Google Search
The world's default web search engine, now layered with AI Overviews and a conversational AI Mode.
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 6
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
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About Google Search
Google Search is the search engine most people use without thinking about it. Its index is the largest and freshest of any public engine, and it is hard to beat for local results, maps, shopping, news, niche technical queries and anything that happened in the last hour. In recent years Google has wrapped classic results in AI: AI Overviews summarise answers at the top of the page, AI Mode turns search into a back-and-forth conversation, and Lens lets you search with your camera. It is free to use and paid for by advertising, and results are personalised using your Google account activity unless you turn that off. It runs in any browser and through the Google app on iOS and Android, and it is the default in Chrome and most Android phones. People leave it over ads crowding the top of results, SEO spam, AI answers they did not ask for, or how much data it ties to their account.
Best for: Anyone who wants the broadest, freshest index and strong local, maps and shopping results.
Pros and cons
What works
- Largest and freshest web index, especially for local and recent results
- Deep integration with Maps, Lens, Shopping and other Google services
- AI Overviews and AI Mode for follow-up questions on complex topics
Why people leave
- Ads and shopping units push organic results down the page
- Personalised by default using your account and activity data
- AI answers appear on many queries whether or not you want them
Top Google Search alternatives
See all 6- 1
Microsoft Bing66.5The other big independent index, with Copilot-style AI answers and Microsoft Rewards points.
- 2
DuckDuckGo62.6Familiar, fast results without search history being tied to a profile.
- 3
Kagi59.6Paid, ad-free search that lets you block or boost domains to cut out SEO spam.
- 4
Brave Search57.2Runs on its own index rather than Google's, with AI answers and no profiling.
- 5
Startpage55.3Shows Google-sourced results while stripping your IP and identifiers first.
Why people left Google Search
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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Google Search: common questions
Is Google Search free?
Yes, Google Search is free to use.
Is Google Search open source?
No, Google Search is not open source.
What platforms does Google Search run on?
Google Search is available for Web, iOS and Android.
What are the best alternatives to Google Search?
The highest-ranked Google Search alternatives right now are Microsoft Bing, DuckDuckGo and Kagi. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.