Sustainable Substitutes for Google Search

The world's biggest search engine, contributing massively to Google's data monopolies while showing biased results.

Reasons to avoid Google Search

Avoid Google Search due to Google’s invasive data collection that risks user’s privacy. Its algorithms spread misinformation and bias. Search results are enriched with AI answers which don’t serve user’s best interest. Instead, this choice costs lots of energy and prevents users from visiting websites where information originates from. Aggressive tax avoidance strategies give them a competitive edge over other search engines.

Opt for other search engines like privacy-focused GOOD or eco-friendly Ecosia.

Sustainable Alternatives

Here are some sustainable alternatives for Google Search

Ecosia

Ecosia is a German search engine with a focus on sustainability, donating all of its surplus revenue.

Ecosia is based in Germany, ensuring compliance with GDPR and strong privacy laws.
Ecosia produces and uses renewable energy to power its servers, reducing its carbon footprint.
Ecosia works anonymously. But users can create an account in order to track their implicit contributions to climate projects.
Ecosia donates all of its surplus revenue to conservation projects, supporting reforestation and climate action.
Ecosia doesn't cost anything. Although one could argue that users pay with their personal data since IP address and search queries are shared with Big Tech.
Website

GOOD

GOOD is a non-profit search engine from Germany. All of its revenue is donated to charity.

GOOD claims to be climate positive. It uses carbon-neutral data centres but calculate emissions as if the data-centres wouldn't be. These calculated emissions are then offset by investing in environment friendly projects. Source: Our Contribution to Climate Protection [German]
GOOD is based in Germany, ensuring compliance with GDPR and strong privacy laws.
GOOD does not track users or display personalised ads, ensuring a private search experience. Source: HOW GOOD WORKS
GOOD provides a completely ad-free search experience, focusing on user needs rather than advertising revenue.Source: HOW GOOD WORKS
GOOD is supported by voluntary donations, encouraging users to contribute to its mission to support projects that meet UN's Sustainable Development Goals.Source: Your Impact
Website

Qwant

Qwant is a French privacy-first search engine that does not track users.

Qwant is based in France, ensuring compliance with GDPR and strong privacy laws.
Qwant does not track users or resell personal data. For now, it forwards personal information to Bing though.
Qwant’s browser extension and some privacy tools are open-source, allowing for public review and transparency.
Qwant doesn't cost anything. Although one could argue that users pay with their personal data since IP address and search queries are shared with Big Tech.
Website

Mojeek

Mojeek is a UK-based independent search engine with strict privacy policies.

Mojeek is based in the UK, ensuring compliance with European privacy regulations.
Mojeek does not track users or store personal data, ensuring a private search experience through its independent non-third-party search index.
Mojeek provides open-source tools and APIs for developers.
Mojeek does not load or store any third-party resources. It does integrate external LLMs for its summaries though.
Website

The 7 main issues with Google Search

Big Tech - Big Tech companies do not nourish people and planet. This is especially true in times of political tension.

Google is one of the largest tech companies, contributing to market monopolisation and exploitative data practices. Source: EFF: Google Search Monopoly and Privacy Concerns (2025)

Privacy Concerns - User data is likely to be stored and used against users' best interest.

Google Search collects vast amounts of user data, raising significant privacy concerns. Source: Brookings: Google Search Privacy Risks (2025)

Lack of Transparency - Opacity in operations, data handling, or supply chains, making it difficult for users to understand practices.

Google lacks transparency in its data collection and usage practices. Source: FTC: Google Antitrust Violations (2025)

Data Monopolies - Control of vast amounts of user data, creating risks for privacy and potential misuse.

Google controls vast amounts of user data, creating risks for privacy and potential misuse. Source: The Verge: DOJ vs. Google Search Monopoly (2024)

Misinformation / Manipulation - Spread of false or misleading information, often through algorithmic amplification, which can harm public discourse and trust.

Search results show a bias towards content that fits its politcal/strategic agenda. Sources: The Verge: Google is blocking AI searches for Trump and dementia(2025), Heise: DMA: EU Commission examines possible media discrimination by Google (2025),

Tax Avoidance - Aggressive strategies are being deployed to avoid paying taxes.

Google is known for aggressively avoiding paying taxes, so much that taxing it got its own term: "Google tax". Source: Wikipedia: Google Tax

No Carbon Neutrality Goals - No goals for carbon neutrality is a bad sign as it shows lack of commitment to holding crucial thresholds for global climate warming.

Google recently erased its Carbon Neutrality Goals in favour of massively increasing its use of AI in its various products. Source: Toms Hardware: Google quietly removes net-zero carbon goal from website amid rapid power-hungry AI data center buildout (2025)