‘Google It’ is a common phrase that we use or we have heard someone in the vicinity use almost every day. Google has become synonymous with the internet, in general, since there is practically nothing that cannot be found on Google. It has all the answers starting from the answer for 2+2 to finding people on the web.
Established in 1998, in California, USA, the company derives its name from ‘googol’ which stands for number 1 followed by 80 zeroes, and as of 2022, it is one of the most visited sites on the internet, Out of the estimated 4.4 billion internet uses, 4.1 billion use Google in some form or the other. It holds over 90.5% of the global search engine market share.
Even with this popularity, Google is witnessing a small but significant decline in the number of people who prefer the most famous search engine. Some of the reasons for people not choosing the technology anymore is because the search results on Google are extremely filtered and manipulated. Companies and industries have found ways in which they can change what appears on the Google search engine by using a few tricks. Increasing advertisements on the app along with the presence of less relevant or helpful data when searching, say a good restaurant to eat nearby, are some of the other reasons why Google is no longer in the list of top favorites, at least for a considerable bunch of people.
If you are amongst the group of people who have become annoyed with using the ‘too good for its own good’ search engine and wish to explore the world of the internet with more freedom and transparency, we have compiled a list of the top 8 Google alternatives on the internet that will provide you with all the information possible.
Let’s begin our hunt for the next most liked Google alternative.
1- DuckDuckGo:
This brand has topped our list of the best alternatives to Google because it offers one key trait that is needed in a world where every movement is being tracked. The company’s highlighting point is that it offers the highest level of privacy to its users as the activities on the app cannot be tracked, unlike Google.
DuckDuckGo makes use of tracker blockers and the site is heavily encrypted. The user interface is extremely easy and offers minimal ads which can be off-putting in case you are in a hurry and need to search for something urgently.
It is also available in app form and can be used with Firefox or Chrome.
2- Bing:
No, not Chandler Bing from Friends, but Microsoft’s Bing. It is currently the second largest and most preferred search engine following Google.
We would highly recommend Bing in case you are someone who is looking for a visually pleasing experience. In case you are looking for videos, check out Bing since it offers a large number of thumbnails with a preview option.
Bing has more things to offer like translation, and currency conversion but what helps it gain some brownie points is that it offers a Reward Scheme as well when you shop from Bing
3- WolframAlpha:
This one is not for you if you are going to be asking questions like ‘can people lick their elbows’ since the WolframAlpha is a search engine for expert-level answers and is mainly categorized into Science & Technology, Mathematics, Everyday Life, and Society & Culture. With these main topics, there are sub-topics where you can find more answers.
WolframAlpha uses knowledge bases, advanced algorithms, and Artificial Intelligence to deliver search results.
4- Yahoo!
Most of you may know that Yahoo is older than Google but for some reason, it has not been able to make a mark like its competitor. Some people may find it outdated but do not underestimate its performance quality.
Yahoo is the default search engine for Firefox and the best part is the technology is more than just a search engine. The web portal offers online shopping, emails, news, games, and so much more which makes it one of the most versatile technologies available on the internet.
5- StartPage
Another website that offers extreme levels of online privacy to its users. StartPage does not store or track any of the topics searched which means fewer target ads on your webpage. The company has claimed that it is the most private search engine available on the internet.
You will find other features like night mode, a clean interface, and various themes making the website super-functional.
6- Baidu
The most used search engine in China taking over 70.1% of the Chinese search engine market share. Some may call it a copy of Google but the website is in Mandarin and it is strikingly similar to Google in terms of appearance.
Even though it has made it to our list for information purposes, it is also important to note that Baidu is censored and more restricted than any other search engine. One may not find information or images of history that the government does not want its population to have access to.
7- Ecosia
The company is futuristic in many ways. As the name may have suggested, the use of Ecosia is directly related to the environment as revenue generated from every search made using Ecosia is directed toward planting a tree.
45 is the average number of searches required to plant a tree.
8- SearX
It is a metasearch engineer and offers unbiased results. The company aims to provide its users a free internet.
You can customize the technology and host it on your server, thanks to its open source available for review. SearX offers a wide variety of settings and preferences that cannot be located on any other search engine.
Conclusion
With this, we complete our list of the top 8 Google alternatives on the internet. If the company intends to hold its power in the search engine market, it will have to listen to its users and make it as free-flowing as it was when the company first launched its technology. With growing innovation, there may come a time when Google may lose a large number of its audience.
