Why I Switched to DuckDuckGo (DDG) over Google

My Daily Web Browsing Habits

For many years, I’ve had the habit of browsing in incognito mode, as it prevents cookies from piling up and eliminates the need to clear my history. I don’t mind storing some data, but I prefer not to have everything logged. A side benefit is that the browser stays fast and responsive.

I have a clear usage pattern: I use incognito mode for general browsing and normal mode for services where cookies need to be stored.

I also use Public DNS services like NextDNS, ControlD, or Quad9. I have different configurations for different devices, as they make DNS queries faster compared to ISPs. Additionally, they come with extra features that enhance privacy and security, and some even have built-in ad blockers (yes, I hate ads 😴).

And all this time, Google has been my default search engine.

The Endless "Are You Human?" Problem

Getting Tired of Selecting Traffic Lights and Buses

I’m not sure why this happens with Google, but when I use Google outside my home network, especially when connected to public Wi-Fi or large networks like office or college Wi-Fi, Google often acts strangely. It frequently asks me to verify if I’m human, especially when using incognito mode or a browser that isn’t signed into my Google account.

The problem isn’t verifying the puzzle itself but the tedious verification process, which sometimes has two versions. It asks us to select appropriate images from a 3×3 grid, where selected images vanish and are replaced with a new dynamic image, and we have to keep selecting until it is satisfied and gives us the option to continue below. Otherwise, it asks me to select a tree in the 3×3 grid, followed by something like traffic lights, a road crossing, or the infamous stairs.

First Look at DuckDuckGo

Initially, I used to solve that puzzle, going through the frustration. Some time later, I used to go to bing.com, and from there, I would search and continue my browsing journey.

One random day, while stumbling upon browser settings, I discovered DuckDuckGo in the list of default search engine providers in Chrome ( learn more about its inclusion in Chrome ).

I thought about giving it a try, and when I visited it, I felt it was clearly a privacy-focused search engine, and it was decent enough. I also learned that I could use ddg.co/search query to directly search from Address Bar, which would save me a little time and be more convenient. So, I started using DuckDuckGo sparingly whenever I was asked to prove I’m human.

Unexpected Features That Won Me Over

Since then, my second choice of search engine has been DuckDuckGo. However, until recently, when I learned about DuckDuckGo !Bangs, it completely changed the game for me.

I completely understand that results from DuckDuckGo are not the same as Google’s, but this !Bangs feature is truly awesome and useful in many ways.

With Bangs, I was literally free from relying on any specific search engine.

For example, I now use DuckDuckGo as my primary default search engine on all devices and browsers.

But with Bangs, I can instantly search faster and more accurately for what I’m looking for.

For example: If I have to search something on YouTube, instead of going to YouTube and searching there, I just type “!yt (space) searchqueryhere” and that’s it. It directly takes me to YouTube with my search query already loaded. Not only YouTube, but it supports many more, like Amazon (!a), Google (!g), Bing (!b), LinkedIn (!li), Gmail (!go), and many others. You can find the full list of DuckDuckGo !Bangs, and I’m sure it’s going to be fun, and you will love using it in your day-to-day browsing.

Because of these features, which made my life easier and saved me from the human verification problem, and with DuckDuckGo !Bangs, I no longer need to stick to Google. If the results aren’t satisfactory in DuckDuckGo, I simply try !g to search. Nowadays, I’m just using !Bangs to visit websites like Gmail, LinkedIn which made more easy without leaving keyboard to find the bookmarks.

Privacy: It Matters

What started as a simple way to avoid Google verification puzzles turned into something more valuable. DuckDuckGo is actually good in disguise behind its simple interface lies a search engine that does not track your searches or build a profile about you.

I discovered that even when using incognito mode, Google still collect data and build a profile based on my searches. DuckDuckGo on the other hand does not track me at all. This means no personalized ads following me around the internet and no filter bubble where my search results are narrowed based on what an algorithm thinks I want to see.

The privacy aspect was not initially what drew me to DuckDuckGo, but it has become one of the main reasons I stick with it. Sometimes the best features are the ones working quietly in the background, protecting you without making a fuss about it.

DuckDuckGo AI (Duck.AI)

Along with privacy features DuckDuckGo recently launched Duck AI which is actually a good addition to the already feature rich search engine. Duck AI works as a proxy interface to famous models like ChatGPT (even o3-mini and 4o mini are available recently), Claude3, Mistral, Llama.

When I search normally Duck AI appears at the top of results with a small preview of the answer, just like Google recently doing with Gemini integrating with Google Search. I can click on it to see the full answer or continue with regular search results. This is very convenient for simple questions that need quick answers without having to visit different websites.

The best thing I like about Duck AI is that it does not need a separate account or login. It just works right in the search results. And unlike other AI tools it does not save my conversations to servers or use them to train their systems.

Conclusion

After finding DuckDuckGo by accident while looking for a way to avoid Google verification prompts, I have made it my main search engine. What started as a simple solution to an annoying problem has become my preferred way to browse the web.

The bangs feature lets me search directly on other sites when needed. I no longer waste time selecting traffic lights and buses just to do a simple search. Duck AI gives me quick answers without tracking me. And even when DuckDuckGo results are not as good as Google, I can always use !g to search Google anyway.

For anyone tired of being treated like a robot by Google or concerned about being tracked even in incognito mode, give DuckDuckGo a try. You might be surprised how much better browsing can be with a search engine that respects your time and privacy.