There are two broad technical models represented here: engines with their own independent crawler and index (Mojeek, Brave Search, SearXNG's underlying sources), and engines that act as a privacy-protecting layer in front of another provider's index, most often Google's or Bing's (Startpage, MetaGer). Both approaches can deliver on the same privacy commitment; independence of index mainly affects how distinct the actual results are from the majors.

DuckDuckGo

Privacy

The best-known privacy-focused search engine, combining its own crawler with licensed results from other sources, and built around a strict no-tracking, no-search-history policy from the outset.

Startpage

Privacy

Delivers Google's search results through a privacy-protecting proxy layer that strips identifying data and tracking parameters before the query reaches Google, aiming to combine Google-quality results with anonymity.

Built on an independent index rather than licensing results from Google or Bing, from the makers of the Brave browser, positioned as a privacy-first alternative with its own ranking model.

Mojeek

Privacy

A UK-based search engine with its own independent crawler and index, one of very few privacy-focused engines not reliant on another provider's underlying results.

Qwant

Privacy

A French, EU-based search engine emphasizing user privacy and alignment with European data protection standards, positioned partly as a European alternative to US-based search providers.

Swisscows

Privacy

A Switzerland-based, privacy-focused search engine with strict, family-friendly content filtering enabled by default and no user tracking.

MetaGer

Privacy

A German metasearch engine operated by a nonprofit association, aggregating results from multiple underlying sources without storing user data.

SearXNG

Privacy

An open-source, self-hostable metasearch engine that aggregates results from numerous other engines without storing search history, popular with users who want to run their own instance.

Presearch

Privacy

A decentralized search engine that rewards node operators and users with its own token, aiming to distribute search infrastructure away from any single company rather than relying on a centralized privacy proxy.