Best search engine for privacy

1. The quick verdict: pick based on threat model

For users seeking the strictest privacy posture—no profiling, an independent index, and minimal third-party dependencies—Mojeek is repeatedly named as the most privacy-forward choice because it runs its own crawler and does not build user profiles ^{[1] [6]}. For those who want Google-like results without being tracked, Startpage advertises anonymized Google results and a proxy “Anonymous View,” promising no logging of personal data ^{[2] [7]}. For mainstream usability with strong defaults and an integrated privacy browser ecosystem, DuckDuckGo is a solid middle ground ^{[3] [8]}. Brave Search positions itself as a privacy-first engine that also builds its own index and lets users opt out of private metrics ^{[4] [9]}.

2. What “most private” actually means in practice

Privacy assessments in the reporting evaluate three technical and policy dimensions: whether the search engine logs queries or IPs, whether it depends on Big Tech indexes (which can leak metadata or rely on third-party APIs), and whether jurisdiction or business model exposes users to data requests or commercial tracking ^{[3] [6] [5]}. Independent indexing (Mojeek, Brave) reduces reliance on other companies’ APIs; anonymizing proxies and no-log policies (Startpage) reduce first-party retention; ad models that avoid behavioral profiling (DuckDuckGo, Ecosia) limit monetization of user profiles ^{[1] [2] [8]}.

3. The leading candidates, distilled

Mojeek stands out in multiple reviews for being fully independent, not creating user profiles, and emphasizing anonymity, though reviewers note its index may be smaller than the biggest rivals ^{[1] [6]}. Startpage claims to deliver Google-quality results while stripping identifying data and offering a proxy view of sites, a feature reviewers highlight for convenience and privacy ^{[2] [7]}. DuckDuckGo is widely recommended for user-friendliness, contextual (not profile-based) ads, a Tor onion site, and integrations with privacy browsers, though it historically relies partly on Bing for results ^{[3] [7] [8]}. Brave Search provides its own index and configurable private metrics, positioning itself between independence and practical results ^{[4] [9]}.

4. Trade-offs: privacy vs. relevance and features

Multiple guides caution that stronger privacy often means giving up some features or breadth of results: metasearch engines that anonymize Google or Bing can offer familiar results but still depend on external indexes; independent crawlers can be more private but may return fewer or different results ^{[4] [3] [1]}. Ads can be made contextual rather than profile-based, but clicking ads or using associated services can reintroduce tracking; security reviews recommend pairing a private engine with a privacy browser or VPN for stronger protection ^{[3] [5] [8]}.

5. Jurisdiction, business model and what to watch for

Reporters emphasize that where a search engine is based and how it makes money matters: EU- or Swiss-based engines are often cited for stricter legal privacy standards, and engines that avoid selling user data rely on contextual ads, subscriptions, or donations instead ^{[6] [3] [5]}. Transparency about logging policies and the technical ability to audit claims vary across providers; independent reviews and audits are useful but not universally available in the reporting ^{[3] [10]}.

6. Practical recommendation

For maximal privacy with acceptance of potentially narrower results, choose Mojeek; for the best mix of privacy and Google-like results, choose Startpage; for mainstream usability with solid privacy defaults and browser integration, choose DuckDuckGo; consider Brave Search if a self-built index and toggleable metrics matter ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}. Complement any choice with a privacy-focused browser, Tor or a reputable VPN, and careful handling of cookies and ads to keep tracking minimized—reporting repeatedly recommends combining tools rather than relying on a single product for total privacy ^{[3] [5] [8]}.