Mojeek - Detailed Review
Search Tools
Mojeek - Product Overview
Introduction to Mojeek
Mojeek is a crawler-based search engine that operates independently, meaning it does not rely on other search engines for its index of web pages. Here’s a breakdown of its primary function, target audience, and key features:
Primary Function
Mojeek’s primary function is to provide search results based on its own crawled and indexed web pages. It uses a program known as a ‘spider’ or ‘bot’ to fetch web pages, which are then indexed and ranked based on relevance and quality metrics such as the content of the page and its incoming links.
Target Audience
Mojeek’s audience is predominantly male, with 76.39% of its users being male and 23.61% female. The largest age group of visitors is 18-24 year olds. Geographically, the top countries sending traffic to Mojeek include the United States, China, Germany, Canada, and New Zealand. The audience is particularly interested in categories such as search engines, programming, and developer software.
Key Features
- Privacy-Focused: Mojeek stands out for its commitment to user privacy, as it does not track users. This makes it an attractive option for those concerned about data privacy.
- Crawler-Based Indexing: Mojeek maintains its own index of web pages, which it updates through continuous crawling of the web. This ensures that the search results are based on its own data, not relying on other search engines.
- Search Algorithm: Mojeek uses lexical search, looking for explicit matches to the words or phrases in the search query. It also considers factors like the number of times a page has been linked to and the frequency of the search term on the page to rank results.
- AI Search Summary: Mojeek is experimenting with an AI-driven search summary feature that uses a Large Language Model (LLM) to generate summaries from the top search results. This feature is currently in testing and aims to provide a concise overview of the search results.
- Advertising: Mojeek offers a respectful and non-tracking advertising platform. Advertisers can target audiences based on keywords, categories, and location without compromising user privacy.
In summary, Mojeek is a privacy-centric, crawler-based search engine that caters to a tech-savvy audience and offers unique features such as AI-driven search summaries and non-tracking advertising methods.
Mojeek - User Interface and Experience
User Interface and Overall User Experience of Mojeek
Current Interface
The current interface of Mojeek is often described as outdated and less user-friendly compared to other modern search engines. Users have noted that the UI feels “old school” and can be a barrier to adoption, especially for new users who are accustomed to more modern and sleek designs.Design and Usability
Efforts have been made to modernize the UI, as seen in mockup designs shared by the community. These designs aim to create a more consistent and modern look, incorporating features like curved edges, dedicated search result bubbles, and improved usability. For example, the mockups include a rethought homepage and search results page with better integration of the Mojeek logo and more organized presentation of search results.Feedback and User Experience
Users have provided feedback that the current interface is not as engaging or easy to use as those of other search engines like Google, Bing, or Brave. The interface is described as difficult to use, and the lack of a modern design language can make it less appealing to potential users.Specific Issues
Bot Detection
Mojeek’s bot detection system can be overly sensitive, leading to false positives and frustrating user experiences, especially when searching for technical errors or using special characters.Infobox and Additional Features
Users have suggested improvements such as adding more useful facts to the infobox, similar to other search engines, and providing a roadmap for future developments to keep users engaged.Privacy and Performance
Despite the UI issues, Mojeek is praised for its strong privacy stance and independent search results. It uses its own crawler (MojeekBot) and ranking algorithms, ensuring that search results are not influenced by user tracking data. Mojeek also boasts fast response times, with a median response time of 88ms.Conclusion
In summary, while Mojeek’s user interface and overall user experience need significant improvements to match modern standards, the search engine’s commitment to privacy and its independent search results are notable strengths. Addressing the UI and usability issues could significantly enhance user engagement and satisfaction. Mojeek - Key Features and Functionality
Mojeek Overview
Mojeek, a UK-based search engine, offers several unique and innovative features, particularly in its integration of AI and user-centric functionalities.
Independent Search Index
Mojeek operates its own crawler-based index, which means it does not rely on third-party search results from engines like Google or Bing. This independence allows Mojeek to provide unbiased and transparent search results, ensuring user privacy and data security.
Personal Search Functionality
Mojeek allows users to create a personal search setup where they can list preferred sites to search and exclude sites they do not want to appear in their search results. This feature is accessed through a simple and straightforward interface, enabling users to customize their search experience by editing listed and excluded sites.
AI-Driven Search Summary
Mojeek has introduced an experimental AI search summary feature that uses a Large Language Model (LLM) to generate summaries from search results. This feature, activated by a “Summarise these results” button, creates a summary of the top results using Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). This can help users quickly grasp the main points of their search query, although it is still in the experimental phase and subject to user feedback and refinement.
Privacy-Focused
Mojeek is committed to user privacy, ensuring that it does not track, profile, or personalize search results. This commitment to privacy makes Mojeek an attractive alternative for users who value data security and want to avoid targeted advertising.
