Do you use a private search engine? If so, which one do you prefer and why? Today, we’ll compare two of the most popular ones on the market: DuckDuckGo vs Qwant. We’ll take a look at their features, advantages, and disadvantages.
- What exactly is a private search engine?
- Qwant vs. DuckDuckGo – What are the Similarities and Differences?
- Quick Qwant Overview
- Quick DuckDuckGo Overview
- Qwant vs. DuckDuckGo Feature Comparison
- So Which One Should I Use – DuckDuckGo vs Qwant?
- How do Qwant and DuckDuckGo results compare to Google?
- Which is better: Qwant or DuckDuckGo?
- Final Thoughts
- Frequently Asked Questions About Private Search Engines
What exactly is a private search engine?
It’s an online service that allows you to surf the web privately, without being tracked by third parties or advertisers. Private search engines are also known as “private browsing” software and they’re becoming increasingly popular among internet users who want more control over their privacy. The best way to find out if your favorite browser supports private searches is to check its help menu for instructions on how to enable it.
Qwant vs. DuckDuckGo – What are the Similarities and Differences?
Both of them work very similarly but they differ slightly in terms of functionality. For example, DuckDuckGo has more advanced image search capabilities than Qwant. However, both of them allow you to perform different types of online searches, including location-based ones. Also, both of them support multiple languages.
Quick Qwant Overview
Qwant is a French search engine that was established in 2013 by Jean-Baptiste Queru, who previously worked at Google France as an engineer on its Chrome browser team. The company’s goal is to provide users with privacy-focused alternatives for popular web services such as Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Wikipedia, Netflix, Spotify, eBay, etc., which it does through partnerships with these companies. It also provides free email accounts that can be used without revealing personal information.
A few things to note:
The main difference between Qwant and other similar products is that Qwant doesn’t track user data. Instead of storing cookies, IP addresses, location history, browsing activity, etc., all this info goes directly to servers hosted outside of Europe.
The Pros of Using Qwant Over Other Search Engines
1) Qwant operates its private search engine separately from Google Search, instead of partnering with Bing to power their results. This means you won’t see any of your searches appear in Google if you’re logged into both sites simultaneously. You’ll only get one result per query regardless of what site you’re searching from.
The service doesn’t have ads or trackers built directly into the interface like other major search engines do. Instead, they use third-party ad networks and analytics tools to collect data about how people interact with content on websites.
Since it’s a privacy-focused search engine, it will not track your geolocation. If you want to find out where someone lives based on their IP address, you’d need to look elsewhere.
2) You don’t have to register to create a new account. Qwant will walk you through the process.
3) No Tracking Cookies, involved, so there’s nothing being sent back to Qwant’s servers.
4) Qwant loads pages quickly because it doesn’t rely on crawling every website on the internet. Instead, it relies on pre-built indexes containing links to relevant articles.
5) An easy-to-use interface makes it a good alternative search engine. The main menu is divided into four sections, which contain subcategories that can be expanded further.
6) Secure Browser alerts you whenever you land on a potentially dangerous webpage.
7) Customizable Settings allow for better readability and usability. Change the number of results and their display order. Add bookmarks.
8) Qwant has made its mobile app available for iOS and Android devices, with additional functionality for using social media platforms.
9) Privacy Policy makes it clear that your activity is tracked by default. It also states that Qwant may share anonymous usage statistics with advertisers and partners.
10) The search history allows you to save previous queries and view them later, without having to re-enter keywords or perform another query.
11) Advanced Filters allow you to narrow down your results according to specific criteria such as date range, location, category, author, etc. You’re also able to sort results in ascending or descending order.
12) Multiple Languages – Qwant supports over 30 languages.
13) You don’t need an active connection to conduct a web search. All content is stored locally on your phone until you decide to load it again.
14) Free from ads. Displays only sponsored listings, which include deals, coupons, discounts, products, services, events, and so forth.
15) All pages loaded during a web search are encrypted using SSL.
What are the Cons of Qwant?
1) Not all websites work properly, although they appear fine in other browsers.
2) Some sites won’t show up in Qwant because they haven’t updated their site to use HTML5 technology.
3) Slow loading, by today’s standards.
4) Requires JavaScript in order to run on your browser.
5) It does not allow you to limit search requests results to the last year.
6) No option to download saved searches.
