Did you know there are more than just 2 or 3 search engines? Most of us use a certain engine so much, it’s become a synonym for looking up anything on the internet. However, there are many reasons why you might want to switch to something else. Perhaps you don’t like how the big search engines are operating and want an alternative. Or maybe you wish your internet-browsing could make more of a positive impact. Here are 10 search engines that do just that:
| Number | Search Engine |
|---|---|
| 1. | Rapusia |
| 2. | GiveWater |
| 3. | Lilo |
| 4. | Ecosia |
| 5. | GoodSearch |
| 6. | YouCare |
| 7. | OceanHero |
| 8. | Ekoru |
| 9. | Imasse |
| 10. | Give As You Live Online |
#1. Rapusia
Rapusia uses ads to generate revenue, which is how most search engines work. However, half of its earnings go to social and environmental projects. When you search for something on Rapusia, you earn a “heart.” Once you have enough hearts, you choose the projects you want to support. Hearts are then converted into money. If you’re browsing privately, you can’t collect hearts, so you’ll need to disable this option to earn. The Rapusia team selects the projects your searches support based on their innovative, social, or environmental commitments. The search engine hopes to create a system where users eventually select projects. You can explore projects on the website.
Rapusia is an anonymous search engine, which means it doesn’t collect or share information with advertisers. The search engine says it publishes monthly financial reports, but we couldn’t find any. The mobile app is available on Google Play.
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This search engine’s CEO was inspired to create GiveWater after meeting the founder of Charity: Water. Clean water is a human right, but around 2 million people lack access to safely managed water. GiveWater works with users to solve water and sanitation issues through its affiliate business model. It’s not a nonprofit, but because it donates a portion of its profits, it can be considered a social enterprise. The portion that goes to charities depends on the engine’s monthly expenses. Currently, GiveWater does not make expense reports or contributions public.
To use GiveWater, type in a search query and hit “Enter.” GiveWater generates revenue when you click on paid search ads. That revenue is shared with charitable partners involved in clean water and sanitation projects. To avoid “click fraud,” users are asked to only click on the ads they’re legitimately interested in.
#3. Lilo
“Lilo” means “generous” in Hawaiian, but this search engine is French. Since its launch, it’s donated 5 million euros. Like all search engines, it depends on ad revenue. Users choose the projects they want to support, such as reducing deforestation, helping children, or protecting animals. 80% of Lilo’s profits, which are generated by ad revenue, are redistributed to charities every month.
When you use Lilo, you get a “water droplet,” which you assign to your preferred charity. Once 100 euros are collected, Lilo transfers funds each month to charities. All the amounts collected and donated are put on each project page, so users stay updated. Lilo does not collect or store user data, so there aren’t scripts or third-party cookies on the search engine. To offset its energy usage, Lilo also finances a program that reduces deforestation and C02 emissions in Malawi.
#4. Ecosia
Ecosia is a nonprofit search engine that gives 100% of its profits to charities. Since its launch, the engine has planted over 213 million trees and dedicated over €87 million to climate action. With local organizations, Ecosia plants over 500 native species in 35 countries like Senegal, Brazil, and Indonesia. According to its website, 20 million people use Ecosia. In June 2024, Ecosia reported a total income of almost €2 million. Over €1 million went into planting trees and other climate impact projects.
To use Ecosia, type your query into the search bar. For the biggest impact, Ecosia recommends downloading their extension, which makes the engine your default search. Ecosia also offers a browser that uses solar power and supports climate projects with sponsored links. For privacy and safety, Ecosia doesn’t create user profiles or sell user data to advertisers.
#5. GoodSearch
GoodSearch, which is available as an extension, is a search engine that’s earned over $8 million for charities. It works by generating ad revenue for every search made. According to a review on Money Saving Guide, a blog, GoodSearch is powered by Yahoo, so you trust the results you get. 50% of the ad revenue goes to charity. GoodSearch also runs GoodShop, which lets you earn money for charities when you shop at partner stores. Over $13 million has been raised by shoppers.
