Browsers & Search
European browsers and search engines – surf and search without Google tracking and Chrome telemetry.
Chrome and Google Search: The world's largest tracking ecosystem
Chrome collects detailed browser telemetry for Google advertising. Google Search builds user profiles based on every search query. Together, they enable complete tracking of your online behavior. European alternatives completely avoid this.
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All Providers in Detail
European browsers and search engines without tracking.
Vivaldi
Customizable browser with integrated mail client from Norway
- Maximum customizability – colors, layout, shortcuts
- Integrated ad blocker, mail and calendar
- Tab groups, tab tiling, vertical tabs
- No telemetry, no data sharing
Ecosia
Berlin-based search engine with CO2-neutral infrastructure
- Over 200 million trees planted
- 80% of revenue directed to nature conservation projects
- Servers in Europe, GDPR-compliant
- B Corp-certified – social enterprise
Qwant
French search engine without user tracking
- No tracking, no filter bubble
- Own search infrastructure (in part)
- Qwant Junior for children
- Neutral search results without personalization
Startpage
Anonymized Google search via European proxy servers
- Google-quality results without Google tracking
- Anonymous view mode for websites
- No IP addresses stored
- Specialized in privacy since 2006
Swisscows
Semantic search engine with Swiss infrastructure
- Own Swiss servers – no Google or Bing in the background
- No storage of IP addresses or search queries
- Integrated child protection (family-friendly)
- Semantic search for improved results
Quick Compare
| Provider | Country | Top Feature | Alternative To | Price (From) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vivaldi | 🇳🇴 Norway | Maximum customizability – colors, layout, shortcuts | instead of Chrome / Edge | Completely free |
| Ecosia | 🇩🇪 Germany | Over 200 million trees planted | instead of Google Search | Completely free |
| Qwant | 🇫🇷 France | No tracking, no filter bubble | instead of Google Search | Completely free |
| Startpage | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | Google-quality results without Google tracking | instead of Google Search | Completely free |
| Swisscows | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | Own Swiss servers – no Google or Bing in the background | instead of Google Search | Completely free |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Ecosia really plant trees through my searches?
Yes – Ecosia earns money through non-personalized search ads and invests 80% in tree planting projects. Over 200 million trees have been planted so far. Financial reports are published monthly.
Are search results from Qwant or Startpage as good as Google?
Startpage delivers direct Google results (without tracking), so quality is identical. Qwant has its own infrastructure and is equivalent for many searches. For very specific queries, Google might still be slightly better.
Is Vivaldi really privacy-friendly even though it's based on Chromium?
Yes – Vivaldi is built on Chromium (like Chrome) but removes all Google tracking components and adds its own privacy features. There's no telemetry and no data sharing. Vivaldi's source code is viewable.
How can I change Google as the default search engine in my browser?
In every browser's settings, under "Search Engine" or "Search", you'll find the option to change the default search engine. You can manually add Ecosia, Qwant, or Startpage there or set them as default.