i used to use startpage before switching to searxng and its pretty good just the mobile app they beckon you to download is garbage and just chromium with a startpage paint job over it but if you just want the search engine for another browser its prob one the best
this post was submitted on 21 Apr 2025
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DeGoogle Yourself
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What instance would you recommend?
Not the OG, but I tried instances for awhile. After about two months I decided to self host it. The best instances for testing, imo, would be ones that have IPv6 on and nearest to your location for the host. They are aggregators so its tracking will be limited to the host of it. Even then, it’s a worthwhile test but self hosting can be as easy as installing docker, making a docker hub account, and pulling the prebuilt searxng image and going to the set port. That’s easiest way if you have reservation about data, but don’t have the time to configure the whole thing.
i host my own but if you cant do that id reccoment one of the ones with the V html grade and with good uptime
I'm a fan of DDG still for now. But would love to hear your final decision and the logic behind it when you decide.
I do like DDG, but it feels like its getting more bloated, furthermore I would prefer a EU based service rather than an american one. sorry but this might put you off ddg https://techrights.org/o/2020/07/02/ddg-privacy-abuser-in-disguise/
I use DDG and Startpage
what do you main?
I don't really, it truly depends on the browser but my go to computer browser is librewolf which uses startpage
did librewolf change it from ddg???
Qwant doesn't prioritize privacy very well, besides leaning on its European-ness. Their privacy policy does not engender trust with me.
Crikey, thats not good
Of the three mentioned, maybe Qwant? I'm wary of any search engine that implements "AI", so DDG is out. Startpage — I can't provide a source, but I seem to recall there were misgivings to them in the past.
Out of all of the three, I would say startpage is the cleanest. DDG has had a fair few controversies https://techrights.org/o/2020/07/02/ddg-privacy-abuser-in-disguise/ . So I think they are off the list atm, I may consider brave search but I'm not sure.
Startpage is owned by an adtech company, i don't trust them.
I'd say none will be private in the long term. Acquisitions ultimately break that eventually. It's hard to run a successful service and not get acquired, eventually. So, I have a self-hosted searxng instance. DDG has already started moving away from privacy and Startpage has some signs it might be moving that way in the near future. I'll let others comment on the current state of things at each, but if you give your search to any profit driven company it has the potential to be sold. But IMHO Qwant is currently the best option outside of metasearch engines with small nonprofit ownership, whoch can be unreliable, or self hosting.
Qwant has some reasonable privacy concerns its self as it sends your ip and stuff etc to microsoft.
how to find a good searxng instance, as all the ones i have found are rubbish (self hosting isnt an option.)
Problem is that if a site gets too popular, then the search engines like google tend to start rate limiting. Before in started self hosting I jumped around every couple of months to a new server.
I have found one I somewhat like but after looking further I found 4get.ch or something like that, it’s results where better the searx and it looked nicer and it’s quicker
I thought self hosting a searxng instance was like really bad due to you being the only user on it?
What's wrong with being the only one on it?
Startpage. Qwant's kinda shit, and DDG is known to have sub-par results, as well as being American.
Startpage is owned by an ad agency
or Ecosia?
Haven’t really tried it but it isnt privacy friendly?