Is DuckDuckGo owned by Google?

No, DuckDuckGo is not owned by Google. DuckDuckGo (often abbreviated as DDG) is a privately held, independent search engine that has never been owned by Google or any other entity. Duck Duck Go, Inc. was founded in 2008 by Gabriel Weinberg and is headquartered in Paoli, Pennsylvania, with approximately 200 employees.

While you may see some Google-owned content like YouTube videos in DuckDuckGo’s search results, this doesn’t indicate any ownership relationship or partnership. DuckDuckGo accesses this content anonymously through indirect sources, not through any agreement with Google.

What is DuckDuckGo?

DuckDuckGo is a private search engine that offers an alternative to Google, Bing, and other search engines that track user behavior. Unlike traditional search engines that build profiles based on your search history and create filter bubbles—where you only see results that match your past behavior—DuckDuckGo takes a different approach to internet privacy:

• Does not track or store your search history or search queries
• Displays the same results to all users for identical queries
• Blocks third-party trackers by default across social media platforms and other websites
• Uses encrypted HTTPS connections to protect your privacy
• Offers search across web, images, news, and other content types
• Provides email protection through its Duck Addresses feature to shield your personal data

As an independent company, DuckDuckGo has maintained its privacy-first approach since its founding, with initial funding from Union Square Ventures and other investors—no involvement from Google. You can access the search engine through DuckDuckGo.com or its shorter alias Duck.com.

Why Do People Choose DuckDuckGo Over Google?

Many users prefer DuckDuckGo instead of Google specifically because it’s not Google. The Google search engine tracks activity across YouTube, Gmail, Google Chrome, Android, Google Maps, and its other services using identifiers like IP addresses and cookies. This tracking enables targeted advertising but raises cybersecurity and privacy protection concerns for many users.

DuckDuckGo appeals to people who want to search the web without their search queries being linked to their personal profile, stored indefinitely, or used to build advertising profiles. It also avoids the filter bubble effect that personalized search engines create, where your past behavior limits the diversity of information you’re exposed to.

Where Does DuckDuckGo Get Its Search Results?

This is an important clarification: The DuckDuckGo search engine does not use Google’s search results.

According to DuckDuckGo, the search engine compiles results from over 400 sources, including:

• Microsoft Bing
• Yahoo Search BOSS
• Wolfram Alpha
• Yandex
• Its own web crawler (DuckDuckBot)
• Wikipedia and other reference sources
• Other specialized sources

Notably absent from this list: Google. DuckDuckGo has no partnership with Google for search results, though as mentioned earlier, some Google-owned content may appear through indirect, anonymous access.

How Does DuckDuckGo Make Money?

DuckDuckGo generates revenue through:

• Advertising: Non-tracking ads served through partnerships with Microsoft Advertising (Bing ads)
• Affiliate relationships: Commissions from Amazon and eBay when users make purchases after clicking affiliate links in search results

These revenue streams don’t involve Google and don’t require tracking individual users.

Using DuckDuckGo on iPhone and iOS

One of the most common search engine options for privacy-conscious iPhone users is setting DuckDuckGo as their default search provider. Apple has made this easier in recent iOS versions as part of their broader commitment to user privacy.

DuckDuckGo iOS App

DuckDuckGo offers a dedicated mobile app for iPhone that combines a web browser with their private search engine. Available on the App Store, the DuckDuckGo iOS app provides:

• Built-in tracker blocking across all websites
• Fire Button to instantly clear tabs and browsing data
• Email protection to block email trackers
• Seamless private browsing without separate incognito mode

Setting DuckDuckGo as Default in Safari

You can also use DuckDuckGo searches in Safari without downloading a separate app:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone
2. Scroll down and tap Safari
3. Tap Search Engine
4. Select DuckDuckGo from the list of search engine options

This makes DuckDuckGo your default search provider on your iPhone’s homepage and Safari address bar.

How DuckDuckGo Complements Apple’s Privacy Features

DuckDuckGo’s privacy protections work well alongside Apple’s built-in iOS privacy features like App Tracking Transparency and Mail Privacy Protection. While Apple focuses on device-level privacy, DuckDuckGo specifically protects your search queries and browsing activity from being tracked by advertisers and data brokers.

