by It's not about “Yandex” or Bing. There are search services that are really better than the market leaders. Maybe not in everything.
1. DuckDuckGo
What is it
DuckDuckGo is a fairly well-known open source search engine. The servers are located in the USA. In addition to its own robot, the search engine uses the results of other sources: Yahoo, Bing, Wikipedia.
The better
DuckDuckGo positions itself as a search engine that provides maximum privacy and confidentiality. The system does not collect any data about the user, does not store logs (no search history), the use of cookies is as limited as possible.
Why do you need this
All major search engines try to personalize search results based on information about the person in front of the monitor. This phenomenon is called “filter bubble”: the user sees only those results that are consistent with his preferences or that the system considers so.
DuckDuckGo forms an objective picture that does not depend on your past behavior on the Web, and gets rid of Google and Yandex thematic advertising based on your requests. DuckDuckGo makes it easy to search for information in other languages, while Google and Yandex prefer Russian-language sites by default, even if the query is entered in a foreign one.
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2. You.com
What is this
One of the new search engines, the issuance of which is not formed according to the principle of “the shortest relevant answer”, but is a comprehensive squeeze of data from various sources, including social networks, communities and forums.
The better< /h3>
You.com has a modern interface and a nice design that provides visibility and allows you to see the big picture at a glance. The results are displayed in blocks and divided into categories.
Depending on the query, the search engine gives relevant hints, trying to predict your thoughts. And not only popular sites, but also little-known projects get into the search results, provided that they have the right answer to the question.
Why do you need it
You.com more convenient than many other search engines and saves a lot of time. In fact, the service Googles for you and in one click provides a whole selection of results that can be quickly explored right on the search page.
You.com →
3. StartPage
What is it
An interesting search engine that combines the best of both worlds. Unlike competitors that use their own engines, which are frankly weaker than the big players, StartPage takes search results from Google. An important point: at the same time, it depersonalizes all your requests, while maintaining anonymity.
The better
The main feature of StartPage is privacy concerns. The service uses a proxy, as well as a special unique URL generator, thanks to which there is no need for cookies, which ensures complete anonymity on the Web. The search engine does not record your requests and IP address, and also has a special private mode that is activated in the search results and does not allow sites to track your actions.
Why do you need it
Try it if the results of alternative search engines do not suit you, and you are not ready to put up with Google tracking.
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4. Swisscows
What is it
Swiss service based on semantic search based on machine learning . Artificial intelligence determines the context of the search query and guesses what you are actually looking for.
Swisscows has partnered with Bing to use their indexed search results in addition to their own. Monetization is carried out through advertising, which is based solely on search queries.
The better
The key feature of the service is in the semantic algorithm that makes the search intelligent. Swisscows does not store cookies, does not track your behavior and remains anonymous – you always remain a guest.
Why do you need this
Swisscows comes in handy if you want a fair, secure and anonymous search engine with your own index.
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5. Dogpile
What is it
The Dogpile metasearch engine displays a combined list of results from the search results of Google, Yahoo and other popular engines.< /p>
The better
First, Dogpile displays fewer ads. Secondly, the service uses a special algorithm to find and display the best results from different search engines. According to the developers of Dogpile, their system generates the most complete search results on the entire Internet.
Why do you need this
If you can’t find information in Google or another standard search engine, try to find it right away in multiple search engines using Dogpile.
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6. BoardReader
What is it
BoardReader is a system for text search in forums, Q&A services and other communities.
The better
The service allows you to narrow the search field to social sites. Thanks to special filters, you can quickly find posts and comments that match your criteria: language, publication date and site name.
Why do you need this
BoardReader can be useful for PR specialists and other media professionals who are interested in the opinion of a mass audience on certain issues.
BoardReader →
7. Ahmia
What is it
Ahmia is a system that searches the anonymous Tor network. To use it, you need to go to this network, for example, by launching a specialized browser. Unlike other similar services, illegal content is not available in Ahmia, which will make your search safer.
But keep in mind that Tor is blocked in Russia, so you definitely cannot do without a VPN in this case.
The better
Searchs where Google, Yandex and other search engines are denied entrance in principle.
Why do you need this
Tor has a lot of resources that you can't find on the law-abiding internet. This is a kind of network within the Web with its social networks, torrent trackers, media, marketplaces, blogs, libraries, and so on.
Ahmia →
8. FindSounds
What is it
FindSounds is another specialized search engine. Searches open sources for various sounds: house, nature, cars, people, and so on. The service does not support requests in Russian, but there is an impressive list of Russian-language tags that you can search for.
The better
The output only sounds and nothing more. In the settings you can set the desired format and sound quality. All records found are available for download. There is a pattern search.
Why do you need this
If you need to quickly find the sound of a musket shot, the blow of a sucking woodpecker, or the cry of Homer Simpson, then this service is for you. And we chose this only from the available Russian-language queries. In English, the spectrum is even wider.
Seriously, a specialized service implies a specialized audience. But what if it comes in handy for you too?
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9. Wolfram|Alpha
What is this
Wolfram|Alpha is a computational search engine. Instead of links to articles containing keywords, it gives a ready-made answer to the user's query. For example, if you enter “compare the population of New York and San Francisco” in English into the search form, then Wolfram|Alpha will immediately display tables and graphs with a comparison.
The better
This service is better than others for finding facts and computing data. Wolfram|Alpha collects and organizes knowledge available on the Web from various fields, including science, culture and entertainment. If this database contains a ready answer to the search query, the system shows it, if not, it calculates and displays the result. At the same time, the user sees only the necessary information and nothing more.
Why do you need it
If you are, for example, a student, analyst, journalist or researcher, you can use Wolfram|Alpha to search and computing data related to your activities. The service does not understand all requests, but is constantly evolving and getting smarter.
Wolfram|Alpha →
The text was updated in February 2022.
