What search engine should I use instead of Google?
from AnonomousWolf@lemm.ee to degoogle@lemmy.ml on 15 Apr 2025 08:51
https://lemm.ee/post/61378527
from AnonomousWolf@lemm.ee to degoogle@lemmy.ml on 15 Apr 2025 08:51
https://lemm.ee/post/61378527
On Google if I search “Mens Boots” I immediately see lots of results from shops in Amsterdam and near me selling boots.
When I use DuckDuckGo the results are useless unless I add “Amsterdam” and then it only shows me Amsterdam results, instead of Google which would also show me shops from Germany etc. That has quick delivery times etc.
What are my options? (Non-American would be great)
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IMHO there is no perfect solution for this, but I switched to Searxng (which can be selfhosted) and Im happy with the results. Please note that Searxng is a Meta Search engine, that basically means its using multiple other search engines with less tracking afaik…
Yea there is no perfect solution, but we shouldn’t be looking for perfection. Every step in the right direction counts
I just use ddg and for when i want to search something important, i just use Google(in incognito).
I thought it was agreed Incognito mode does nothing useful. You are still tracked.
Incognito just doesn’t add the history to your browser, the tracking is the same, correct.
For tracking to be useful, it needs data from multiple sources. If it is a brand new incognito session, then it will only have the data you create from that search. If you disable Fingerprinting, it wont have much data and wont be able to reliably and accurately attach or combine that data with other data and accounts.
When I do your “men’s boots” test, it looks like I get better results using Qwant, which is European.
Have you tried Quant?
Qwant*
www.qwant.com/?q=mens+boots&t=web
The results are decent, I would have liked if they had a “Products” page.
Hmmn. If I wanted search results for stuff in Amsterdam, I’d expect to add “in Amst . . .”
Moving quickly on, there’s bound to be some European SearXNG. searx.space seems like a list.
I think that still uses google though among others. It’s FOSS so you could self host it and set it up how you like I think too if you’re into that type of thing.
I don’t regularly use searXNG though I use DDG - so I cannot vouch for the quality of the results.
as I said in my post, if I add “In Amsterdam” Then I miss out on products from Germany etc.
Also I don’t want to have to do that every time.
i run my own instance and i can vouch the results are great for general things. searching for things based on location can vary though.
In Spain I have to put .es at the end for local results.
However, I use Amazon to source the product I want then find the resellers website and buy directly from them.
My last purchase like that was an 80kg capacity bike trailer that was delivered from Germany and cost the exact same, and the company didn’t have to give Bezos any cut.
Nothing beats Google so you can use European based Startpage just like how DuckDuckGo is based on Microsoft Bing.
It doesn’t have to beat google, it just has to be close enough not to be annoying or not function properly.
Using Startpage still supports google, which is what I want to stop doing as much as possible.
It’s like saying supporting Google by using Brave which is Chromium.
Startpage works well. You also need a VPN and to use private mode in a browser with a low fingerprint.
That’s still supporting google, and not helping their competitors. I would like a EU alternative
Start page is Dutch. And skimming Google search results isn’t exactly a huge value add for Google, other than the stripped down results will include some Google-oriented SEO. A good ad blocker will effectively eliminate any benefit to Big G.
Qwant has been decent for me. Try it out and see how it goes
Thanks, this seems to be the best I’ve been able to find so far
Yeah, I find it more varied and there’s less ads. Ads are still there though, but they’ve been relevant to what I’m searching for so far.
I don’t have an issue with some adds, especially if they’re relevant to me.
They’re not relevant to me specifically, that would mean Qwant would need to collect data. But they’re relevant to the thing I’m searching, sort of.
Google ads were scary specific before I degoogled myself almost completely.
I’m fine with adds being somewhat specific to me.
eg. if I search
BootsI don’t mind that my search engine knows that I’m a man in my 40’s living in London and giving me results based on that.If I search
Bootson search engines that don’t tailor my experience at all, then I get useless results like snowboarding boots in the US.I’ve been using Kagi for a near a year now and it’s pretty good. Reminds me of old Google
Kagi is a fantastic search engine, gets all the critical shit right.
It’s fairly pricey though. I don’t mind some adds, and I can also use a add blocker.
I understand they have gone deep into LLMs, so take that into consideration
CEO: Why would we take your data, you directly fund us so obviously we will only focus on providing the best search experience
CEO: dumps money into AI and a T-shirt factory
Kagi has been amazing, I’m so disappointed every time I try to search for something on my work computer on Google.
Isn’t it a paid service and ran by a Silicon Valley corporation…like Google?
Yeah it’s paid. They have a good rep for privacy
I am not sure why qwant seems to get mentioned so frequently. My experience is that the search results are mediocre at best and they shove ads in your face on every page.
I highly recommend Kagi, I’ve been with them since basically the beginning and they have been fantastic. I do pay for their service, but the value proposition is absolutely there.
It’s fairly pricey though. $24/m for a family plan for me, with tax included. I don’t mind some adds, and I can also use a add blocker.
I’ve been fucking with kagi. And I like the results it seems more relevant to what I searched for.
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I would recommend the following:
I use SearXNG, which I self-host.
AFAIK SearXNG is an aggregator and Whoogle is having trouble with using Google without JS
Replying to save this for later. I’m about to start on my own selfhosting project next week so I’ll definitely add this to my list
Google works the way it does because it has basically unlimited resources. You will never find something that does EVERYTHING Google does, because running Google is like shoveling thousands of dollars into a fire constantly.
You have to choose either convenience or privacy.
I want something in the middle. It doesn’t have to be as good as google, just good enough.
Brave Search is the best imo. I’ve been using it for years.
Been using Qwant for a while now, happy with it.
Here is a cool comparison chart I’ve found : searchengine.party
Another vote for brave search
why not use more than one? use ddg for general searches of non location based things. then switch to a different preferred search for location based things
I’ve been using Qwant its French and I’ve been using it for a year, it good and fast and private. Check it out.
Can’t live without Presearch