If you only rely on popular search engines like Google or Bing to get information, you’re missing out big time. The reason is standard search engines don’t index numerous websites located in the invisible web, also known as the deep web. In this world wide web layer, websites are usually encrypted and password-protected.
Best Deep Web Search Engines
So, is there a search engine for the deep web? Yes, there are many such engines. The following deep web search engines let you access this hidden world for research and academic purposes.
1. The Wayback Machine
The Wayback Machine is the most popular way to access websites or webpage versions that don’t exist anymore. You can also use it to explore unlimited information from the deep web by directly entering the URLs.
2. DuckDuckGo
Thanks to its privacy-first policy, DuckDuckGo has already garnered a large fanbase. If you aren’t already using it in place of Google or Yahoo, here is another reason. Pairing this deep web search engine with the Tor browser, you can search and access the results quickly.
When you use DuckDuckGo for the deep web, it offers you an additional layer of anonymity and security.
3. Pipl
Pipl is the biggest search engine for the deep web to gather information about people. Using this, you can find out about people behind any email, phone number and social media account usernames. It can also fetch information from the deep web, which conventional search engines can’t.
Pipl can connect with databases, member directories, and court records to share relevant information about a person. Organizations that want to know about their future employees can use it.
4. Ahmia
Using Ahmia search engine, you can search the hidden Tor services. However, you have to use it with the Tor browser. The best thing about this search engine is it doesn’t support abusive material.
If you find any such thing in its index, you can report that for the quickest removal. Users can also contribute to the source code of this open-source search engine.
5. Directory of Open Access Journals
Is a paywall barring you from accessing a respected journal essential for your research work? Use the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), a popular deep web search engine, to access all your favorite journals and articles without paying any subscription charges.
Currently, it lets you access the records of more than 8 million articles. Moreover, users can use DOAJ to search through 12,000+ indexed journals without any article processing charges.
6. USA.gov
While it may not be a traditional deep web search engine, USA.gov is the gateway to the repository of all public domain information and services. You can access content about agencies, laws, states, jobs, tax information, and many more here.
This search engine aims to give you a better understanding of government service at any time. Therefore, you can find out a lot of stuff through it that isn’t available on Google.
7. Hidden Wiki
You can call Hidden Wiki Wikipedia’s deep web version. It supports anonymous editing of content through registration. One can access the directory of different onion websites by visiting its official website.
With it, you can conveniently use deep web link directories. But the available websites like whistleblower tools may or may not be legal in your country.
8. WWW Virtual Library
Like many other deep web search engines, the WWW Virtual Library (VL) is a directory of e-texts and information sources.
This oldest web catalog compiles all the crucial links for different sectors, including computer science, engineering, education, natural sciences, law, arts, society, and culture.
9. WorldCat
WorldCat is the place that allows you to find unique materials and resources only available in libraries. Be it books, magazines, articles, photos, ebooks, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, maps, records, or theses, you can find all these on this search engine.
WorldCat also connects you with the indexes of thousands of libraries. Hence, you can browse and access those from one search box.
10. Elephind
Elephind is a search engine that can fetch historical newspaper archive data from anywhere in the world. Scholars, researchers, genealogists, and family historians will find this deep web search engine to be highly resourceful.
On it, you can simultaneously search on multiple newspaper websites without spending a dime. As it shows the website URL of many newspapers only available on the deep web, you can go straight to those websites by clicking on the link.
Conclusion
Here, you can check out some of the finest search engines for the deep web. These enable you to access a world of information unavailable through traditional browsers like Google or Bing.
In case you’re wondering what the best deep web search engine is, there is no straightforward answer to that. Perhaps, you want to explore these deep web search engines and tell us in the comment which one helped you with your search queries.
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