Startpage — A Netherlands-based private search engine that returns Google results without tracking or storing personal data, free to use and funded by contextual advertising.
By Noahlast updated
Startpage screenshots & video
Startpage in 20 seconds
Best for: privacy-conscious users who want Google-quality search results without personalized ad tracking
Pricing: Free for all users; no paid consumer tier, funded by contextual advertising.
- Startpage returns Google search results while removing trackers and not storing IP addresses or search history.
- The service is free for all users, funded by contextual (keyword-based) advertising rather than behavioral tracking.
- Startpage includes an Anonymous View proxy feature for opening search results without revealing the user's IP to the destination site.
- Surfboard Holding BV owns Startpage, with adtech company System1 holding majority ownership since 2019.
- Startpage was the default search engine in Tor Browser until 2015 and later became a default option in Firefox in several European countries.
Limitations: Not open source, so no-logging claims cannot be independently audited in code.; Majority ownership by adtech company System1 since 2019 has drawn privacy-community scrutiny.; Relies on Google's index, so Google-side result biases carry through.
Top alternatives: DuckDuckGo, Brave Search, Ecosia, Qwant, Google — full list
What is Startpage?
Startpage is a private search engine, originally launched as a metasearch tool in 1998 and now best known for returning Google-quality search results without the tracking that comes with searching Google directly. It removes trackers from queries, does not log IP addresses or store search history tied to a user, and offers an 'Anonymous View' feature that lets users open search results through a proxy so the destination website cannot see their real IP address. The service is entirely free and supported by contextual advertising based on the current search keywords rather than a behavioral profile of the user. It has held privacy certifications including the European Privacy Seal, was formerly the default search engine in Tor Browser, and became a default search option in Firefox in several European countries. Startpage is owned by Surfboard Holding BV, majority-owned by the American adtech company System1 since 2019, and operates alongside the related StartMail encrypted email service under the same corporate umbrella.
Startpage is a privacy-focused search engine that delivers Google search results while stripping out trackers and not storing users' IP addresses, search history, or personal data. It targets privacy-conscious individuals and anyone wanting to avoid personalized ad tracking without giving up mainstream-quality search results, and includes an Anonymous View proxy for browsing results without revealing identity to the destination site. Startpage is free for all users and available in 82 languages, monetized through contextual (keyword-based) advertising rather than behavioral tracking; there is no paid consumer tier. Owned by Surfboard Holding BV, with System1 holding majority ownership since 2019, Startpage also operates the related StartMail encrypted email service as a separate product.
Standout feature: Delivers Google's own search results while stripping trackers and not storing IP addresses or search history, plus an Anonymous View proxy for opening results without revealing your identity to the destination site.
Biggest weakness: Startpage is not open source and its privacy claims cannot be independently audited the way an open-source alternative's can, and since 2019 majority ownership by adtech company System1 has drawn scrutiny from privacy advocates who question how the contextual-advertising business model is implemented behind the scenes.
Pros
- Free to use with no paid tier required for full functionality.
- Returns Google-quality search results without Google's personalized tracking.
- Anonymous View proxy lets users open search results without revealing their IP to the destination site.
- Available in 82 languages with a long operating history dating back to 1998 as Ixquick.
Cons
- Not open source, so its no-logging claims cannot be independently verified in code.
- Majority ownership by adtech company System1 since 2019 has raised privacy-community concerns about the business model.
- Relies on Google's index, so search quality and any Google-side biases carry through to Startpage results.
- No dedicated business or enterprise tier; it is a consumer-only product.
Startpage pricing
Free
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Full private search access with no tracking or data storage; funded entirely by contextual (non-behavioral) advertising, no paid consumer tier. |
What reviewers say
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