Bing — Microsoft's free, ad-supported web search engine, built into Windows and Edge, with Copilot AI answers embedded directly in the results page.
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Bing screenshots & video
Bing in 20 seconds
Best for: users who want Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant integrated directly into search results, or who are already inside the Windows/Edge ecosystem
Pricing: Free and ad-supported for all users; no paid tier. Microsoft Rewards pays points for searches, redeemable for gift cards and other rewards.
- Bing is free and ad-supported with no paid consumer tier.
- Bing's Copilot AI assistant is built directly into the search results page.
- Microsoft Rewards pays points for Bing searches, redeemable for gift cards and Xbox credit.
- Bing is the default search engine in Microsoft Edge and Windows.
- Bing holds a small fraction of Google's global search market share.
Limitations: Small global market share versus Google means thinner results for hyper-local and long-tail queries.; Most publishers and SEO practices optimize for Google first, which can affect Bing's result freshness and depth.; Ad-supported model means search results include sponsored placements.
Top alternatives: Google, DuckDuckGo, Brave Search, Yahoo, Ecosia — full list
What is Bing?
Bing is Microsoft's web search engine, built into Windows, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft 365 Copilot as the default search provider across Microsoft's ecosystem. Like Google, Bing indexes the web and returns organic results, images, videos, news, and maps, all free and ad-supported. Its main differentiator is Copilot (formerly Bing Chat), an AI assistant embedded directly into the search results page that answers follow-up questions and summarizes sources without a separate app or tab. Microsoft Rewards, Bing's loyalty program, pays users points for searches and Microsoft purchases, redeemable for gift cards, Xbox credit, and charitable donations. Bing has mobile apps for iOS and Android and is the default search engine in Microsoft Edge, but it holds a small fraction of Google's global search market share, so long-tail and hyper-local queries tend to return thinner results than on Google.
Bing is Microsoft's web search engine, integrated into Windows, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft 365 Copilot as the default search provider across Microsoft's ecosystem since 2009. It's a free, ad-supported consumer product with no paid tier: revenue comes from search advertising, and Microsoft Rewards pays users points for searches and Microsoft purchases, redeemable for gift cards, Xbox credit, and donations. Bing's main differentiator is Copilot, Microsoft's AI assistant built directly into the search results page, letting users ask follow-up questions and get generated answers alongside traditional web links. Bing holds a small minority of global search market share compared to Google, so it generally returns thinner results for hyper-local and long-tail queries, though it remains the default for hundreds of millions of Windows and Edge users.
Standout feature: Copilot is built directly into the search results page, letting users ask follow-up questions and get AI-generated answers alongside traditional links without leaving Bing.
Biggest weakness: Bing holds a small fraction of Google's global search market share, so many location-specific and long-tail queries return thinner or less locally relevant results, and most publishers optimize their content for Google first.
Pros
- Copilot AI assistant is built into the search results page, not a separate app.
- Microsoft Rewards pays points for everyday searches, redeemable for gift cards and Xbox credit.
- Default search engine in Windows and Microsoft Edge, so no setup is required for Microsoft users.
- Free with no paid tier or account required to search.
Cons
- Small global market share compared to Google means thinner results for hyper-local and long-tail queries.
- Most publishers and SEO practices optimize for Google first, which can affect result freshness and depth on Bing.
- Ad-supported results include sponsored placements mixed with organic results.
Bing pricing
Free
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Ad-supported web, image, video, and map search; free for all users. Microsoft Rewards pays points on qualifying searches and purchases, redeemable for gift cards and other rewards. |
What reviewers say
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