Startpage is the best startpage alternative for most readers who want Google-like results without a Google account, because it sends an anonymised query to Google and Bing without a personal profile, and DuckDuckGo is the closest free second choice. Seven of the eight engines in this guide start at $0 for search, and only Kagi starts with a subscription plan, at $5 per month for its Starter plan with 300 searches. Startpage no longer returns Google results only. Since March 2023 it has also used Bing results and Bing advertising on some results pages, so a guide that calls it Google only is out of date.
Startpage works as a privacy layer in front of other search providers. It strips identifying details from a query, sends the anonymised query to Google and Bing, and returns the results without building a personal profile. The alternatives below differ in where results come from, how the service is funded, and what you give up in result depth, account needs, or cost.
On this page
Startpage alternatives: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Startpage | Google-like results without a profile | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 2 | DuckDuckGo | Everyday private search and browser tools | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 3 | Brave Search | Independent index with an ad-free option | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 4 | Kagi | Ad-free search with result controls | $5 per month | Free trial (100 searches) | Visit |
| 5 | Ecosia | Climate action funded by search ads | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 6 | Qwant | European search with no account | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 7 | Mojeek | Independent index with no tracking | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 8 | Swisscows | Family-friendly search from Switzerland | $0 | Yes | Visit |
The 8 best startpage alternatives, in detail
Startpage
Best for: Google-like results without a profile
Startpage is the named product in this guide, and it is still a real option for readers who want familiar results with less tracking. Its own guide, opened on 2026-11-12, says it does not record IP addresses or search queries, serve tracking cookies, build personal profiles, or save or sell search history. Ads are contextual, based on the current search term, not on a personal profile.
- Anonymous View is the feature that sets Startpage apart.
- It opens a result through a Startpage proxy, so the destination site sees the Startpage request instead of your direct request.
- Choose Startpage if Google-like coverage matters more than an independent index.
- Do not choose it if you want to cut Google and Bing out entirely, because its results still come from those providers.
Pros
- Anonymous View proxy for opening results
- no recorded searches, IP addresses, or personal profiles
- results from Google and Bing
Cons
- No index of its own, so results depend on Google and Bing
- some sites may load slowly or not work normally through Anonymous View
DuckDuckGo
Best for: Everyday private search and browser tools
DuckDuckGo is the most familiar free switch for most readers, and its search and browser are free. Its own pages say it does not track searches, does not save or share search history, and does not store an IP address alongside searches, chats, or website visits. The browser adds tracker blocking, cookie pop-up handling, HTTPS upgrades, link-tracking protection, and email protection.
- The limit to note is the result source.
- DuckDuckGo blends Bing results with its own crawler and other sources, so it does not offer a large independent index.
- Its optional subscription adds a VPN, advanced AI models in Duck.ai, a Personal Information Removal service, and an Identity Theft Restoration service
- Choose DuckDuckGo if you want a free browser and search in one place.
Pros
- Free search and free browser for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android
- tracker blocking and cookie pop-up handling
- optional private AI chat
Cons
- Web results draw largely on Bing and other sources, not on an index of its own
- optional subscription features add cost for VPN and identity tools
Brave Search
Best for: Independent index with an ad-free option
Brave Search is one of the few engines here with an index of its own at large scale, alongside Google and Bing. The standard tier is free and can be used in any browser at search.brave.com, and it is also the default search engine in the Brave browser. Free search includes the full index, AI answers, Goggles for custom result rules, bangs, and Discussions results.
- Search Premium costs $3 per month or $29.99 per year, and it removes the ads from results pages.
- There is no trial for Search Premium, so test the free tier first and only move to the subscription plan if the ads bother you enough to pay for their
- A separate Brave Search API exists for developers, but that API price does not apply to ordinary web search.
