Conservative search engines: what they are and the main alternatives to Google
Millions of people search for a "conservative search engine" every year. Some want results they feel are less filtered. Others mostly want a search engine that does not build a profile of them. This guide sets out what each alternative actually does, so you can choose on facts rather than labels.
What people mean by a conservative or unbiased search engine
No search engine is labelled conservative by its makers. The phrase is shorthand for three different wishes, and it helps to know which one matters to you:
- Less tracking. A search engine that does not tie your searches to an account or sell ad profiles. This is the most common reason people switch.
- Different ranking. Results from a different index, or ranked by different rules, than Google’s.
- Different filtering. Stricter family filters, or fewer filters, depending on the person.
Every search engine makes ranking choices, so a truly neutral one does not exist. What you can choose is whose choices you trust and how much data you hand over.
The main alternatives to Google
DuckDuckGo
Founded in 2008, DuckDuckGo is the best-known private search engine. It does not tie searches to a personal profile, and it offers browser apps and extensions with tracker blocking. Its results draw on several sources, including Bing, plus its own crawler.
Brave Search
Made by the company behind the Brave browser, Brave Search runs its own independent index instead of relying entirely on Google or Bing. It is a good pick if "a different index" is what you are after.
Startpage
Startpage shows results sourced from Google but removes the tracking. Its "Anonymous View" opens result pages through a proxy. Choose it if you like Google’s results but not the data collection.
Bing
Microsoft’s search engine has its own large index and powers parts of several other engines. It is not a privacy engine, but it is the main independent alternative to Google’s index.
Qwant and Swisscows
Qwant is a French search engine with a privacy focus. Swisscows is a Swiss search engine with a strict family filter that blocks adult content by default, which appeals to parents and schools.
How to change your default search engine
- In Chrome, open Settings, then Search engine.
- Under the search engine used in the address bar, pick one from the list, or add another with Manage search engines.
- In Safari, Firefox and Edge the option sits under Settings or Preferences as Search or Search engine.
- On phones, the setting is usually inside the browser app’s own settings.
Are alternative search engines as good as Google?
For everyday questions, most people find them good enough. They can be weaker for very local searches, such as "plumber near me", maps and shopping, because Google holds the largest set of local business listings and reviews. Many people use a private engine by default and switch to Google when a search does not turn up what they need.
What this means if you run a local business
Your customers do not all search on Google. Some use DuckDuckGo, Bing or Apple Maps, and many now ask ChatGPT or another assistant. Those tools pull business details from different places: Bing Places, Apple Business Connect, directories and your own website. If your name, address, phone number and services are only correct on Google, you are invisible to everyone else.
Make sure every search engine can find your business
We check your listings on Google, Bing and Apple, your website and how AI assistants describe you, as part of a free audit. You get a plain-language list of fixes within two business days. Learn more about our local SEO and AI search optimization work.
Sources
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide, Google Search Central
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