# Alternatives to Startpage Google results without tracking. Startpage ranks #7 of 7 in Search engines, with an Alt Score of 24. It is proprietary, free from Free and available on Web, iOS and Android. 6 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source. Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/startpage/ Category: Search engines ## Overview - **Who it's for**: People who want Google-quality search results but don't want Google (or anyone else) logging their queries, IP address, or building a profile of them — privacy-conscious users, journalists, and anyone in a jurisdiction with heavy surveillance or ad-tracking concerns. - **What you get**: Search results sourced from Google (and Bing) with all tracking, logging, and personal identifiers stripped out before they reach you. Startpage does not record IP addresses, use tracking cookies, or store search history. An Anonymous View feature lets you open any result through Startpage's proxy so the destination site never sees your IP or browser details. As a Dutch company, it operates under GDPR and EU data protection law. - **How it works**: You search as you would on any engine; Startpage forwards the query to Google on your behalf, removes identifying data, and returns the results to you. To visit a result anonymously, you click its Anonymous View link and Startpage fetches the page server-side and displays it to you instead of connecting you directly. ## Profile - **License**: Proprietary (verified 2026-07-10) - **Pricing model**: Free (verified 2026-07-10) - **Starts at**: Free (verified 2026-07-10) - **Platforms**: Web, iOS, Android - **Status**: active (verified 2026-07-10) ## Ranked alternatives | # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms | |---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------| | 1 | [Brave Search](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/brave-search.md) | 86 | Proprietary | Web | | 2 | [Kagi](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/kagi.md) | 86 | Proprietary | Web | | 3 | [DuckDuckGo](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/duckduckgo.md) | 73 | Proprietary | Web | | 4 | [Ecosia](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/ecosia.md) | 60 | ? | Web | | 5 | [Google](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/google.md) | 50 | Proprietary | Web | | 6 | [Mojeek](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/mojeek.md) | 46 | Proprietary | Web, iOS, Android | Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/ ## Feature comparison Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified). | Search engines checklist | Startpage | Brave Search | Kagi | DuckDuckGo | Ecosia | Google | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Pricing model | Free | Freemium | Subscription | Free | Free | Free | | Starts at | Free | $3.00/month | $5/mo | Free | Free | Free | | License | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | ? | Proprietary | | Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web | Web | Web | Web | Web | | Independent index | No | Yes | Partial | Partial | No | Yes | | No tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | | Bangs / shortcuts | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | | AI answers | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Ad-free option | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | | Customizable ranking | ? | Yes | Yes | Partial | Partial | Partial | | Self-hostable | No | No | No | No | No | No | | Maps & local results | ? | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Image & video search | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Paid tier value | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | ## Sources Sources for Startpage. Each alternative is sourced on its own page. - **License**: Proprietary — (verified 2026-07-10) - Quote: “Every search performed on Startpage is processed through our proprietary personal data protection technology.” - **Pricing model**: Free — (verified 2026-07-10) - Quote: “Startpage is free to use because we show contextual ads.” - **Platforms**: Web, iOS, Android — (verified 2026-07-10) - Quote: “The Startpage Private Browser app for iOS and Android uses Startpage as its default search engine.” - **Starts at**: Free — (verified 2026-07-10) - Quote: “Startpage is free to use because we show contextual ads.” - **Status**: active — (verified 2026-07-10) - Quote: “Today, Firefox is piloting Startpage as a native private search option in select European markets—a direct response to the Mozilla Connect community, where over 1,200 of you asked for exactly this.” - **Independent index**: No — (verified 2026-07-10) - Quote: “Startpage provides search results from multiple search and content providers, including Google and Bing, without sending your identity along with the query.” - **No tracking**: Yes — (verified 2026-07-10) - Quote: “We do not record IP addresses, record search queries, serve tracking or identifying cookies, build personal profiles, or save or sell your search history.” - **AI answers**: Partial — (verified 2026-07-10) - Note: AI via a separate standalone app (Vanish), not in-SERP answers. - Quote: “Does Startpage offer private AI? Yes. Startpage also offers Vanish, a standalone private AI app built around the same privacy principle as Startpage search.” - **Ad-free option**: No — (verified 2026-07-10) - Quote: “Startpage is free to use because we show contextual ads.” - **Self-hostable**: No — (verified 2026-07-10) - Note: Proprietary closed-source SaaS; no self-hosting. - Quote: “Every search performed on Startpage is processed through our proprietary personal data protection technology.” - **Paid tier value**: No — (verified 2026-07-10) - Note: No paid tier; entirely free/ad-supported. - Quote: “Startpage is free to use because we show contextual ads.” --- Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/