To use GoodSearch, you choose a charity or school you want to support. If you don’t have one in mind, you choose from the search engine’s list. Once you start searching, you’ll see how much money you’ve raised. While there are no checks for fraudulent clicks, GoodSearch depends on user honesty.
#6. YouCare
YouCare is a French search engine that gives 80% of its profits to charities. Search results come from Microsoft. How does it work? When you run a search, you’ll see ads on the top of the page. Every time you click on an ad, YouCare receives revenue. Donation certificates, which show how much money goes to the different charities, are available online. They’re organized by cause and country, so you see YouCare’s impact across the world.
To create an account, sign up with your email and choose your good deed, which includes providing meals to animal shelters, planting trees, funding cancer research, and financing education. Based on a quick scan of the website, animal shelters are especially popular. Next, choose a specific organization or ask for donations to help all organizations working on that cause. Your profile shows how many searches you need to perform before donations are made. For example, it takes 45 searches to offer a meal to shelter animals. If you want to do more good, YouCare also accepts monthly donations.
#7. OceanHero
OceanHero is a search engine committed to removing plastic from the ocean and restoring ocean habitats. It uses an ad-revenue model; run a search query and click on the ads you’re interested in. This revenue goes toward OceanHero’s work. OceanHero also works with PlasticBank, which pays people to remove plastic. 4,300 people work in collection hubs in Haiti, the Philippines, and Indonesia exchanging plastic by the pound for cash. Every month, OceanHero reports how much plastic it recovered. In July 2024, over 820,000 bottles were removed from the ocean.
OceanHero is used like any other search engine. You’ll then see ads at the top of the page. Only click on the ads that are relevant to you; bot traffic hurts OceanHero’s mission. To protect against fraud, OceanHero monitors its traffic. For every search, OceanHero can remove one plastic bottle from the ocean.
#8. Ekoru
Ekoru, which is named after the New Zealand Maori symbol of creation, works to clean the oceans. It partners with the Big Blue Ocean Cleanup, which removes plastic from the ocean, and Operation Posidonia, which plants seagrass. The search engine earns money for donations through ad revenue, but it also works to reduce its carbon footprint through hydro-electricity. A run-of-the-river plant in Quebec powers its servers.
For best results, install Ekoru as an extension on your browser. Every time you surf the internet and open new tabs, you’ll collect “items,” which help Ekoru recover plastic bottles and plant seagrass. One Ekoru search generates 4.4g less C02 than other search engines.
#9. Imasse
Imasse is a unique search engine specifically for students, schools, and teachers. Through a partnership program, Imasse lets students raise funds for their schools with everyday web searches. 50% of advertising revenue goes to the partner schools. Signing up is free.
To get a partnership started, Imasse asks schools to fill out a short form. You’ll provide information like your name, the school’s name, what your position at the school is (if you’re a student, a teacher or staff member needs to fill out the form for you), and the school’s address. Imasse will then help you get the partnership started. Imasse also offers an integrated citation generator.
#10. Give As You Live Online
“Give As You Live” lets you turn everyday shopping trips into charitable giving. While it’s not a search engine, it’s a good way to harness your online shopping habits for good. 6,000 stores like eBay, Tesco, Hotels.com, The Body Shop, Sephora, and more participate. When you buy from these retail partners, they pay a commission. Give As You Live then donates commissions to charities; you don’t have to pay extra. Do charities have to pay? There are no payment or joining fees. According to Give As You Live, they’ve raised over £32,759,844 for UK charities since 2005.
To get started, sign up for free and choose a charity. Through the Give As You Online platform, find the store you want to shop from, click through, and shop as normal. Because you went through the Give As You Live platform, the store will know you want to participate in the program. Once you’ve shopped, Give As You Live will add a donation to your account and pay the charity.
