DuckDuckGo suits people who want to search without their searches being tracked or tied to a profile. Google suits people who want results shaped by their Google account, plus AI in Search, Maps and the rest of Google's tools. If privacy matters more to you than personalisation, use DuckDuckGo; if you want Google's depth and features, use Google and manage your activity settings.
I read DuckDuckGo's about page and help pages and Google's How Search Works and account help pages. The most useful facts were tucked away in the help pages, not the homepages.
DuckDuckGo and Google in a table
| DuckDuckGo | ||
|---|---|---|
| Search history | Says its search never tracks your searches | Some activity is saved in your Google Account |
| Where links come from | Its own crawler plus traditional links largely sourced from Bing | Google's own index and ranking systems |
| Ads | Based on the results page you're viewing, not a profile | Google says ads are the only thing it sells |
| Delete your history | Nothing to delete from search tracking | My Activity, with auto-delete options |
| AI | Optional AI features | Generative AI in Search |
| Browser | Own browser on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android | Chrome (separate product) |
How DuckDuckGo works
DuckDuckGo says it's about data protection, not data collection, and that its built-in search never tracks your searches. Its browser blocks cookie pop-ups and invasive ads, including on videos, and all its AI features are optional.
Its help page on ads explains how it shows them without a profile: ads are based on the search results page you're viewing, so searching for cars shows car ads. It says most ad clicks are handled by Microsoft's ad network, which states that it doesn't link your ad clicks to a user profile.
How Google works
Google's How Search Works pages describe how it organises information, ranks results, tests changes and fights spam, and it now brings generative AI into Search. It says ads help keep Search accessible, that they're the only thing it sells, and that it doesn't take payment for rankings.
On privacy, Google's account help explains that some of your activity is saved in your Google Account. You can delete it at My Activity, by day, by product or all at once, and set auto-delete. It also warns that if you sign in to your Google Account in a private window, your search activity may still be stored in that account.
Where DuckDuckGo's results come from
This is the detail I'd want to know before switching. DuckDuckGo's own help page says it runs its own crawler and indexes, pulls Instant Answers from sources like Wikipedia, and largely sources its traditional links and images from Bing. It says requests to partners go through its servers, so your IP address isn't passed on.
So you're not getting a completely separate web, you're getting Bing-sourced links with DuckDuckGo's privacy layer and answers on top. For a lot of searches that's all you need.
DuckDuckGo's browser goes beyond search. Its about page says the browser blocks cookie pop-ups and invasive ads, including on videos, and it's available on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. Google keeps search and browser apart: Search works in any browser, and Chrome is a separate product with its own settings. DuckDuckGo's own timeline says Apple added it to Safari's search options in 2014 and Mozilla added it to Firefox the same year, so switching is often just a setting, not a download.
Which search engine suits whom
DuckDuckGo suits people who search for health questions, family matters or anything personal and don't want it on a profile. Google suits people who want local results, Maps, AI answers and personalised suggestions. If you're wondering how safe the switch is, read my take on whether DuckDuckGo is safe, and for the strongest privacy setup, see whether Tor Browser is safe.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
My advice on DuckDuckGo or Google
You don't have to pick one forever. Set DuckDuckGo as your default for a week and note every time you go back to Google for a result. If it's rare, keep DuckDuckGo. If it's daily, stay with Google but open My Activity today, set auto-delete, and decide what you're happy for Google to keep.
Do you make search or privacy tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Does DuckDuckGo use Bing?
DuckDuckGo's help page says it largely sources its traditional links and images from Bing, alongside its own crawler and other sources.
Does DuckDuckGo track searches?
DuckDuckGo says its built-in search engine never tracks your searches.
Can I delete my Google search history?
Yes. Google's help page says you can delete activity at myactivity.google.com and set it to auto-delete.
Does incognito stop Google saving my searches?
Google says that if you sign in to your Google Account in a private window, your search activity may be stored in that account.
How does DuckDuckGo show ads?
DuckDuckGo says its ads are based on the search results page you're viewing, not on a profile of you.
