Choosing the right search engine on Safari is important if you want a quality browsing experience. Safari offers several search engines to choose from – you’re not limited to Google! Today, we will be talking about the best search engines for Safari, taking into account factors such as quality of results and privacy.
DuckDuckGo: The Best Privacy-Focused Search Engine for Safari
Without a doubt, if you are looking for a privacy-focused search engine for Safari, DuckDuckGo is my top choice.
DuckDuckGo stands out from other search engines in that it doesn’t track your browsing history. Most search engines, like Google, track your browsing activity and use that to create a personalized profile. They then use that profile to display ads.
DuckDuckGo not only doesn’t collect any data on you to build a profile, but it also doesn’t record your past searches! While it does display ads, the ads on DuckDuckGo are directly related to the search term you are currently searching for; they are not based on past search activity.
So, if you’re worried about your privacy online, and you don’t want big companies like Google to track you, opt for DuckDuckGo.
Google Search vs. DuckDuckGo: A Comparison for Safari Users
I really like DuckDuckGo compared to Google. Besides privacy-based reasons, such as DuckDuckGo not tracking your IP address or search history, DuckDuckGo also shows you fewer ads.
Besides, I feel like DuckDuckGo nowadays gives pretty accurate results compared to Google. Google is constantly updating its algorithms, and while there is no denying that Google’s algorithms are probably the most advanced out of any search engine, it can sometimes feel as if you can’t get a proper answer to a question you enter into Google.
For all of those reasons, I believe DuckDuckGo is the best search engine for Safari.
Why Privacy Matters: DuckDuckGo vs. Google on Safari
We’ve already discussed how using DuckDuckGo helps you avoid Google’s data tracking practices. However, it goes a lot deeper than that.
Not only does DuckDuckGo not track you itself, but it also blocks external trackers from tracking you. Many times, when you visit a website, there are external trackers on that website that keep track of your activity. That is why, for example, you might see the same ads on many different websites, even though these websites are owned by different companies or people.
Or, that’s why you may visit a page that talks about a certain product and then see ads for that product everywhere.
When you use DuckDuckGo as your search browser, it will strip all of those annoying trackers from each website you see in the search results so that when you click on a website, it doesn’t track you.
Ecosia and Other Eco-Friendly Search Engine Options for Safari
On the other hand, if you’re looking for an eco-friendly search engine, Ecosia is one of the best alternative search engines on Safari. Ecosia is dedicated to improving the environment. In fact, 100% of its profits go towards climate action, including planting trees all over the world.
Ecosia is also powered by solar. So, when you use Ecosia, not only are you helping to plant trees, but you are also reducing energy waste.
Which Search Engine Is the Fastest for Safari Users?
The fastest search engine is typically Google. Google is incredibly fast. However, all the other search engines are pretty fast as well, so you may not notice much of a difference. And, as I already explained, Google is not the best option if you care about your privacy.
How to Change the Default Search Engine on Safari
To change the default search engine on Safari on your iPhone or iPad, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and click on Safari.
- Click on Search Engine.
- Select a search engine to set it as your default search engine.
On a Mac, open Safari, and then follow these steps:
- From the Safari top menu, click on Settings or Preferences.
- Click on Search.
- Select your search engine.
Conclusion
My search engine recommendation of choice is DuckDuckGo. It’s the best search engine if you value your privacy, and privacy is an important factor nowadays! However, Ecosia is also a good choice if you care about the environment. Google is the most used search engine, but it poses many privacy risks, so I try to avoid using it.