Search engine
SearxNG
Meta-search you can self-host to avoid search profiling
SearxNG offers a privacy-conscious alternative in the space, with a stronger focus on data protection than many mainstream tools.
Who is this for?
✓ Good for you if:
- • You want to query multiple search engines from one place
- • You want to self-host a private search front-end
- • You want open-source software and control over settings
- • You want to avoid being tracked by a single search provider
⚠ Think twice if:
- • You want a simple, no-maintenance solution
- • You don’t want to trust/maintain a server or pick an instance
- • You need guaranteed reliability and speed
- • You want one provider responsible for results quality
Overview
SearxNG is an open-source metasearch engine written in Python that aggregates results from over 80 search engines and services. The software uses HTTPS/TLS encryption when configured with HTTPS. SearxNG does not log IP addresses, does not store search queries, and does not use cookies for tracking by default. The software can be self-hosted, giving users complete control over their search infrastructure, or users can access public instances. When self-hosted, all queries stay on the user's server. SearxNG dispatches queries to multiple upstream engines and aggregates results. The software is available under the AGPL-3.0 license and is maintained by community contributors. SearxNG supports web search, images, videos, news, maps, and more.
Privacy highlight
Open-source that can be self-hosted for complete privacy control. No , no , fully .
Quick facts
- Country:
- Decentralized (self-hostable, no central jurisdiction)
- Pricing:
- Free
- Platform:
- Web
- Technical:
- Advanced
- :
- No
- :
- No telemetry
- :
- Yes
- Open-source status:
- Fully open source
- :
- Yes
- :
- Yes
Key features
- that reduces and profiling.
Security & encryption Click to expand
- No
- Encryption protocols
- ,
- SearxNG uses standard / () for all connections when configured with . The software does not require user keys as it operates as a web-based . All search queries are transmitted over encrypted connections when properly configured. SearxNG does not store keys for user data because it does not store personal user data, search history, or create user profiles. The software uses standard web security practices. When self-hosted, users are responsible for configuring and certificate management.
- Offline support
- No
Telemetry & tracking Click to expand
- No telemetry
- No
- Ip no
- SearxNG does not collect data by default. The software does not log IP addresses, does not store search queries, and does not use for . SearxNG can be configured to log queries for debugging purposes, but this is disabled by default and should be disabled for privacy. Public instances may have different policies, so users should review instance privacy policies. The software does not include any or code.
Jurisdiction & compliance Click to expand
- SearxNG is open-source software with no central jurisdiction. When self-hosted, data residency depends on where users host their instances. Public instances may be hosted in various countries. The software does not store personal user data or search history by default, so there is minimal data residency concern. Users have complete control over data residency when self-hosting.
- SearxNG does not store personal user data or search history by default. The software does not log IP addresses and does not create user profiles. Search queries are not stored or linked to users when using default configuration. When self-hosted, users have complete control over . Public instances may have different retention policies, so users should review instance privacy policies. The software does not require any .
- Legal frameworks
- No specific legal frameworks apply since SearxNG is open-source software. When self-hosted, users are responsible for compliance with local laws. Public instances operate under the jurisdiction where they are hosted.
- Revenue sources
- Donations
Editorial signals Click to expand
- 88
- Trust score
- 88
- Trust breakdown (0–10)
- Encryption: 85, Audits: 75, Open source: 95, Telemetry: 100, Jurisdiction: 100, Transparency: 90, Trackers: 100
- Editorial notes
- Usability: 70, Performance: 80, Family friendly: 75
User experience Click to expand
- Signup requirements
- No account or signup required. SearxNG works without registration, email, or personal information. Users can simply visit a SearxNG instance and start searching.
- Onboarding difficulty (1-5)
- 4
- Accessibility features
- SearxNG includes accessibility features such as keyboard navigation. The web interface follows accessibility guidelines and can be used with assistive technologies.
Backup & portability Click to expand
- Yes
- Migration tools
- SearxNG supports configuration export for self-hosted instances. Users can export settings and configurations. No migration needed for web-based usage.
- No account recovery needed - no accounts are required. SearxNG works without user accounts. Configuration backups should be created for self-hosted instances.
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