Ecosia review

Ecosia is a free search engine run as a social business: its help center says it dedicates 100% of its profits to climate action, mainly tree planting, and it publishes financial reports on its blog. Revenue comes from ads delivered through Google AdSense and the Microsoft Advertising network, labelled as "Ad" or "Sponsored". Results come from partner providers, and Ecosia is moving to EUSP, a European index it says supports digital sovereignty; EUSP results launched in France and went live in Germany in July 2026. In July 2026 Ecosia also added a setting that turns off all AI search features in a few seconds. The Ecosia Browser runs on desktop, iOS and Android and includes private browsing, which Ecosia itself says protects you only from other people on the same device. Pick Ecosia for its climate model; if privacy is the main goal, DuckDuckGo, Brave Search or Startpage document stronger protections.

Who it is for

people who want a free engine that funds tree planting

Price

Free, ad-supported.

Ecosia is a not-for-profit search engine, not a charity, but a social business.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 14, 2026.

Key features

• 100% of profits go to climate action, mainly tree planting
• Results increasingly served from the European EUSP index, first in France and then Germany
• Setting to turn off all AI search features
• Ecosia Browser on desktop, iOS and Android with private browsing
• Monthly financial reports published on the Ecosia blog

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Free to use
• Strength: Clear public accounting of where profits go
• Strength: AI-free search option added in July 2026
• Weakness: Ads come from Google AdSense and Microsoft Advertising
• Weakness: Outside EUSP markets, results come from partner providers
• Weakness: Privacy is a secondary goal to climate funding

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Business model: Ads; profits to climate action
• Ad partners: Google AdSense, Microsoft Advertising
• Index: EUSP in France and Germany, partners elsewhere

Where it ranks

Ecosia is No. 5 in our Best Private Search Engines verdict.