Using DuckDuckGo Across Different Browsers

DuckDuckGo is available as a search engine option in virtually every major web browser:

• Google Chrome: Set as default search engine in settings, or install the DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials extension
• Safari: Available as a built-in search engine option on both Mac and iOS
• Firefox (Mozilla): Built-in search engine option with privacy extensions available
• Microsoft Edge: Available as default search option
• Brave: Included as a search engine option in this privacy-focused browser

You can also download DuckDuckGo’s dedicated web browser for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, which combines private search with comprehensive tracker blocking.

Common Misconceptions About DuckDuckGo

Despite widespread awareness of DuckDuckGo as a privacy-focused alternative to Google, several misconceptions persist about its ownership, capabilities, and security features.

Misconception 1: DuckDuckGo is Owned by Microsoft or Bing

Since DuckDuckGo uses Bing as one of its primary search result sources and serves Microsoft Advertising, some users assume Microsoft owns or controls DuckDuckGo. This is false. DuckDuckGo is an independent company that licenses search results from Bing (along with 400+ other sources) but maintains complete operational independence. Microsoft has no ownership stake in Duck Duck Go, Inc.

Misconception 2: DuckDuckGo Provides Complete Anonymity Like Tor

While DuckDuckGo doesn’t track your searches, it’s not an anonymity network like Tor. DuckDuckGo does operate an onion service for Tor users (accessible at duckduckgogg42xjoc72x3sjasowoarfbgcmvfimaftt6twagswzczad.onion), but using DuckDuckGo on a regular browser doesn’t hide your IP address from websites you visit. For true anonymity, you need additional tools like a VPN or the Tor browser.

Misconception 3: DuckDuckGo’s Security Features Are the Same as Browser Extensions

DuckDuckGo offers both a search engine and browser extensions, but they serve different purposes. The search engine itself doesn’t track queries, while the browser extension (available for Chrome, Firefox, and other browsers) adds features like tracker blocking and forced HTTPS connections through HTTPS Everywhere integration. The DuckDuckGo Support Center clarifies that using the search engine alone doesn’t automatically block trackers on other websites—you need the browser extension or DuckDuckGo’s dedicated browser app for comprehensive protection.

Misconception 4: DuckDuckGo Can’t Handle Complex Searches Like Google

Some users believe DuckDuckGo’s privacy focus means inferior search results. While DuckDuckGo doesn’t personalize results based on your history, it handles complex searches effectively using its 400+ sources. The company has seen a significant increase in traffic over the past decade, reaching over 100 million daily searches, demonstrating that millions of users find its results satisfactory for daily use.

Misconception 5: Incognito Mode in Chrome Offers the Same Privacy as DuckDuckGo

Using incognito mode in Google Chrome only prevents your browser from storing your local browsing history—Google and websites you visit can still track you. DuckDuckGo searches, on the other hand, aren’t tracked by the search engine itself, and when combined with the DDG browser or extension, you get tracker blocking across the web. Incognito mode and private search engines serve different privacy functions.

Misconception 6: Switching to DuckDuckGo Means You Can’t Use Google Services

You can still access Gmail, Google Docs, YouTube, LinkedIn, and other services while using DuckDuckGo as your search engine. DuckDuckGo simply replaces Google Search—it doesn’t block you from visiting Google-owned websites or social media platforms. However, keep in mind that Google may still track your activity on those services if you’re logged into your Google account.

Common Questions About DuckDuckGo and Google

Conclusion

DuckDuckGo is completely independent of Google—it’s a privately held company that has never been owned by, partnered with, or funded by Google. While the search engine may display some Google-owned content like YouTube videos, it does so anonymously without any business relationship. DuckDuckGo built its reputation on being the privacy-focused alternative to Google, and that independence remains core to its identity and business model.

If you’re concerned about Google’s data collection practices, DuckDuckGo offers a genuine alternative that doesn’t track your searches or build profiles about your online behavior. Whether you’re using it on iPhone, Android, or desktop—and whether through Safari, Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or DuckDuckGo’s own web browser—you have multiple options for making the switch to this private search engine.

For more information about specific privacy features and how to maximize your protection, visit the DuckDuckGo Support Center.