Have you thought of LinkedIn as more than just a place to network?

It’s becoming a powerful search engine for businesses, with 61 million searches every week.

Here’s the thing: LinkedIn’s search algorithm focuses on your company’s page name.

A unique and specific name works best.

For example, “Innovative Tech Solutions” will rank better than “Professional Technology Services” because it’s more distinct.

But hold up—don’t overload your profile with keywords.

It might trigger spam filters and hurt your visibility.

The algorithm also looks at:

  • The number of followers your page has
  • How connected your page is to searchers
  • The activity level on your page
  • The use of relevant search terms in your name

Get your name right, keep it real, and stay active on your page. That’s how you show up in search results.

International Search Engines

International search engines focus on specific regions, offering results that match local language and culture.

Here are a few well-known international search engines:

baidu.com search engine
via baidu.com

21. Baidu

Baidu is the biggest search engine in China, holding 66% of the market.

It works like Google, offering maps, music, videos, and an app store.

There’s also a mobile browser and a mobile app for users on the go.

yandex search engine
via yandex.com

22. Yandex

Yandex is the go-to search engine for over 69% of Russian internet users. It’s also popular in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Ukraine.

It’s simple to use and comes with a bunch of handy tools.

In January 2023, a data leak raised questions about what was exposed and how it might matter.

sogou.com search engine
via sogou.com

23. Sogou

Sogou is a Chinese search engine with a 5% market share in China.

It supports WeChat, article search, English search, and translation, making it a useful tool for users looking for more than just basic search results.

Sogou uses its own AI-based algorithms to provide results that aim to be accurate and easy to use.

naver.com search engine
via naver.com

24. Naver

Naver is one of South Korea’s top search engines, holding 34% of the market.

It’s more than just a search engine. People use it for blogs, news, music, and shopping.

There’s also a mobile app, making searches easy when you’re out and about.

If you’re searching for something in Korea, Naver is a solid choice.

The Takeaway

Google is the go-to search engine for most people, but that doesn’t mean it’s always the best fit for what you need.

Other search engines come with their own perks, like stronger privacy and different ways to find information.

It’s worth checking out a few options—you might find one that works better for you.

Written by
Ashish Kohli - Freelance Writer

Ashish Kohli is an SEO expert and freelance writer specializing in digital marketing. With a deep understanding of search engine strategies, he helps businesses improve online visibility and boost website traffic.

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