Pros
- Runs on its own independent index
- free standard tier in any browser
- Goggles, bangs, and AI answers in the free tier
Cons
- Free tier shows a small number of ads
- Search Premium has no trial
- ad-free search costs $3 per month or $29.99 per year
Kagi
Best for: Ad-free search with result controls
Kagi is the only engine here funded by its users instead of by search ads. Its pricing page, opened on 2026-11-12, lists a free trial of 100 searches and 100 Kagi Assistant interactions, a Starter plan at $5 per month plus sales tax for 300 searches, a Professional plan at $10 per month plus sales tax for unlimited searches, and an Ultimate plan at $25 per month plus sales tax for unlimited searches and premium AI models. Starter searches do not roll over, so 300 searches is a hard monthly cap unless you move to Professional.
- Kagi says that in a month where you do not use your plan, it will apply a full credit to your account, which covers the next billing cycle at no addit
- Choose Kagi if you want no ads and fine control over results.
- Do not choose it if you search more than 300 times a month and do not want to pay $10 per month for unlimited searches.
Pros
- No ads and no tracking, funded by users
- lenses and controls to raise, lower, or block domains
- unused month gets a full credit
Cons
- No permanent free tier, only a 100-search trial
- Starter plan caps at 300 searches per month with no rollover
- account required
Ecosia
Best for: Climate action funded by search ads
Ecosia is a not-for-profit search engine from Berlin, founded in 2009. Search ads fund tree planting and other climate projects, and 100 percent of profits go to climate action. Its own company FAQ says its global average estimate is 50 searches to help fund the planting of a tree, and it publishes monthly financial reports that name the organisations receiving funding.
- Search is free, needs no account, and is encrypted.
- Ecosia is not an independent-index engine.
- Its results come through search partners, with Google and Bing as the main sources, and a European index built with Qwant now covers part of the traff
- Choose Ecosia if you want each search to fund climate work and you are happy with partner results.
Pros
- 100 percent of profits go to climate action
- no account needed for search
- monthly financial reports show where funds go
Cons
- Results come from Google and Bing and a growing European index, not from a large index of its own
- search quality can lag behind Google for some queries
Qwant
Best for: European search with no account
Qwant is a French search engine, founded in Paris in 2013, and its own pricing page lists no subscription plan for consumer search, so core search is free on the web and through its mobile apps. Its help centre says the main revenue source is contextual advertising, matched to the words in the current query rather than to a persistent profile. It also says it does not sell personal data, searches, email addresses, profiles, or browsing history.
- Qwant Junior is a clear reason to pick this engine for a shared device.
- It is a filtered search mode for children aged 6 to 12.
- Qwant also offers AI-assisted search, including a Summary feature and Qwant Chat, and those AI features are free and unlimited once an account is crea
- Core search needs no account, but the AI features do.
Pros
- Free search on the web and in mobile apps
- Qwant Junior filtered mode for children aged 6 to 12
- no account needed for core search
Cons
- Results draw in part on Bing, not on a fully independent index
- AI features may need an account and can involve extra data handling
Mojeek
Best for: Independent index with no tracking
Mojeek is the most independent engine in this guide. It is run by Mojeek Ltd, a UK company based in Brighton, and it has run its own web crawler and its own index since 2004, rather than licensing results from a larger provider. Its index passed 9 billion pages in 2025, which is large for an independent engine and still far smaller than the indexes run by Google and Bing.
- Mojeek says it was the first search engine to state that it does not track its users, with that policy in place since 2006.
- Web search is free, funded by advertising tied to the search term rather than to a personal profile, and there is no subscription tier for ordinary se
- Mainstream and long-tail queries can return fewer results than a large index, and image search is weaker than web search.
- Mojeek works as a set-as-default search engine and as a browser extension, with no dedicated mobile app.
Pros
- Own crawler and own index built since 2004
- no tracking, profiling, or personalisation
- no subscription tier for web search
Cons
- Index is far smaller than Google or Bing, so some queries return fewer results
- no dedicated mobile app, only a browser extension and default search setting
Swisscows
Best for: Family-friendly search from Switzerland
Swisscows is a Swiss search engine built by Hulbee AG, founded in 2014 and based in Egnach, Switzerland, and it is now run by Swisscows AG. Its defining feature is a hard-coded content filter: explicit and violent results are excluded entirely, with no toggle to turn the filter off. That makes it a strong pick for a shared or family device, and a poor pick for anyone who needs unfiltered results.