7) Limited browser customization options.
8) Qwant signed a censorship agreement in 2019, banning topics deemed sensitive by Chinese authorities.
Quick DuckDuckGo Overview
DuckDuckGo was founded in 2008 by Gabriel Weinberg, John Hanke, Ben Gomes, and Michael Barrett. Their mission statement reads: “We believe everyone deserves easy, reliable Internet service”.
A few things to note:
The main difference between DuckDuckGo and other similar products is that they take user security very seriously. They constantly monitor and audit their platform for threats and vulnerabilities.
The Pros of Using DuckDuckGo Over Other Search Engines
1) DuckDuckGo’s private search engine doesn’t collect any personal information. This means no cookies, no IP addresses, nothing. It just gives you clean, private search results without tracking you around the internet.
2) Safe Searches check against DuckDuckGo’s blacklist of bad words that cause problems for their customers.
3) Fast Loading Speed allows you to get your search results quickly.
4) Customizable Search Queries Results Page allows you to change fonts, colors, add images, and more.
5) DuckDuckGo’s Instant Answers feature offers a fast and easy way to receive instant answers that are relevant to your query.
6) DuckDuckGo uses non-intrusive ads called Sponsored Results. They appear as small boxes below each result which contain links to relevant content. When clicked, it redirects you back to the original source.
7) DuckDuckGo stores user history. However, unlike public search engines, DuckDuckGo does not sell or share this information with third parties.
8) You can work offline and still receive all the benefits of using DuckDuckGo.
9) Free from Censorship
10) Free To Use, with an ad-free experience, unlimited web pages per day and no registration required.
What are the Cons of Using DuckDuckGo?
1) DuckDuckGo doesn’t post publishing dates, which means that the information on a page may be outdated.
2) It doesn’t store user data, which means that you’ll have to conduct the same search 4 or 5 times to get your required result.
3) DuckDuckGo is US-based and relies on Bing for search results. It also relies on Bing advertisements and collects revenue from eBay and Amazon. This means that they can’t guarantee that your search activity is private.
4) DuckDuckGo uses !Bang syntax, which will not protect your privacy when you search from other sites.
5) More Suitable for English speakers. This means you might need to translate certain terms manually.
Qwant vs. DuckDuckGo Feature Comparison
| Qwant | DuckDuckGo |
| Based in Europe | Based in the US |
| Fast load speed | Fast load speed |
| Full and light, customizable interface | Simple, user-friendly, customizable interface |
| Search for images, news, videos, shopping, and social | !bang syntax technique |
| Cookie-free | Cookie-free |
| 5 seconds to load 5 pages | 5 seconds to load everything |
| Firefox browser extension |
So Which One Should I Use – DuckDuckGo vs Qwant?
It depends on how much you value privacy and security. If you want to keep your identity private, then go ahead and try out Qwant. However, if you just want to get around websites’ trackers and advertisements, then DuckDuckGo would probably suit you better.
How do Qwant and DuckDuckGo results compare to Google?
The main difference between these two search engines is their approach towards privacy. While both use similar technology, one focuses more on privacy than the other. Let’s see how they stack up against each other:
Search Engine Features
Both Qwant and DuckDuckGo allow users to perform searches without having to register first. This makes them ideal for people who want to keep their identity anonymous while conducting research. Both search engines support image searches too.
Which is better: Qwant or DuckDuckGo?
While both Qwant and DuckDuckGo are great options if you’re looking for something specific in a private search engine, we feel that DuckDuckGo is better for users. It offers a more robust system with faster load speeds and is compatible with a variety of browsers.
Final Thoughts
You’ve learned the differences between Qwant vs DuckDuckGo. If you want to browse anonymously, we suggest trying out DuckDuckGo. The interface is simple and easy to navigate. Plus, its features make it easier to stay safe online.
Frequently Asked Questions About Private Search Engines
Do DuckDuckGo and Qwant store my personal data?
Yes, but only anonymously. They don’t collect any personally identifiable information about our users. Our goal is to make sure that every person gets accurate answers to their questions.
Are these private search engines safe?
Yes! DuckDuckGo’s mission statement says “to give power to the individual“. Qwant shares the same philosophy.
Can I trust these private search engines? Why should I choose them over others?
Because they have gained a solid reputation for their security and user privacy.
