Thanks. This I nice little guide, easy to suss and helps me figure my priorities.
Very strange to put Kagi as “less private” when it’s the only non-self-hosted option that allows for completely private searches with their Privacy Pass tokens. You can access them with Tor, pay with crypto (not really that private though), and sign up with a fake email. https://kagi.com/privacy#anonymity
It isn’t marked as less private. It is grayed out because it is not based in Europe. I personally use them as I find them the best option with what is out there.
The text at the bottom says “kagi doesn’t collect any identifying data, but does require an account, so it is considered less private than the alternatives”.
With fingerprinting and even just IP tracking, I think the question is more whether they can be trusted to not track you (i.e. whether it makes business sense).
But they allow access over Tor and their privacy tokens means they can’t tie your search to your account, so they both don’t get fingerprinting nor know who is even making the request.
I think that’s Walnut’s nod to the fact that PrivacyGuides still hasn’t wrapped their head around the concept of paid search.
I haven’t seen any legitimate evidence that Kagi’s Privacy Pass is any less private than any other search option on the market, but long ago PG defined private search as “not requiring an account” and are completely locked up on that concept.
Even though just about every VPN on the planet (and all of their recommended ones) require accounts, as do most of the other services they recommend. The world is just so used to “free” search (which just sells your data or your time) that they don’t know what to do with a new business model.
Bitcoin isn’t private at all. It’s a very transparent cryptocurrency.
I didn’t say bitcoin and I called out not really private in my comment.
I’m just adding extra info to your comment. They take payment in Bitcoin, but crypto like Monero is private, which they don’t take.
Oh ok
Can’t wait to get some news about Qwant and Ecosia new index
They’re basically all compromised in one way or another. 😞
For Search, it is about finding the least bad option and hope that they will become more independent. Mojeek (fully independent but poor quality) or Qwant (building own index, but dependent on Bing)
Anyone noticed google brought back forum seaching again? I left google search way back just because that feature went away.
Either way I can’t stand the AI answers I can’t turn off.
Worth noting about Startpage: they’re part of System1, an American advertising/marketing company. Sytem1 claims that privacy is one of the biggest focuses though. Make of that what you will.
Not a search engine, but last week I learned of the European Open Websearch project, which builds a new free and open search index. It should already be ready to try out. Hopefully we will see some search engines implementing this soon.
where is duckduckgo on this chart?
In the PrivateSearch section, but greyed out as they are not an EU based company.
I wish Kagi was not American. I was pretty happy with it until America became a thread
Me too. Kagi is the best of them all, including Google.
The only downside? It’s an American company.
Another downside is that is costs $5 a month to use…
How terrible that you have to pay for a product you use
No one wanting to pay for anything is what got us into this mess in the first place
I was thinking about the aspect of privacy. Not only do you need a user, you also have to give them your payment details.
And don’t get me started on their “300 searches a month”-bullshit. If I pay for 300 searches, I want my 300 searches. Regardless of how long it takes me to use it.
You can sign up to Kagi and pay anonymously, they state how to do it in their FAQ’s.
I was thinking about the aspect of privacy. Not only do you need a user, you also have to give them your payment details.
Kagi has established Privacy Pass which perfectly meets the need of balancing paid search with privacy. If you have a better fix I’m sure they’d love to hear about it on their feedback forum.
And don’t get me started on their “300 searches a month”-bullshit. If I pay for 300 searches, I want my 300 searches. Regardless of how long it takes me to use it.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
As a someone who averages >1000 searches/month, I burned through the 300/month tier pretty quickly. They’re kind enough to credit you if you don’t use their service in a given month, which is already uncommon in the subscription business model.
I’m okay with forsaking one avocado toast a month for a search engine that actually works, but if I don’t feel good about where my money goes then I’m signficantly less willing.
I like spending money on the things I use. The status of paying customer is an enviable position (minus the paying part).
I really wish Qwant would add the ability for me to Seach “1 eur to usd” and just get the results.
Along with “tsla” and “23 *3” and just get results.
Whats the last one?
Pretty weak chart to not even include “I care most about porn search”
stop promoting brave. oh my god it’s 2025 how good is their propaganda… they were never cool.
I recommend Ecosia!
For now I’ll stick with SearXNG, it’s among the first things I get up and running when I distro hop, but I’m glad there are other non-US options to try.
yeah I wish decentralized search engines were more common
I really wish Kagi wasn’t American. Kagi is such a good product, and I’d be willing to pay for it, but in no universe am I willing to pump more money into silicon valley.
