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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
1YaCy logoYaCyOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +13 of 366.5
2DuckDuckGo logoDuckDuckGoFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +34 of 462.6
  1. YaCy logo

    1. YaCyTop pick

    Best for: Tinkerers and organisations wanting their own crawler, index and intranet search

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWindows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from SearXNG

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

    Pros

    • Runs your own crawler and index, no central provider
    • Works for intranet and file-share search too
    • No data collection or phoning home

    Cons

    • Peer-to-peer web results are slow and patchy
    • Needs a machine running continuously
    • Interface feels dated
    Visit YaCy 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 YaCy a good SearXNG alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    GPL 2.0 or later
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Modes
    P2P network, own portal or intranet
    Checked Oct 25, 2026yacy.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Data collection
    None, no phoning home
    Checked Oct 25, 2026yacy.net(opens source in a new tab)
  2. DuckDuckGo logo

    2. DuckDuckGo

    Best for: People who want a familiar, free search engine without being profiled

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser extension

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from SearXNG

    Private search with no server to maintain.

    Pros

    • No search history or ad profile tied to you
    • Bangs make jumping to other sites' search very fast
    • Optional private AI chat and a tracker-blocking browser

    Cons

    • 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
    Visit DuckDuckGo Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    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 DuckDuckGo a good SearXNG alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Launched
    2008
    Checked Oct 25, 2026duckduckgo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Monthly searches
    3 billion
    Checked Oct 25, 2026duckduckgo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Result sources
    Many sources plus own crawler (DuckDuckBot)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026duckduckgo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    AI chat
    Duck.ai, free and optional
    Checked Oct 25, 2026duckduckgo.com(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.