- Core search is free, and native apps are available for Android and iOS.
- Swisscows says it does not collect data, does not use cookies or other tracking tools for search, and anonymises search queries after seven days.
- The result source is the limit to know: Swisscows sources its web results from Bing under a partnership it calls exclusive, so every query is answered
- An optional Swisscows Pro subscription adds an ad-free version, while the free tier runs ads.
Pros
- Permanent content filter with no toggle to turn it off
- servers in Switzerland under Swiss law
- free search with native Android and iOS apps
Cons
- Filter cannot be turned off, so some lawful results are hidden
- web results come from Bing under an exclusive partnership
- free tier runs ads
How we chose
We chose engines that are still live, that can be set as a default search engine or used on the web without special setup, and that state a privacy position in their own pages. We ranked the list by result source, cost, account need, and a clear use case, not by popularity. Prices and plan limits come from official vendor pricing pages and docs opened on 2026-11-12, including the Startpage guide and the Kagi pricing page. Every engine here publishes a free search price or a clear subscription price, so no item needed the quote only label. We did not test any tool hands-on, so treat each privacy claim as the vendor stated position, and read its privacy policy before you rely on it.
Pick by need and budget
| Need | First pick | Cost to start | What you give up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google-like results, no account | Startpage | $0 | Results still come from Google and Bing |
| Free browser plus search | DuckDuckGo | $0 | Results draw largely on Bing and other sources |
| Independent index, free | Brave Search | $0 | Free tier shows ads; ad-free costs $3 per month |
| No ads at all | Kagi | $5 per month | Starter caps at 300 searches per month |
| Climate action | Ecosia | $0 | Results come from Google and Bing and a European index |
| European engine, child mode | Qwant | $0 | Results draw in part on Bing |
| Most independent index | Mojeek | $0 | Smaller index, fewer results for some queries |
| Family filter, Swiss hosting | Swisscows | $0 | Filter cannot be turned off; results come from Bing |
Frequently asked questions
Is Startpage free?
Yes. Startpage says it is free to use because it shows contextual ads, based on the current search term, not on a personal profile or search history. Startpage does not record searches, IP addresses, or personal profiles as part of private search, and it offers Anonymous View for opening results through its proxy.
Which Startpage alternative is best for Google-like results?
Startpage itself is the best pick if Google-like results are the goal, because it returns Google and Bing results through a privacy layer. DuckDuckGo is the closest free second choice for everyday search, with a free browser as well. Brave Search is the better pick if you want depth from an independent index instead of from Google and Bing, but its free tier shows ads.
Is Kagi worth $5 per month?
Kagi is worth $5 per month if you want no ads, result controls, and a service funded by users rather than by advertisers. Starter gives 300 searches per month, and Professional at $10 per month gives unlimited searches. It is not worth $5 per month if you search more than 300 times a month and do not want Professional, or if you want a free tier rather than a 100-search trial.
Do private search engines hide my IP address from every site I visit?
No. Private search hides your identity from the search provider for that query, and Startpage Anonymous View also hides it from a site you open through the proxy. A private engine does not make every site you visit private after you leave the search page, and a site you open directly can still see your connection and set its own cookies.
Which Startpage alternative is best for children or a shared device?
Swisscows is the best pick for a shared device because its content filter is permanent and cannot be turned off, so explicit and violent results are excluded without any setup. Qwant Junior is the best pick if you want a child mode inside a general engine, because it is built for children aged 6 to 12. Both are free to start.
Why do most private engines still use Google or Bing?
Most private engines still use Google or Bing because building a web index at large scale takes years, crawlers, storage, and ranking work that only a few companies have done. Brave Search and Mojeek are the exceptions here, with an index of their own. The rest add a privacy layer in front of a large index, so the query reaches Google or Bing without your identity attached.
Sources
- https://www.startpage.com/
- https://www.startpage.com/privacy-please/featured-article/howstartpageworks
- https://duckduckgo.com/
- https://search.brave.com/
- https://kagi.com/
- https://kagi.com/pricing
- https://www.ecosia.org/
- https://www.qwant.com/
- https://www.mojeek.com/
- https://swisscows.com/
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.