DuckDuckGo vs Google: Which Is Better?

DuckDuckGo vs Google: which is better? This article will break down the two search engines and the benefits and drawbacks of each. Google has been dominating the search engine realm for almost two decades providing instant answers and results based on their evolving algorithm. However, a less controversial and safer search engine, DuckDuckGo, has proven it’s worth in recent years.

DuckDuckGo, like Google, is a search engine whose primary focus is on privacy and keeping your data safe. In recent years, Google has been under fire for leaking user’s data. DuckDuckGo was created in 2008 and hasn’t been labeled as a true competitor of Google. In this article, we will discuss seven reasons why DuckDuckGo is better than Google, how their business model works as well as some drawbacks.

Benefits of DuckDuckGo vs Google

DuckDuckGo vs Google: here are the seven reasons why DuckDuckGo is better than Google and why many users prefer switching to the DuckDuckGo browser as their default search engine:

DuckDuckGo Doesn’t Track You

What many people don’t know is that their actions such as search history on the internet are tracked, packaged, and sold to advertisers. This practice is called behavioral advertising. This is why you always see Google ads pop up of things you’ve been searching for, or even saying out loud. Google will tailor personalized ads for you to try to make as much money as possible.

For example, if you search t-shirts in Google, the results can be from places you recently shopped at or browsed. A common feature of Google is incognito mode. Many people think it’s safe but that’s not true, employers and the government can still see it which makes the name very misleading. DuckDuckGo protects you from the government, no matter what mode you are in. 

!Bangs

DuckDuckGo has a unique feature where you don’t even need to use their search engine to search the web. This feature is called Bangs. Basically, you put the “!” punctuation mark followed by which site you want to search on. For example, to quickly search something on Wikipedia, then you type “!w duckduckgo” in the URL bar. This will skip the process of going through DuckDuckGo to search for a Wikipedia page. Each website has its own shortcut, !tw for twitter, !a for amazon, and even !g for Google. Bang Shortcuts has 13,000 different bangs. This feature makes it seamless to browse the web in seconds. 

Unbiased Results

If you’re browsing the web on Google, whether it’s looking for food or doing research, Google will present you with biased results. This means that they can hide certain things from certain people. Did you know that 53% of organic search clicks go to the first link? Therefore, you are sometimes not getting the best results and just the ones based on your profiles. The same goes for your political leanings, where Google can display certain sites based on your location and political stance. This phenomenon is known as a filter bubble. DuckDuckGo doesn’t put their users in a filter bubble and give you unbiased results.  

Ads Are Minimum

We all find ads annoying, but they are necessary for search engines to make money. With a billion-dollar company like Google, they can generate revenue through other services. So, you would expect them to not run as many ads. Right? However, it’s the opposite. Google not only has an abundance of ads, but also ones that are meant to track you. DuckDuckGo has minimal ads and ones that are non-tracking.

How do the ads on DuckDuckGo work you may ask? Well, instead of showing you results of items tailored to you, it will just be generic and based on your search. For example, if you search “computer,” computer ads will pop up. But DuckDuckGo won’t just show you the Macs you were Googling earlier. 

Control over Personal Information

Many people use search engines for medical advice. This subject is sensitive for some people and they wouldn’t appreciate personal data coming out. Google, for example, can take your search and later advertise to you specific medications related to what you searched. DuckDuckGo is against this. They even show their passion against this by donating money to organizations who strive to make the internet a better place for everyone.

No Ecosystem

Google has bought a lot of companies over time. Therefore, they usually advertise their own sites as top results. For example, they have Google Places instead of Yelp, and Google Products instead of Amazon. Google is basically trying to take over the world and will show off their products first, no matter if others rank ahead of it. In this sense, they have built an ecosystem where they recycle their own sites throughout the web more than ones that rank higher. Some people say that you shouldn’t buy into the Google ecosystem. DuckDuckGo doesn’t want to have an ecosystem. Their goal is to prioritize the user and their needs. 

