eTools.ch
Swiss metasearch engine querying up to 17 sources in parallel, no IP or user agent kept
Quick Overview
| Company | Comcepta AG |
|---|---|
| Category | Search Engines |
| Headquarters | Basel, Switzerland |
| EU Presence | Switzerland (adequacy decision, outside the EEA) |
| Data Location | Switzerland |
| Open Source | No |
| Pricing | Free, advertising-supported |
| Free Option | Free |
| Replaces | Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo |
Detailed Review
eTools.ch calls itself the transparent metasearch engine from Switzerland, and the description is accurate: a query is sent in parallel to up to 17 sources, including Bing, Brave, DuckDuckGo, Google, Yahoo and Wikipedia alongside small independent indexes such as Mojeek, Marginalia and Wiby, with a few Swiss-only sources including search.ch.
Some sources are limited to particular regions. The result is a combined list that does not depend on a single index, which is the same independence argument MetaGer makes from Germany.
It is a product of Comcepta AG, an active stock company in the Swiss commercial register with its seat in Basel, and Swiss law and courts apply.
The privacy statement says the server does not collect or share personal information and does not keep your IP address or user agent, that a session cookie lapses when the browser closes, and that the site works without cookies. One caveat is stated plainly: external advertising networks set cookies and usually track users, so the ads are the weak point.
Compared with MetaGer, eTools.ch is a commercial company rather than a non-profit and does not describe itself as open source, but it is just as willing to expose where results come from and it adds an Android app, eTools Private Search, released in 2024.
The interface is plain and offers no integrated extras. Switzerland sits outside the EEA under an adequacy decision, so EU organisations should treat it as lawful but not as intra-EEA processing, and a school or public body with a strict hosting rule may prefer MetaGer or Qwant.
What eTools.ch does well
- Queries up to 17 sources in parallel, including Mojeek, Marginalia and Brave
- States it does not keep IP address or user agent
- Works without cookies
- Swiss company in the commercial register, Swiss hosting
- Free, with an Android app
Where eTools.ch falls short
- External ad networks set tracking cookies, per its own privacy statement
- Not described as open source
- Several sources are US engines, so results inherit their gaps
- Switzerland is outside the EEA, adequacy decision only
- Plain interface with no integrated extras
Standout feature. Up to seventeen search sources queried at once from a Swiss company that says it keeps neither your IP address nor your user agent.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Queries up to 17 sources in parallel, including Mojeek, Marginalia and Brave
- States it does not keep IP address or user agent
- Works without cookies
- Swiss company in the commercial register, Swiss hosting
- Free, with an Android app
Cons
- External ad networks set tracking cookies, per its own privacy statement
- Not described as open source
- Several sources are US engines, so results inherit their gaps
- Switzerland is outside the EEA, adequacy decision only
- Plain interface with no integrated extras
Alternatives to eTools.ch
Frequently Asked Questions
What is eTools.ch?
eTools.ch calls itself the transparent metasearch engine from Switzerland, and the description is accurate: a query is sent in parallel to up to 17 sources, including Bing, Brave, DuckDuckGo, Google, Yahoo and Wikipedia alongside small independent indexes such as Mojeek, Marginalia and Wiby, with a few Swiss-only sources including search.ch.
Some sources are limited to particular regions. The result is a combined list that does not depend on a single index, which is the same independence argument MetaGer makes from Germany.
Where is eTools.ch based?
eTools.ch operates from Basel, Switzerland, which places it under Switzerland (adequacy decision, outside the EEA).
What does eTools.ch cost?
Free, advertising-supported. Free.
Who is eTools.ch best for?
People who want a Swiss metasearch engine that stores no IP address. Up to seventeen search sources queried at once from a Swiss company that says it keeps neither your IP address nor your user agent.
What are the drawbacks of eTools.ch?
External ad networks set tracking cookies, per its own privacy statement. Not described as open source. Several sources are US engines, so results inherit their gaps. Switzerland is outside the EEA, adequacy decision only. Plain interface with no integrated extras.
Is eTools.ch a good alternative to Google?
eTools.ch is built as a European alternative to Google: Swiss metasearch engine querying up to 17 sources in parallel, no IP or user agent kept. It will not be a like-for-like feature match in every respect, so check the review above for where the two genuinely differ before switching.
How does eTools.ch compare to other Search Engines tools?
eTools.ch is one of several European Search Engines tools we cover. It is most often compared with Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo.