Google has been the dominant search engine in the world for years and shows no signs of slowing down. However, many have started to realize how big the reach of this tech giant is. The amount of information they collect is beyond what anyone could have imagined.
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Every click you make and every site you visit is stored in Google and available for their use. They can sell this intimate information to advertisers, leading to those frighteningly accurate promotions you can receive while on the web.
There is a way to stop feeding the giant. Every year, more and more promising browsers and search engines are developed that can compete with Google in terms of functionality and search accuracy.
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Best Google Search Alternatives
If you’re looking for a change from Google, there are plenty of alternatives that offer different features, benefits, and levels of privacy. Some of them are based on the same technology as Google while others use their own algorithms and methods. Here are some of the best Google search alternatives that we recommend.
1. Courageous
Brave is an alternative choice to Google. Brave works much like Google Chrome and supports Chrome extensions. ( )
- A replica of Google Chrome in terms of speed and functionality, offering an easy to navigate interface.
- Supports all Chrome extensions.
- Focuses heavily on privacy by protecting you from pesky ads and tracking pixels that monitor your every move.
- Protects against potentially dangerous websites that could harm your computer.
- Contains a built-in incognito mode that hides your IP address if you want to search anonymously.
2. Start page

Startpage is a browser that does not use cookies and cannot be forced to comply with US monitoring programs. ( )
- Does not use cookies, which are storage files created by websites that store your data and are used to personalize advertisements and identify the user across different sites.
- Has its own private messaging solution, which encrypts and protects everything you send. You can learn more about their private email solution, which is our top choice for private and secure email, by visiting Cyberguy.com/Mail/.
- When you search, each link has the option of being viewed anonymously, preventing the site from knowing how you found it or where you came from.
- Cannot be forced to comply with US government surveillance programs like PRISM since it is based in the Netherlands.
3. Ecosia

Ecosia is a browser that does not sell user data. ( )
- The eco-friendly search engine reports that 80% of its profits go to organizations that plant trees and help care for the environment.
- Not as secure as other privacy-focused engines, but refuses to collect or sell user data, unlike Google.
- It is available on Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Microsoft Edge browsers as the default search engine.
- It is B Lab certified, which means it operates with a higher level of transparency and accountability than other browsers.
4. Disconnect research

Disconnect Search is another proxy search engine that blocks sites that track data. (CyberGuy.com)
- A proxy search engine that collects search results from sites like DuckDuckGo, Bing, and Yahoo and presents them to you more securely.
- Prioritize anonymity. It blocks sites that track data and allows you to view advertising requests in advance to protect your privacy.
- Comes with a browser extension that makes pages load faster.
- Very simple interface with no added filters or confusion.
5. Opera

The Opera web browser which has many privacy features including a built-in VPN. (CyberGuy.com)
- Opera is a fast, secure, and innovative web browser that offers a variety of features and benefits.
- Opera has a built-in ad blocker, VPN, crypto wallet, newsreader, video popup, etc., making it a versatile and convenient browser for different needs and preferences.
- Opera is compatible with most websites and extensions and supports multiple platforms, such as Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.
- Opera is constantly improving and updating its browser with new features, improvements and bug fixes, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable browsing experience.
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Bonus: 5 important settings to change on your Chrome browser
If you insist on using Google Chrome, there are several precautions you can take to improve your privacy.
1. Unlink the browser from your Google account
- Open the Google account settings page in your web browser. You can do this by going to https://myaccount.google.com or by clicking on your profile photo or initial in the upper right corner of any Google page and selecting “Manage your Google account.“
- Once on the Google account page, click on the “Security” tab in the left sidebar.
- Scroll to “Your devices” section and click “Manage all devices.“
- You will see a device list who are currently logged into your Google account. Find it device or browser you want to ungroup and click on it.
- On the device details page, click the “Sign out” next to the device name. This will disconnect the device from your Google account.
2. Enable Safe Browsing
- From the same Google account settings page in your web browser, click the “Security” tongue.
- Scroll down to the section that says “Improved safe browsing for your account.” Click on “Manage Improved Safe Browsing” and click the switch in the box.
- Click on “To light up” on the pop-up window.
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3. Opt out of Google by recording your web and app activity and location
- From the same Google account settings page in your web browser, click the “Data Privacy” tab.
- Scroll to “History settings.“
- To extinguish “web and app Activity,” “Position history” And “YouTube history.“
4. Disable sending usage data and URLs to Google
- Click on the three vertical dots.
- Scroll down and tap Settings.
- Click on “Synchronization Services and Google.”
- On the tab “Help improve the features and performance of Chrome” make sure your switch is off.
- On the tab “Improve searches and navigation”, make sure your switch is off.
5. Set a new default search engine from your computer’s web browser
- Click on the three vertical dots.
- Click on the three lines next to “Settings” at the top of the page.
- Click on “Search engine” in the left band and switch from Google to your alternative engine choice.
- Click on “Manage search engines and site search” and scroll down to the section with the heading “Search engine.”
- Click on the three points next to your favorite search engine and click default.
- If your preferred engine is not already listed, click the pencil next to one of the other engines and enter the URLs and the name of the one you want. Then hit To safeguard.
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For more security, use a VPN
Consider using a VPN to protect against who may be tracking you and identify your potential location on websites you visit. Many sites are able to read your IP address and, depending on their privacy settings, may display the city from which you correspond. A VPN will disguise your IP address to show another location.
For the best VPN software, check out my expert review of the best VPNs to browse the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices visiting Cyberguy.com/VPN/.
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Kurt’s main takeaways
In the era of Google dominance, the extent of information collected without consent is alarming, but there are browser alternatives like Brave, Startpage, Ecosia, Disconnect Search, and Opera. It might be time to embrace these alternatives to take control of your online privacy.
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Would you consider switching to a safer alternative search engine? If you’ve done it before, what do you use and what was your experience? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com/Contact/.
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter/.
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