Fast Response Times
Mojeek’s search results are generated directly from its own index, which allows for fast response times. Most queries are answered in less than 300ms, with a median response time of 88ms. This speed is a result of Mojeek’s own search technology and the fact that queries do not need to be sent to other search engines.
Customizable Search Options
Mojeek offers customizable search options, including the ability to switch between different search engines directly from the results page. The “Search Choices” feature allows users to repeat searches on other search providers, providing flexibility in their search experience.
Web Search API
For businesses, Mojeek provides a Web Search API that allows access to its full index of web pages through simple API calls. This API is highly configurable, ad-free, and relevant, making it suitable for various applications, including machine learning and custom search products. The API offers features like country and language boosting, site clustering, and optional safe search, with flexible pricing plans.
Conclusion
In summary, Mojeek’s key features include its independent search index, personal search customization, AI-driven search summaries, strong focus on user privacy, fast response times, and customizable search options, along with a versatile Web Search API for business use. These features make Mojeek a unique and valuable alternative in the search engine landscape.
Mojeek - Performance and Accuracy
Evaluating the Performance and Accuracy of Mojeek
Mojeek, a search engine that stands out for its independence and unique approach, involves several key aspects.
Performance
Mojeek’s performance is marked by its speed and efficiency. Here are some notable points:
- Response Time: Mojeek returns search results for the majority of queries in less than 300ms, with a median response time of 88ms. This is achieved because Mojeek uses its own index and ranking algorithms, eliminating the need to send queries to other search engines.
- Index Size and Depth: While Mojeek’s index is substantial, with over 5 billion pages, it is still smaller than those of Google and Bing. However, Mojeek allows users to access up to 1000 search results per query, which is more extensive than many other search engines.
Accuracy
Accuracy is a critical factor for any search engine, and Mojeek has several features that contribute to its accuracy:
- Independent Index: Mojeek’s search results are generated from its own crawler (MojeekBot) and index, which means the results are not influenced by other search engines. This independence often leads to different and sometimes more relevant results compared to other search engines.
- Custom Ranking Algorithm: Mojeek uses its own ranking algorithms, which can provide more diverse and relevant results, especially for sensitive or politically charged subjects. For example, searches on topics like ‘holocaust revisionism’ yield better results on Mojeek compared to Bing and Google.
- Feedback Mechanism: Mojeek encourages user feedback through a “Submit feedback” button, which helps in improving the accuracy and relevance of search results over time.
Limitations and Areas for Improvement
Despite its strengths, Mojeek faces some limitations:
- Language Support: Mojeek does not currently index pages in all languages, such as Japanese, which limits its usefulness for users searching in those languages.
- Bot Traffic and Security: Mojeek, like other search engines, faces significant challenges from automated bot traffic, which consumes a lot of resources and makes it difficult to provide services through networks like TOR.
- Index Growth: While Mojeek’s index is large, it is still smaller than those of major competitors. Continued growth and expansion of the index would help improve the quality and comprehensiveness of search results.
AI-Driven Features
Mojeek has recently integrated AI-driven features to enhance user experience:
- Search Summaries: Mojeek offers summaries generated by a Large Language Model (LLM) from a French AI startup, Mixtral (via Lepton). These summaries are optional and include citations linking back to the original search results, ensuring transparency and support for the open web.
In summary, Mojeek’s performance is characterized by its fast response times and independent search results, while its accuracy benefits from a custom ranking algorithm and user feedback mechanisms. However, it faces limitations such as limited language support and the ongoing challenge of managing bot traffic. As Mojeek continues to grow and integrate AI-driven features, it has the potential to provide even more accurate and relevant search results.
Mojeek - Pricing and Plans
Mojeek Pricing Plans
Mojeek offers several pricing plans for its search tools, particularly through its Site Search API and Web Search API. Here’s a breakdown of the different tiers and features available:Mojeek Site Search API
This API is designed for on-demand crawling and indexing of specific websites.Pricing Plans
Bronze
- £POA (Price on Asking) per month
- 1,000 pages
- 100 queries per day
- Weekly refresh
- Weekly on-demand indexing
- No advertising or Mojeek branding.
Silver
- £POA (Price on Asking) per month
- 5,000 pages
- 500 queries per day
- Weekly refresh
- Daily on-demand indexing
- No advertising or Mojeek branding.
Gold
- £POA (Price on Asking) per month
- 10,000 pages
- 1,000 queries per day
- Daily refresh
- Daily on-demand indexing
- No advertising or Mojeek branding.
Custom
- £POA (Price on Asking)
- Unlimited pages
- Unlimited queries per day
- Daily refresh
- Unlimited on-demand indexing
- No advertising or Mojeek branding.
