Which is the best alternative to Google?

What are Internet search engines?

Search engines are online services that help you find content on the internet. The best known is undoubtedly Google, which processes billions of search queries every day. However, other search engines such as Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, Startpage or Qwant also search the web for information and present their users with relevant search results.

Each search engine has its own criteria for how content is evaluated and displayed – so-called SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages). This means that different search engines deliver different results for the same search.

How do search engines work?

A search engine works by indexing: Bots crawl the internet, save page content and use it to create a search index. When a search query is made, the search engine compares the terms entered with the index and displays matching search results.

Modern search engines also use semantic search, i.e. a better understanding of the relationships between terms. Some providers also use external search sources, artificial intelligence or full-text search to deliver the most precise results possible.

Search engines and (generative) artificial intelligence

With the further development of AI (artificial intelligence), the way search engines work is also changing. Google, Bing and now also Yahoo are using generative AI to answer questions directly and not just provide links. This is radically changing the SERPs.

Future search engines will integrate chatbots, text generation and visual search in order to answer search queries in an even more intuitive and personalized way. Anyone looking for alternative providers should also check how they handle AI technologies – or deliberately do without them.

Search engines: Data protection and sustainability

A growing problem with large providers such as Google is how they handle data. Many users criticize the fact that personal data is stored, analysed and used for advertising purposes. This is why search engines that value data protection – such as DuckDuckGo, Startpage or Qwant – are booming.

The topic of sustainability also plays a role. The search engine Ecosia, for example, uses its revenue to plant trees worldwide – a green alternative to Google with social aspirations.

Google alternatives

If you are wondering which alternative to Google is really recommendable, you should pay attention to the following criteria:

• Data protection: No storage of IP addresses or search histories (e.g. Startpage, DuckDuckGo)
• Transparency: European providers are subject to the GDPR (e.g. Qwant from France)
• Sustainability: Environmentally friendly search engines like Ecosia
• Security: encryption, no tracking cookies, secure server locations

These factors make some search engines a real alternative to Google – depending on your priorities.

Alternative: Enterprise search engine

Recent developments have led to enterprise search engines. These are search engines that are designed to search information and databases in a company.

Enterprise search engines such as searchit also offer modules to search online sources quickly and securely for content. For example, websites with legal texts and regulations can be searched and online media monitoring can be carried out. Companies can also make their own intranet searchable or provide employees and customers with a website search.

Overview of the best search engine providers

Here is an overview of the best Google alternatives:

1. searchit

searchit is an enterprise search engine that makes documents searchable and filterable by content within the company using modern AI-supported full-text search.

2. bing

Microsoft’s own search engine is visually appealing, integrates AI technologies and delivers solid search results – but with similar data protection issues to Google.

3. DuckDuckGo

The best-known privacy-friendly search engine. No user tracking, no personalized advertising. Very popular with security-conscious users.

4. startpage

Uses Google results, but anonymizes all search queries. Best combination of data protection and hit quality.

5. ecosia

The green search engine: 100% of profits go to reforestation projects. Uses Bing technology, so it is also reliable in terms of quality.

6. qwant

A European search engine with servers in the EU. No tracking, no user profiles – ideal for GDPR-conscious users.

7. yahoo

An old acquaintance. Today it is technically closely linked to Bing, but offers additional services such as news and e-mail. Interesting for classic Internet users.

Which is the best alternative to Google?

The best alternative to Google depends on what is important to you:

1. For enterprise search and internal search in the company: searchit
2. For data protection: DuckDuckGo, Startpage, Qwant
3. For sustainability: Ecosia
4. For AI-supported search: Bing
5. For classic Internet services: Yahoo

If you want to make your search results more independent, secure and conscious, it’s worth looking beyond Google. Take advantage of the wide range of search engine alternatives that not only protect your data, but also open up new perspectives on your search.

Tip: Test different search engines in parallel and find out for yourself which alternative to Google delivers the best search results for you!