Privacy

As technology has advanced, the idea of privacy seems to be non-existent in a world with telephones and cameras. The place people are most vulnerable is on the internet, where we put in our card details when buying something online, or saving our passwords on our computers. Everything is online now: bank accounts, work, personal files, etc. DuckDuckGo’s whole premise is a safer and more secure browser that protects the consumers from big companies looking to take and sell their information. That’s why DuckDuckGo is superior, because it is working to keep its users safe. 

After reading the seven reasons why DuckDuckGo is better than Google, you can notice a common theme. DuckDuckGo is based on privacy and keeping search queries and user data safe. Some people don’t realize how important this is. Google is not showing true search results at times and displays certain websites depending on who you are. This isn’t what a search engine should do.

Drawbacks of DuckDuckGo vs Google

Although DuckDuckGo seems like a more dominant platform than Google, there are some drawbacks to DuckDuckGo. Yes, data and privacy are important, but the Google search engine offers a lot more in terms of services. Here are a few drawbacks of DuckDuckGo vs Google.

Fewer Features

We previously talked about the Google “ecosystem” and the services they provide for free. Google has a huge amount of services provided free to the user like Google Drive, Google Maps, and Gmail. DuckDuckGo don’t have anywhere near as many features as Google does. Google Business is a feature that allows any business to post their website on Google for free. Google owns YouTube, so you can use your Gmail account with your YouTube account, making it easier to manage your accounts. These services are valuable to consumers and will make them lean towards Google because of how useful and practical it can be. 

No Personalization

Google is known to have many creative features that allows users to change their browser look. You can change the background picture of your home page and even the color of the browser as a whole. DuckDuckGo doesn’t have this type of personalization compared to Google. 

Fewer Results

Because Google owns 90% of the search engine index online, they have access to much more resources and abilities with their software. DuckDuckGo doesn’t reach the same amount of results that Google can. Google’s Advanced Searching is a feature that makes searching for specific things easy. Some users complain that the search results on DuckDuckGo were worse than Google, but that is just a personal preference. 

DuckDuckGo vs Google: Which One is Better for You?

We compared the search engines of DuckDuckGo and Google and presented the reasons why DuckDuckGo is better. But each person’s needs are different when it comes to what they need. If you are someone who values their privacy and wants a safer browser where your information isn’t taken, then DuckDuckGo is the best option.

However, if you are a user who doesn’t mind the ads and enjoys the services and features of Google, then the Google search engine is most likely the better option for you. Technology has advanced so much that anyone can get your information.   

In this article we discussed the seven reasons why DuckDuckGo is a better search engine than Google. DuckDuckGo has many features like endless scrolling and Bangs, which make navigating the web easier. But the main appeal of DuckDuckGo is its emphasis on privacy and keeping user data safe. Other search engines, including Google, track what websites you go to and what you do on the web, they then take this information and sell it to advertisers.

That’s why sometimes you see ads that are very applicable to you. DuckDuckGo hides all your information from the government and advertisers so you’re not at risk. You can freely search the web with any health questions or other things you want to keep private. Although DuckDuckGo is better, it comes with drawbacks like lack of personalization and services compared to Google. At the end of the day, it’s up to the user’s choice to pick what’s best for them. 

Whether you are a business owner or consumer, picking the best search engine may be difficult. Here at SEO Design Chicago we specialize in digital services, social media and SEO. Reach out to us with any questions!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is DuckDuckGo really more private than Google?

Yes, DuckDuckGo is significantly more private than Google. While Google tracks your search history, packages your data, and sells it to advertisers for behavioral advertising, DuckDuckGo doesn’t track you at all. Google’s incognito mode is misleading because employers and government entities can still see your activity, whereas DuckDuckGo protects you from government tracking regardless of what mode you’re using. DuckDuckGo’s entire business model is built around privacy protection, ensuring your searches, personal information, and browsing habits remain confidential and aren’t sold to third parties.