Mojeek Web Search API
This API allows access to Mojeek’s full index of web pages.Pricing Plans
Personal
- £1 CPM (Cost Per Thousand queries)
- Pay-as-you-go
- 1 query per second
- 2,000 queries per day
- Results in JSON or XML format.
Startup
- £2 CPM
- Pay-as-you-go
- Details not specified in the source, but it is implied to have higher limits than the Personal plan.
Business and Enterprise Plans
- Custom pricing available upon request
- Higher query limits and additional features such as storage rights, AI usage, and customizable results
- Ability to re-rank results and access scores for overall ranking, page authority, keyword matching, and semantic matching.
Free Options
- Mojeek offers a free trial version for both APIs, though the specifics of the trial limits are not detailed in the sources provided.
Additional Features
- All plans offer highly configurable, ad-free, and relevant search results.
- Customizable country and language boosting, site clustering, title and description lengths, and optional safe search.
- Freedom to place your own advertisements alongside the search results.
- Support for AI and machine learning applications, including usage alongside LLMs and chatbots.
Mojeek - Integration and Compatibility
Mojeek Overview
Mojeek, a privacy-focused search engine, integrates and is compatible with a variety of tools and platforms, ensuring users can access its services across different devices and browsers.
Browser Integration
Mojeek can be easily integrated into several popular browsers:
- Chrome on Android: You can add Mojeek as the default search engine by visiting the Mojeek homepage, going to Chrome settings, and selecting Mojeek from the “Recently visited” list under the “Search engine” section.
- Opera: While Opera does not allow changing the default search engine, you can add Mojeek as a search engine by installing the Mojeek Opera Extension or by manually adding it through the “Edit Search Engines” option in the browser settings.
- Firefox and Vivaldi: These browsers offer more flexibility, allowing you to easily switch between search engines. Mojeek can be added and set as the default search engine in these browsers.
Mobile Devices
Mojeek is compatible with both Android and iOS devices:
- You can download the Mojeek app from the Google Play Store for Android devices.
- For iOS devices, the app is available from the Apple App Store.
Operating Systems
Mojeek has been integrated into the /e/OS, a privacy-focused operating system. This integration allows users of /e/OS to use Mojeek as one of their search options, aligning with the OS’s pro-privacy and sustainability principles.
Search Choices and Customization
Mojeek offers a feature called “Search Choices” that allows users to quickly switch between different search engines directly from the search results page. This feature is similar to what is offered by Brave, where you can click buttons to repeat searches on other search providers like Google, Bing, or other configured engines.
General Compatibility
Mojeek’s web search results are generated from its own independent index and ranking algorithms, making it a true alternative to other search engines. This independence ensures that Mojeek can be used across various platforms without relying on indexes from other search engines like Google or Bing.
Mojeek - Customer Support and Resources
Contact Options
Email Support
Users can contact Mojeek through various methods, including email at `aloe@mojeek.com` or by using the contact forms and methods listed on their contact page. This allows users to provide feedback, report issues, or ask questions directly.Feedback Mechanisms
Mojeek actively encourages user feedback, which is crucial for improving their services. Users can submit feedback through social media, the Mojeek Community, or by using the “Submit Feedback” button on search results pages. This feedback helps in fixing bugs and making wider improvements to the search engine.Community Engagement
Mojeek has an online Community forum where users can discuss the search engine, suggest improvements, and participate in longer-form conversations about potential enhancements. This forum is also used to test upcoming changes and gather user input before implementation.Documentation and Guides
Mojeek provides detailed guides and articles on how to use their search features effectively. For example, the “How To Search” article explains the unique aspects of Mojeek’s search functionality, such as site search and the use of the “Focus” tool, which allows users to search across a set of chosen and trusted websites.Customizable Search Options
Users have access to customizable search options, including “Search Choices,” which allows them to search using different search engines and proxies with just one click. This feature can be managed from the Mojeek Preferences section.API Support
For businesses using Mojeek’s Web Search API, the company offers flexible terms and customizable results. Users can contact Mojeek to discuss their specific requirements, and the API provides advanced search commands and operators, along with features like country and language boosting. By providing these support options and resources, Mojeek ensures that users can effectively utilize their search tools and contribute to the continuous improvement of the service. Mojeek - Pros and Cons
Advantages of Mojeek
Independence and Neutrality
Mojeek is a fully independent search engine, using its own crawler (MojeekBot) and index of the web, and its own ranking algorithms. This ensures that the search results are not influenced by other search engines like Google or Bing.
Privacy
Mojeek does not track users, ensuring information neutrality. This means that two people with the same search settings will get the same search results, unlike Google and Bing which use personal data and tracking to rank results.
