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DuckDuckGo alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave DuckDuckGo: relies heavily on Bing, so results are rarely unique, and weaker than Google for local and breaking-news queries. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces DuckDuckGo, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Startpage currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Startpage logoStartpageFreeNoWeb, iOS, Android +14 of 466.5
2Brave Search logoBrave SearchFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 462.6
3Kagi logoKagiPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android5 of 559.6
4Qwant logoQwantFreeNoWeb, iOS, Android +14 of 457.2
5SearXNG logoSearXNGOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 455.3
6Ecosia logoEcosiaFreeNoWeb, iOS, Android +13 of 353.6
  1. Startpage logo

    1. StartpageTop pick

    Best for: People who want Google-quality results without Google tracking them

    FreeWeb, iOS, Android, Browser extension

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from DuckDuckGo

    Private like DuckDuckGo but with Google-sourced results, for better local and niche queries.

    Pros

    • Familiar Google-sourced results without personalisation
    • Anonymous View proxy hides your IP from the sites you open
    • Does not record your IP address or search history

    Cons

    • Fewer rich features such as maps and local listings
    • Anonymous View breaks some interactive sites
    • Ads are still shown, just not personalised
    Visit Startpage Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Startpage a good DuckDuckGo alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Founded
    2006, the Netherlands
    Checked Oct 25, 2026startpage.com(opens source in a new tab)
    IP logging
    No
    Checked Oct 25, 2026startpage.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Proxy browsing
    Anonymous View
    Checked Oct 25, 2026startpage.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Data protection
    GDPR
    Checked Oct 25, 2026startpage.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Kagi logo

    3. Kagi

    Best for: Heavy searchers willing to pay for ad-free, customisable results

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from DuckDuckGo

    Ad-free paid search with domain blocking and boosting for people tired of ads entirely.

    Pros

    • No ads and no tracking, funded only by subscriptions
    • Block, boost or lower any domain in your results
    • Lenses and AI assistant for focused research

    Cons

    • Monthly subscription for something most engines give away
    • Free trial is limited to 100 searches
    • Local and maps results lag Google
    Visit Kagi Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Kagi a good DuckDuckGo alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free trial
    100 searches
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kagi.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $5/month (300 searches)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kagi.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Unlimited plan
    $10/month (Professional)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kagi.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Founded
    2018, Palo Alto
    Checked Oct 25, 2026help.kagi.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Unused months
    Credited automatically
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kagi.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Qwant logo

    4. Qwant

    Best for: Europeans who want a privacy-respecting search engine under EU jurisdiction

    FreeWeb, iOS, Android, Browser extension

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from DuckDuckGo

    A European private search engine with no search history stored.

    Pros

    • Does not keep your search history or sell personal data
    • Hosted in Europe under EU privacy law
    • Separate Qwant Junior for kids

    Cons

    • Results still lean on Bing for much of the web
    • Some AI features need a Qwant account
    • Less polished outside French-language searches
    Visit Qwant Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Qwant a good DuckDuckGo alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Hosting
    France / Europe
    Checked Oct 25, 2026qwant.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Search history
    Not retained
    Checked Oct 25, 2026qwant.com(opens source in a new tab)
    AI answers
    Flash Answers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026qwant.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Browser extensions
    Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari
    Checked Oct 25, 2026about.qwant.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. SearXNG logo

    5. SearXNG

    Best for: Self-hosters who want private search pulling from many engines at once

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from DuckDuckGo

    Self-host your own private metasearch that pulls from many engines at once.

    Pros

    • Combines results from many engines in one page
    • No tracking or profiling, with optional JavaScript and cookies
    • Fully self-hostable and configurable

    Cons

    • Upstream engines sometimes block or rate-limit instances
    • Public instances vary in speed and reliability
    • Running your own takes some server know-how
    Visit SearXNG Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is SearXNG a good DuckDuckGo alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Engines supported
    Up to 261 search services
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.searxng.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Origin
    Fork of searx (2021)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.searxng.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Container, script or manual install
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.searxng.org(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Ecosia logo

    6. Ecosia

    Best for: People who want their everyday searches to fund climate projects

    FreeWeb, iOS, Android, Browser extension

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from DuckDuckGo

    Similar everyday results, with profits funding tree planting.

    Pros

    • Profits go to tree planting and climate projects
    • Publishes financial reports on revenue and spending
    • Familiar results with no change in search habits

    Cons

    • Depends on Google and Bing for results and ads
    • Not as privacy-focused as dedicated private engines
    • Impact depends on people clicking ads
    Visit Ecosia Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Ecosia a good DuckDuckGo alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Use of profits
    100% to climate action
    Checked Oct 25, 2026support.ecosia.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Ad partners
    Google AdSense and Microsoft Advertising
    Checked Oct 25, 2026support.ecosia.org(opens source in a new tab)
    European index
    Built jointly with Qwant
    Checked Oct 25, 2026blog.ecosia.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best DuckDuckGo alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Startpage logo

Best DuckDuckGo alternative for most people

Startpage

Private like DuckDuckGo but with Google-sourced results, for better local and niche queries.

Qwant logo

Best DuckDuckGo alternative for a free option

Qwant

A European private search engine with no search history stored.

Brave Search logo

Best DuckDuckGo alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Brave Search

Also private, but built on its own index instead of Bing's.

SearXNG logo

Best DuckDuckGo alternative for open source

SearXNG

Self-host your own private metasearch that pulls from many engines at once.

SearXNG logo

Best DuckDuckGo alternative for self-hosting

SearXNG

Self-host your own private metasearch that pulls from many engines at once.

Kagi logo

Best DuckDuckGo alternative for iPhone and Android

Kagi

Ad-free paid search with domain blocking and boosting for people tired of ads entirely.

Ecosia logo

Best DuckDuckGo alternative for working in the browser

Ecosia

Similar everyday results, with profits funding tree planting.

DuckDuckGo alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to DuckDuckGo?

Startpage ranks first right now. Private like DuckDuckGo but with Google-sourced results, for better local and niche queries. Brave Search and Kagi follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to DuckDuckGo?

Yes. Startpage (free), Brave Search (free plan + paid), Qwant (free) and SearXNG (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to DuckDuckGo?

Yes: SearXNG. SearXNG can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from DuckDuckGo?

The complaints we hear most: relies heavily on Bing, so results are rarely unique; weaker than Google for local and breaking-news queries; still shows ads, just not personalised ones.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces DuckDuckGo, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.