Eight search engines that are better than Google

DuckDuckGo is a fairly well-known open source search engine. 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 that provides maximum privacy and confidentiality. The system does not collect any data about the user, does not store logs (there is no search history), the use of cookies is as limited as possible.

Why do you need it

All major search engines try to personalize search results based on data about a person in front of the monitor. This phenomenon is called the “filter bubble”: the user sees only those results that are consistent with his preferences or that the system considers them to be.

DuckDuckGo creates an objective picture that does not depend on your past behavior on the Web, and eliminates the thematic advertising of Google and Yandex, based on your requests. Using DuckDuckGo, it’s easy to search for information in foreign languages, while Google and Yandex, by default, prefer Russian-language sites, even if the request is entered in another language.

DuckDuckGo →

2.not Evil

What is it

not Evil is a system that searches the anonymous Tor network. To use it, you need to go into this network, for example, by launching a specialized browser.

not Evil is not the only search engine of its kind. There is LOOK (the default search in the Tor browser, accessible from the regular Internet) or TORCH (one of the oldest search engines on the Tor network) and others. We settled on not Evil due to an explicit hint of Google (just look at the start page).

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The better

It searches where Google, Yandex, and other search engines are barred from entering.

Why do you need it

The Tor network has many resources that cannot be found on the abiding Internet. And their number will grow as the authorities tighten control over the content of the Network. Tor is a kind of network within the Network with its social networks, torrent trackers, media, marketplaces, blogs, libraries and so on.

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3. Ya Cy

What is it

YaCy is a decentralized search engine based on the principle of P2P networks. Each computer on which the main software module is installed scans the Internet independently, that is, it is an analogue of a search robot. The results are collected in a common database that all YaCy members use.

The better

It's hard to say here whether this is better or worse, since YaCy is a completely different approach to organizing searches. The absence of a single server and the owner company makes the results completely independent of one's preferences. The autonomy of each node eliminates censorship. YaCy is able to search deep web and non-indexed public networks.

Why do you need it

If you are a supporter of open source software and free Internet, not subject to the influence of government agencies and large corporations, then YaCy is your choice. With it, you can organize a search within a corporate or other autonomous network. And while YaCy is not very useful in everyday life, it is a worthy alternative to Google in terms of the search process.

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4. Pipl

What is it

Pipl - a system designed to search for information about a particular person.

The better

The authors of Pipl argue that their specialized algorithms are more efficient than "regular" search engines. In particular, the priority sources of information are social network profiles, comments, lists of participants and various databases where information about people is published, such as court decisions. Pipl's leadership in this area has been confirmed by Lifehacker.com, TechCrunch, and other publications.

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Why do you need it

If you need to find information about a person living in the USA, then Pipl will be much more effective than Google. Databases of Russian ships, apparently, are not available to the search engine. Therefore, he does not cope with the citizens of Russia so well.

People →

5. Find Sounds

What is it

FindSounds is another specialized search engine. Searches in open sources for various sounds: home, nature, cars, people and so on. The service does not support queries in Russian, but there is an impressive list of Russian-language tags by which you can search.

The better

In the issuance of only sounds and nothing more. In the settings you can set the desired format and sound quality. All found sounds are available for download. There is a search on the sample.

Why do you need it

If you need to quickly find the sound of a musket shot, the blows of a 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.

But seriously, a specialized service involves a specialized audience. But what if it comes in handy for you too?

Find Sounds →

6. Wolfram | Alpha

What is it

Wolfram | Alpha is a search engine. Instead of links to articles containing keywords, it gives a ready-made response to a user’s request. For example, if you enter “compare the population of New York and San Francisco” into the search form in English, then Wolfram | Alpha immediately displays the tables and graphs with the comparison.

The better

This service is better than others for finding facts and calculating data. Wolfram | Alpha accumulates and organizes the knowledge available on the Web from various fields, including science, culture and entertainment. If this database contains a ready-made answer to a search query, the system displays it; if not, it calculates and displays the result. In this case, the user sees only the necessary information and nothing more.

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Why do you need it

If you, for example, are a student, analyst, journalist or researcher, you can use Wolfram | Alpha to search and calculate data related to your activity. The service does not understand all requests, but is constantly evolving and becoming smarter.

Wolfram | Alpha →

7.Dogpile

What is it

The Dogpile metasearch engine displays a combined list of results from search results of Google, Yahoo and other popular systems.

The better

Firstly, Dogpile displays less advertising. Secondly, the service uses a special algorithm to find and show the best results from different search engines. According to Dogpile developers, their systems form the most complete display on the entire Internet.

Why do you need it

If you can’t find the information on Google or another standard search engine, look for it in several search engines at once using Dogpile.

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8.BoardReader

What is it

BoardReader is a text search system for 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 it

BoardReader can be useful for PR specialists and other media professionals who are interested in the opinion of the mass audience on certain issues.

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