Google Alternatives: Top 4 Lesser-Known Search Engines

Google Search Engine is so commonly used today that you may not stop and think that there are downsides to using it. In recent years, howe...

Google Search Engine is so commonly used today that you may not stop and think that there are downsides to using it. In recent years, however, Google has fallen under more scrutiny regarding their privacy policies and the way they use the data gathered from its users.

Not only is privacy becoming a major concern, but Google can’t do everything better than everyone else, either. Sometimes, another search engine may be better suited to your needs in the first place, without even considering the privacy question.

Google Alternatives: Top 4 Lesser-Known Search Engines

Here are a few alternative search engines to Google and why you might use them.

1. DuckDuckGo

For those seeking a more privacy-focused experience, DuckDuckGo has a lot of industry experience (they’ve been around since 2008). Its motto promises to keep “Privacy, simplified,” and the way it does this is by eliminating a lot of the more heinous tracking systems that Google uses to gather your data through searches and email.

DuckDuckGo has ads but they’re created from information gathered from the whole site, not from your personalized search history. Those looking for a lot of the same features and similar interface as Google but without a lot of privacy issues might find DuckDuckGo to be the answer.

2. SearchTeam

SearchTeam is becoming popular in academic circles for its unique collaborative features that Google can’t match. It allows multiple people (in a group project, for instance) to search for sites together, organizing and commenting on the findings so that everyone can see it, uploading project documents, and sharing links.

SearchTeam is one example of a search engine that doesn’t do Google better than Google but instead does its own thing so well that for its particular benefits, it’s an easy choice.

3. Hot.com

Hot.com is what finding a Google alternative is all about. It represents a more private way to find information on an internet search. Hot not only gives you everything you need to find what you’re looking for, but it also promises that its searches are free of tracking and data collection.

Hot.com knows that sometimes, you want to keep a search for yourself.

4. WolframAlpha

This math and science number-cruncher has been popular at universities for a while now, but did you know that it’s useful as a Google alternative as well? When doing your taxes or calculating tricky fitness numbers, Google’s math algorithms aren’t nearly as advanced as WolframAlpha’s.

Anything that can be reduced to pure information (even something like a box office record) is easier to find on WolframAlpha. Certain kinds of researchers would be wise to use it as a go-to alternative to Google.

Google’s search engine seems like the easiest option to use on a daily basis and its apps like Google Maps and Gmail have great utility for most people. However, unless you comb through their privacy policy, you may not know how often they collect your data and track your location to give you that personalized experience that they’ve become famous for.

Even though that experience can be nice, it can also be unnerving. Data breaches happen every day and sometimes, you want to be able to search online knowing that your data won’t leave the room. That’s why everyone should consider finding an alternative to Google. You may find a safer, more customized internet experience.