When it comes to search engines, Google has long been considered the undisputed heavyweight champion, but don’t forget, it’s not the only one around.
Whether you’re concerned about privacy, looking for more niche results, or just want to break free from the algorithmic echo chamber, 2025 offers a growing list of Google alternatives worth exploring.
In this article, we’ll dive deeper into learning more about which alternative search engines you should follow up with.
1. Bing
For years, Bing existed in Google’s shadow, a very reliable solution, but it was rarely considered as a first choice by anybody. Going forward in 2025, things are starting to look a bit different. Thanks to Microsoft’s aggressive investments in AI and its seamless integration with the broader Microsoft ecosystem, Bing is now starting to emerge as a genuinely competitive alternative to Google.
One of Bing’s largest advancements is its deep integration with Microsoft Copilot. Instead of only delivering links, Bing offers contextual, conversational responses powered by GPT-4 and newer large language models.
Furthermore, Bing continues to dominate when it comes to image and shopping search. Let’s take a closer look at its key features:
- Web search
- AI-powered answers
- Visual search
- Rewards program
- Bing chat
- Microsoft Edge integration
2. DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo has long held the reputation of being the go-to search engine for privacy advocates, and in 2025, it continues to double down on that mission while adding new layers of usability, intelligence, and convenience.
If your main concern with Google is how much it knows about you, DuckDuckGo offers a refreshing, minimalist approach to search—one that doesn’t track your queries, profile your behavior, or surround you with personalized ads.
DuckDuckGo is built on a no-tracking philosophy. It doesn’t store your search history, IP address, or user data. There’s no filter bubble, but rather everyone sees the same results from the same query.
Key features include:
- Privacy-focused search
- Anonymous browsing
- Ad-free experience
- Instant answers
- Bang shortcuts
Also, they’ve introduced DuckAssist, an AI-powered feature that automatically pulls and summarizes information in response to straightforward questions, much like Google’s featured snippets or Bing’s Copilot, but without tracking.
3. Brave Search
Brave Search is quickly becoming a standout player in the search engine space, but not just as a private alternative to Google, but as one of the few truly independent search engines in existence in 2025.
It’s built by the team behind the privacy-focused Brave browser. Brave Search doesn’t really rely on big tech indexes like Bing or Google. Instead, it’s built its own search infrastructure from the ground up, delivering results without leaning on the very systems it aims to disrupt.
The advantage Brave Search has over the rest is that it’s completely anonymous. It doesn’t collect any IP addresses, log queries, or use cookies for tracking. There’s no profiling, no account required, and no creepy retargeting ads following you across the web.
Otherwise, the advantage you get is that it’s offered in two modes:
- Brave search premium: Fully ad-free for a small subscription fee.
- Ad-supported: With private and non-personalized ads.
Brave Search in 2025 is ideal for users who want true privacy, algorithmic independence, and control over how their web search works.
4. Startpage
Startpage acts as a privacy shield between you and Google. You still get Google’s powerful results, but Startpage scrubs all identifying information. Startpage offers a compelling solution in 2025. It acts as a privacy shield between you and Google, delivering the same powerful search results, minus the surveillance.
Startpage licenses results directly from Google, but anonymizes the entire process. When you enter a search, Startpage submits the query on your behalf, but Google never sees who you are, doesn’t log your IP, and can’t associate your activity with a profile.
One of Startpage’s standout features is Anonymous View, which lets you visit websites from your search results without the websites seeing your IP address, device info, or cookies. It opens the site in a proxy layer, allowing you to explore pages without being tracked or fingerprinted.
Key features include:
- Prominent search bar
- Autocomplete & suggestions
- Filters and categories
- Recent & trending searches
- Voice search
In 2025, Anonymous View is even faster and more compatible across various types of content, including ecommerce, video, and interactive pages, making it a practical alternative to VPNs for casual browsing protection.
Startpage is perfect for those who want Google-level results without Google-level surveillance. It’s best suited for users who don’t need all the AI bells and whistles, but instead want speed, relevance, and airtight privacy.
If you’re privacy-conscious but unwilling to compromise on the quality of your search, Startpage is a top-tier pick in 2025.
