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SearXNG alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave SearXNG: upstream engines sometimes block or rate-limit instances, and public instances vary in speed and reliability. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces SearXNG, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. YaCy currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1MetaGer logoMetaGerPaidYesWeb4 of 457.2
  1. MetaGer logo

    1. MetaGerTop pick

    Best for: Privacy-minded users who are happy to pay a little per search to avoid ads

    PaidOpen sourceWeb

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from SearXNG

    Hosted, open-source metasearch run by a non-profit.

    Pros

    • Non-profit operator and open-source code
    • No account or email needed, just a prepaid key
    • Anonymous proxy for opening results

    Cons

    • Free ad-supported searching has ended
    • Results depend on the indexes it can license
    • Small organisation with limited resources
    Visit MetaGer 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 MetaGer a good SearXNG alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Operator
    SUMA-EV (non-profit)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026metager.org(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    AGPL
    Checked Oct 25, 2026metager.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Pricing
    About €5 lasts around 2 months
    Checked Oct 25, 2026metager.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Account required
    No, key only
    Checked Oct 25, 2026metager.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best SearXNG alternative for…

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

YaCy logo

Best SearXNG alternative for most people

YaCy

Self-hosted too, but builds its own peer-to-peer index instead of querying other engines.

Startpage logo

Best SearXNG alternative for a free option

Startpage

Hosted, private access to Google-sourced results without running anything.

DuckDuckGo logo

Best SearXNG alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

DuckDuckGo

Private search with no server to maintain.

MetaGer logo

Best SearXNG alternative for open source

MetaGer

Hosted, open-source metasearch run by a non-profit.

YaCy logo

Best SearXNG alternative for self-hosting

YaCy

Self-hosted too, but builds its own peer-to-peer index instead of querying other engines.

YaCy logo

Best SearXNG alternative for Mac

YaCy

Self-hosted too, but builds its own peer-to-peer index instead of querying other engines.

YaCy logo

Best SearXNG alternative for Windows

YaCy

Self-hosted too, but builds its own peer-to-peer index instead of querying other engines.

YaCy logo

Best SearXNG alternative for Linux

YaCy

Self-hosted too, but builds its own peer-to-peer index instead of querying other engines.

Kagi logo

Best SearXNG alternative for iPhone and Android

Kagi

Paid hosted search with similar control over which sites you see.

DuckDuckGo logo

Best SearXNG alternative for working in the browser

DuckDuckGo

Private search with no server to maintain.

SearXNG alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to SearXNG?

YaCy ranks first right now. Self-hosted too, but builds its own peer-to-peer index instead of querying other engines. DuckDuckGo and Startpage follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to SearXNG?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to SearXNG?

Yes: YaCy and MetaGer. YaCy can also be self-hosted.

Which SearXNG alternatives work on Linux?

YaCy runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from SearXNG?

The complaints we hear most: upstream engines sometimes block or rate-limit instances; public instances vary in speed and reliability; running your own takes some server know-how.

How is this list ranked?

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