Is the DuckDuckGo Browser Safe?

This article will discuss if the DuckDuckGo browser is safe for you to use. We will also discuss how DuckDuckGo compares to Google. DuckDuckGo vs Google is not the typical battle between search engines that one would think of. Usually, Google’s nearest competition is Bing or Yahoo. DuckDuckGo is not exactly considered a competitor to Google. But there are some interesting discussion around DuckDuckGo, including topics about user safety. Deciding which one is better between DuckDuckGo and Google can give an interesting insight on search engines. There are factors that help out both search engines in their specific specialized aspects. In this article, we will discuss if DuckDuckGo’s browser is safe for anyone to use, the pros and cons of DuckDuckGo, and more.  

What is DuckDuckGo?

DuckDuckGo is an internet search engine that works the same way as the other major search engines, but with one minor difference. The difference between DuckDuckGo vs Google is that the former does not store your IP addresses while conducting searches within the search engine.

If you search “Best Comedy Movie of the 90s” on both browsers, the search results on the first page are almost exactly the same, with pages differing in ranking. Plus, both are free, so if you feel the need to switch around to try DuckDuckGo, it won’t cost you anything. DuckDuckGo’s app interface is all about keeping your search history empty, and having you be safe on the internet with no tracking.

Some have decided that their searches are bland and can be done on DuckDuckGo without being tracked, so they have ditched Google. Many of us may not have that option, unfortunately. Google’s ecosystem is very hard to get out of, especially with Google Drive, Google Photos, and Google Mail being leaders in the industry of suite apps. If you do not use any of those, there is no harm trying out DuckDuckGo. That’s because it works in almost the same exact way as Google and the rest.

One of your more important questions may be “Is DuckDuckGo Safe?” We will answer that question next. 

Is DuckDuckGo Safe?

If you have stumbled upon this article, it is likely because you’re doing a comparison of DuckDuckGo vs Google, and could potentially be switching search engines. One of the most important questions you may have is asking yourself, “Is DuckDuckGo Safe?” So, is DuckDuckGo safe?

Well, the first disclaimer I would say is that DuckDuckGo won’t be able to prevent your kids from accessing sites that you do not want them accessing. Using a URL blocker will have greater success with that, as the search engine itself can search for what the user desires. DuckDuckGo also pledges to keep its secrets about you safe, and that it will not tie back any information to you.

All of your data collected on DuckDuckGo is private. The only way DuckDuckGo can give away that data is if a court order is issued. DuckDuckGo can be considered safe by modern search engine standards, and it also keeps your information safe. You won’t be as cluttered with ads when using DuckDuckGo. That doesn’t mean you will be ad free. DuckDuckGo still runs ads to create revenue for themselves. If you’re still wondering is DuckDuckGo safe, it can be safe to say that DuckDuckGo is safe.

More importantly, all of your data is safe with them, and not shared. While that is a great positive of DuckDuckGo, going over the ups and downs in general can help you make a more informed decision on which browser to use.

Pros and Cons of DuckDuckGo

While we have praised DuckDuckGo for its dedication to user security and privacy, we have not discussed some of the cons of DuckDuckGo.

Cons of DuckDuckGo

The first loss that you will face when changing over to DuckDuckGo will be the loss of the Google Suite apps. Of course, you can always go back, but switching back and forth every day multiple times seems like a hassle for most users. Google’s powerful and free suite apps such as Docs, Sheets, and Slides are all very helpful to students and coworkers looking to share and edit documents together. DuckDuckGo is just a search browser that offers no suite apps by itself, which is the first downside when comparing DuckDuckGo vs Google.

Another downside is that if you run an ecommerce site online, DuckDuckGo users are described as referral visitors, and not organic visitors by default. There is ample information on how to track visitors as organic, though. Setting it to organic will give you better Google Analytics data. Google analytics, by the way, is also a tool provided by Google and there is no alternative provided by DuckDuckGo. Like I mentioned before, switching back and forth is a hassle, so if you are a really big Google Analytics and Suite user, switching may not be right for you.

But enough with the negatives, DuckDuckGo has some pros as well that we will discuss next. 

DuckDuckGo Pros

As we have mentioned before, DuckDuckGo does not track you, nor does it store your data. Each search you do on DuckDuckGo is anonymous. Any ads you get will be tailored to the website you visit, rather than tailored on your saved information like in Google.

DuckDuckGo also has a great app for mobile phones. The app has a simple user interface that even shows you how to clear your search history to be sure you are not being tracked. The biggest plus of DuckDuckGo is how important your privacy is to them. Other companies ask you to personalize your ad display, and DuckDuckGo is the exact opposite; they tailor ads to the sites you visit.

Another advantage that ties in to that is how DuckDuckGo provides users with unbiased search results. There is no way to track users, so each search they do will not have a biased link on the top of the search results.

Overall, DuckDuckGo vs Google has some pros and cons. Next, we will conduct a fair DuckDuckGo review. 

A Fair DuckDuckGo Review

Coming from someone who uses Google everyday, a fair DuckDuckGo review may seem hard to conduct. But after discussing all of the great features (there are even more) that DuckDuckGo has, and how it also protects user information, a fair DuckDuckGo review is deserved.

When comparing DuckDuckGo vs. Google, it should be said that DuckDuckGo has the same amount of searches in one year as Google does in one day. With that being said, DuckDuckGo can be described as a minnow, but a worthy one. A Google search works differently than a DuckDuckGo search, because your previously saved preferences are used in the search. DuckDuckGo does not do that. None of your search history is stored forever.

According to the folks at DuckDuckGo, your privacy is safe with them. In fact, since they do not store information, they do not know how many users use DuckDuckGo. Google, on the other hand, displays ads based on past information stored about you on their servers. They also rank search results based on your past data. 

When comparing DuckDuckGo vs Google, it can be seen that DuckDuckGo is more dedicated to stopping the tracking of users and does not save any user information. Their dedication to user safety and privacy makes DuckDuckGo a reliable alternative to Google. If the Google Suite apps are necessary for you to use, then it is best to stick to Google, but if you are just a casual user trying to decide between DuckDuckGo vs Google, then giving DuckDuckGo a try won’t hurt you. 

So, is DuckDuckGo Safe?

So, are you still not sure whether DuckDuckGo is safe? Well, after discussing the above reasons and comparing DuckDuckGo vs Google, we can see that there are a lot of positive as well as some big downsides to switching over. Your safety is the number one priority of DuckDuckGo. They tailor their search engine to suit your privacy needs. DuckDuckGo does not store your data or search history.

In comparison, Google and Bing, as well as others, store your search history forever. That can be rather unfortunate. DuckDuckGo has a well optimized mobile app. Most companies that do have well-optimized mobile apps tend to be safe and reliable. It’s usually because a lot of money has gone into developing that app.

Although it appears that DuckDuckGo is a good alternative to Google, you should not consider switching if you benefit greatly from the Google Suite Apps. Anyone that uses the Google Suite Apps will not be able to find similar apps on DuckDuckGo. The alternative is Microsoft, and if you are not willing to pay, then sticking to Google is a better idea. Also, Google Analytics users will find it harder to use DuckDuckGo with Analytics. 

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide which search engine will be best for you to use. Hopefully now you have all the information you need to make your decision. For more help with choosing what software is right for you, contact SEO Design Chicago today!