# Alternatives to DuckDuckGo Browser Privacy-default browser from DuckDuckGo. DuckDuckGo Browser ranks #12 of 14 in Browsers, with an Alt Score of 48. It is licensed under Apache-2.0, free and available on macOS, Windows, iOS and Android. 5 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source. Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/duckduckgo-browser/ Category: Browsers ## Where DuckDuckGo Browser stands out - **Sync (E2E encrypted)** — 6 of 12 apps with a verified answer have this ## Overview - **Who it's for**: People who want to browse and search the web without being tracked by ad networks or big tech, on either desktop (Windows, Mac) or mobile (iOS, Android), without having to configure privacy settings themselves. - **What you get**: A free browser with tracker blocking, ad blocking, and cookie-popup handling turned on by default, plus a built-in private search engine that doesn't log queries. It enforces HTTPS where available, includes a password manager and email protection, and lets you clear browsing data, history, and tabs in one action. Optional paid add-ons include a VPN and identity-theft protection. - **How it works**: Download the browser for your platform (direct download or app store) and it blocks trackers and ads automatically as you browse, with no setup required. You can import bookmarks and passwords from your previous browser to switch over quickly. ## Profile - **License**: Apache-2.0 (verified 2026-07-11) - **Pricing model**: Free (verified 2026-07-11) - **Starts at**: ? - **Platforms**: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android - **Status**: active (verified 2026-07-11) ## Ranked alternatives | # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms | |---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------| | 1 | [Vivaldi](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/vivaldi.md) | 93 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android | | 2 | [Brave](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/brave.md) | 85 | MPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS | | 3 | [Waterfox](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/waterfox.md) | 85 | MPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux | | 4 | [Orion](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/orion.md) | 81 | Proprietary | macOS, iOS | | 5 | [Firefox](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/firefox.md) | 78 | MPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS | | 6 | [Edge](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/edge.md) | 70 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS | | 7 | [LibreWolf](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/librewolf.md) | 66 | MPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux | | 8 | [Opera](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/opera.md) | 66 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS | | 9 | [Zen Browser](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/zen-browser.md) | 59 | MPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux | | 10 | [Chrome](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/chrome.md) | 55 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS | | 11 | [Arc](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/arc.md) | 51 | Proprietary | macOS, Windows, iOS | | 12 | [Tor Browser](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/tor-browser.md) | 44 | MPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android | | 13 | [Ungoogled Chromium](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/ungoogled-chromium.md) | 32 | BSD-3-Clause | Windows, macOS, Linux | Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/ ## Feature comparison Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified). | Browsers checklist | DuckDuckGo Browser | Vivaldi | Brave | Waterfox | Orion | Firefox | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Pricing model | Free | Free | Free | Free | Freemium | Free | | Starts at | ? | ? | ? | ? | $5/month | ? | | License | Apache-2.0 | Proprietary | MPL-2.0 | MPL-2.0 | Proprietary | MPL-2.0 | | Platforms | macOS, Windows, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux | macOS, iOS | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | | Engine (Chromium / Gecko / WebKit) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Built-in ad blocker | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | | Built-in VPN or proxy | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | No | | Vertical tabs | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Tab groups & workspaces | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Extension ecosystem compatibility | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Sync (E2E encrypted) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | | Battery / memory saver mode | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | | Privacy: fingerprinting protection | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Telemetry opt-out | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Profile containers | ? | Partial | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Reader mode | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ## Sources Sources for DuckDuckGo Browser. Each alternative is sourced on its own page. - **License**: Apache-2.0 — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “DuckDuckGo android is distributed under the Apache 2.0 license” - **Pricing model**: Free — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “our browser is free” - **Platforms**: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android” - **Status**: active — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “More Duck.ai Functionality from Address Bar: Use more Duck.ai functions directly from your address bar!” - **Engine (Chromium / Gecko / WebKit)**: Yes — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “For web page rendering, the browser uses the underlying operating system rendering API. (In this case, it's a Windows WebView2 call that utilizes the Blink rendering engine underneath.)” - **Built-in ad blocker**: Yes — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “blocks YouTube ads, invasive web ads, and cookie pop-ups” - **Built-in VPN or proxy**: Yes — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “DuckDuckGo VPN (short for Virtual Private Network) is a service that gives you an extra layer of protection online by encrypting your Internet connection across your entire device and hiding your loca” - **Sync (E2E encrypted)**: Yes — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “Synced data is end-to-end encrypted, so DuckDuckGo never has access to your synced data or encryption key.” - **Privacy: fingerprinting protection**: Yes — (verified 2026-07-11) - Quote: “we override many of the browser APIs used for fingerprinting to make them return either no information or alternative information that's less useful for fingerprinting” --- Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/