2. What are “!Bangs” and how do they work in DuckDuckGo?

!Bangs are a unique DuckDuckGo feature that allows you to search other websites directly without going through DuckDuckGo first. You simply type an exclamation mark followed by a shortcut code and your search term. For example, typing “!w duckduckgo” will search Wikipedia directly for “duckduckgo,” while “!tw privacy” will search Twitter for “privacy.” DuckDuckGo offers over 13,000 different bang shortcuts, including !g for Google, !a for Amazon, and !tw for Twitter. This feature makes web browsing incredibly fast and seamless, allowing you to bypass multiple steps and search your preferred sites instantly.

3. Are DuckDuckGo search results as good as Google’s?

DuckDuckGo search results are unbiased and don’t create filter bubbles, which can actually make them more accurate for objective searches. However, Google does provide more comprehensive results due to owning 90% of the search engine index and having access to more resources. While some users report that Google’s results feel more complete, DuckDuckGo’s results aren’t tailored to your personal profile, meaning you see the same results as everyone else searching for the same terms. This can be better for research and getting diverse perspectives, though Google’s personalized results might feel more convenient for everyday searches.

4. Does DuckDuckGo have ads like Google?

Yes, DuckDuckGo does have ads, but they’re minimal and non-tracking. Unlike Google’s abundance of personalized tracking ads, DuckDuckGo shows generic ads based only on your current search term. For example, if you search for “computer,” you’ll see computer-related ads, but they won’t be based on your previous browsing history or personal profile. DuckDuckGo won’t show you ads for MacBooks just because you were looking at them earlier. This approach provides necessary revenue for the search engine while maintaining user privacy and avoiding the intrusive advertising experience common with other search engines.

5. What features does Google offer that DuckDuckGo doesn’t have?

Google offers a comprehensive ecosystem of integrated services that DuckDuckGo lacks, including Google Drive, Gmail, Google Maps, Google Business listings, YouTube integration, and advanced search features. Google also provides more personalization options, allowing users to customize their browser appearance with different backgrounds and colors. Additionally, Google’s services are interconnected – you can use your Gmail account across YouTube, Google Drive, and other Google services seamlessly. DuckDuckGo focuses primarily on search functionality and privacy rather than building an extensive service ecosystem, which means fewer convenience features but better privacy protection.

6. Can I use DuckDuckGo for business purposes?

Absolutely! DuckDuckGo can be excellent for business use, especially when conducting competitive research, market analysis, or any searches where you want unbiased results without your personal browsing history influencing the outcomes. The !Bangs feature can actually increase productivity by allowing quick searches across multiple platforms. However, businesses heavily reliant on Google’s ecosystem (Gmail, Google Workspace, Google Analytics, Google Ads) might find it challenging to completely switch away from Google. Many businesses use DuckDuckGo for research while maintaining Google services for their integrated business tools.

7. How does DuckDuckGo make money if they don’t sell user data?

DuckDuckGo generates revenue primarily through non-tracking advertisements and affiliate partnerships. When you search for something, they show relevant ads based solely on your search keywords, not your personal data or browsing history. They also earn money through affiliate relationships – if you click on a shopping result and make a purchase, they may receive a small commission. This business model proves that search engines can be profitable without compromising user privacy. Additionally, DuckDuckGo is supported by investors who believe in privacy-focused technology, allowing them to maintain their privacy-first approach while remaining financially sustainable.

8. Should I completely switch from Google to DuckDuckGo?

The decision depends on your priorities and needs. If privacy is your primary concern and you want to avoid data tracking, DuckDuckGo is the better choice. It’s particularly valuable for sensitive searches, research requiring unbiased results, or if you’re concerned about creating filter bubbles. However, if you rely heavily on Google’s integrated services (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps) or prefer personalized search results, you might find a complete switch challenging. Many users adopt a hybrid approach: using DuckDuckGo for private or research searches while maintaining Google for services like email and cloud storage. You can always try DuckDuckGo as your default search engine and use the !g bang to search Google when needed.