5. Ecosia
In a world where digital sustainability matters more than ever, Ecosia has carved out a unique niche as the eco-friendly alternative to Google. Launched with a mission to fight climate change, Ecosia reinvests its profits to plant trees in biodiversity hotspots around the world.
Every time you search with Ecosia, the revenue generated from non-invasive ads goes toward tree-planting projects. As of 2025, Ecosia has surpassed 200 million trees planted, helping restore ecosystems in places like Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia, and Burkina Faso.
It’s the only search engine on this list where your daily web searches directly contribute to climate action. Ecosia is built on Microsoft’s Bing infrastructure, which means search results are fast, reliable, and come with strong image and video search capabilities.
Compared to Google, Ecosia is much more private, and some key things to know about it regard:
- It doesn’t create personal profiles or sell data to advertisers.
- Anonymizes search data after 7 days.
- Offers encrypted searches and doesn’t use external tracking tools.
- Hosts its servers on 100% renewable energy.
Key features include:
- Eco-friendly search engine
- Privacy respecting
- Powered by Bing
- Tree counter transparency
- Minimal tracking
- Browser integration
While some anonymous data is temporarily collected for service improvement, no personal information is ever sold or shared.
6. Mojeek
Among all the search engines on this list, Mojeek might be the most radically independent. While other licenses result from big players like Google, Bing, or Yandex.
Key features include:
- Independent search index
- No tracking or profiling
- Privacy-centric
- Semantic search capabilities
- Focus mode
- News and image search
Mojeek has taken the long road, which includes building its own crawler-based index from scratch. In 2025, that index spans billions of web pages and is continuously growing, making it a rare example of a fully autonomous search engine in a world dominated by tech giants.
7. You
You.com stands out as one of the most ambitious Google alternatives in 2025, not by focusing on privacy or sustainability, but by rethinking what a search engine is. It’s not just a place to find links, it’s an AI-driven productivity hub that combines search, chat, code generation, and customizable tools all in one interface.
You.com merges traditional search with cutting-edge generative AI, offering a dynamic, modular results page. Rather than just a list of links, it shows multiple content “blocks” from different sources– Wikipedia, Reddit, Stack Overflow, etc.
One of You.com’s most unique features is that you can customize your search experience. You can prioritize certain sources, downvote others, or integrate third-party tools. Others include:
- AI-powered search engine
- YouChat
- AI modes
- Privacy-focused
- Integrated AI tools
Overall, You.com positions itself as privacy-conscious, but not completely private. It doesn’t sell private data, offers a private mode with anonymous search, limits behavioral tracking in private mode, and keeps ads minimal and non-intrusive.
8. Perplexity
Perplexity AI has emerged as a standout in 2025’s search landscape by combining the strengths of AI chatbots and traditional search engines. It delivers real-time, cited answers in a conversational format, making it an ideal tool for users seeking quick, reliable information without sifting through numerous links.
Unlike traditional search engines that present a list of links, Perplexity AI provides direct, concise answers to user queries, complete with citations from reputable sources. This approach allows users to verify information easily.
Perplexity AI has secured partnerships to integrate its assistant into mobile phones. Notably, it’s a set feature that will be added to Samsung Galaxy smartphones and Motorola smartphones. This innovation is a step towards more seamless, on-the-go access to AI-powered search capabilities.
Perplexity AI stands out as a powerful alternative to Google by delivering accurate, real-time information in a user-friendly, conversational format. Key features include:
- Conversational search engines
- Cited sources
- Pro search mode
- File upload capability
- Focus feature
It’s now time to take your freedom to the next level
In 2025, the search engine space is more diverse, dynamic, and purpose-driven than it has ever been. Whether you’re looking for privacy-first tools like Startpage, DuckDuckGo, or any other search engine, the monopoly Google once had is finally being challenged and this is a positive outlook.
Each search engine has its own advantages and the most important thing is to know more about your priorities. Do you want raw search power, total anonymity, AI assistance, or impact beyond the screen? The good news is that in 2025, you no longer have to compromise. The web is open, and now, so is your search engine.
Therefore, it’s time to go ahead and explore. Make your browser reflect your values, because search history is more than just a log, it’s a statement.