No Censorship
Mojeek does not censor search results, except for avoiding content like Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM), content designed to game search engines, and malware. This approach maintains the freedom to seek information without bias.
Fast Response Times
Mojeek returns search results quickly, with a median response time of 88ms, due to its direct access to its own index without needing to query other search engines.
Extensive Search Results
Mojeek allows users to access up to 1000 search results per query, which is more than what many other search engines offer. This can be particularly useful for comprehensive research.
Customization
Users can customize their search experience, such as turning off the Wikipedia Infobox if desired. Mojeek also offers features like Mojeek Focus, which allows users to create sets of websites to search across.
API Flexibility
The Mojeek Search API offers more data and flexibility compared to other APIs. Users can get up to 100 results per query, control snippet lengths, and freely combine and display results from different sources.
Disadvantages of Mojeek
Limited Index Size
While Mojeek has a significant index of around 7 billion pages, it is still smaller compared to Google’s estimated 80 billion pages. This can result in fewer or less relevant results for certain queries, especially those in languages other than English or for very obscure topics.
Lexical Search Method
Mojeek uses a lexical search method, which looks for explicit matches to the words or phrases in the search query rather than interpreting the meaning. This can sometimes make the search less intuitive and require more precise search terms.
User Interface
The interface of Mojeek is often described as old and less user-friendly compared to more modern search engines. It can also be sensitive to bot detection, which may trigger unnecessary challenges.
Language Limitations
Mojeek mainly indexes English sites, with lesser coverage of other languages like French, Spanish, and German. It does not index pages in languages such as Japanese.
Search Quality Variability
While Mojeek is good for general queries, its performance can be hit-or-miss for specific types of queries, such as programming-related searches. The search quality is improving but still has room for enhancement.
By considering these points, users can make an informed decision about whether Mojeek aligns with their search needs and preferences.
Mojeek - Comparison with Competitors
When Comparing Mojeek to Other Search Engines
When comparing Mojeek to other search engines and AI-driven search tools, several unique features and distinctions become apparent.
Independent Crawler-Based Technology
Mojeek stands out for its independent crawler-based technology. Unlike metasearch engines such as DuckDuckGo and Startpage, which rely on results from other search engines like Bing and Google, Mojeek crawls and indexes web pages independently. This means Mojeek has its own database of over 2 billion pages, allowing it to provide results that are not biased by the algorithms of larger search engines.
Privacy Policy
Mojeek is committed to a strict no-tracking privacy policy, which sets it apart from many other search engines. It does not collect or store any identifying information about its users, ensuring a private search experience.
Ranking and Search Results
Mojeek’s search results are ranked based on relevance and quality metrics, including the content of the page and the quality of incoming links. This approach helps in reducing the impact of filter bubbles and personalized results, providing a more diverse set of search results.
Comparison with AI Search Engines
In contrast to AI-driven search engines like DeepSeek, Andi, and ChatGPT Search, Mojeek does not use Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate search results. Instead, it relies on traditional crawling and indexing methods. AI search engines like DeepSeek and Andi use LLMs to find and compile information from various sources, often providing more contextual and summarized answers rather than a list of links.
Alternatives and Use Cases
DuckDuckGo and Startpage
These are metasearch engines that rely on results from other search engines. They offer privacy features but do not have their own independent indexes. If you prefer results similar to those from Big Tech search engines but with some privacy, these might be suitable alternatives.
DeepSeek and Andi
These AI search engines are better suited for users looking for summarized answers and contextual information. They are particularly useful when you need detailed explanations or lists of information compiled from multiple sources.
Unique Features
Site Search
Mojeek’s site search functionality works differently from other search engines. It requires at least one keyword along with the site operator, which can be useful for finding specific content within a website.
Search Choices
Mojeek allows users to choose from different search engines and proxies directly from their preferences, enabling a quick comparison of results from various sources.
In summary, Mojeek’s unique selling points include its independent crawler-based technology, strict privacy policy, and unbiased search results. While it may not offer the same level of contextual summarization as AI-driven search engines, it provides a reliable and private search experience with a diverse set of results.
Mojeek - Frequently Asked Questions
What type of search engine is Mojeek?
Mojeek is a crawler-based search engine, meaning it has its own index of web pages that it builds by crawling the web using a program known as a ‘spider’ or ‘bot’. This makes Mojeek completely independent and not reliant on other search engines for its index.
How does Mojeek get its results?
Mojeek’s bot crawls the web, fetching web pages and indexing them based on their content and incoming links. The indexed pages are then ranked by relevance and quality metrics, which include the number of times a page has been linked to and the frequency of the search terms on the page. When you search, your query is sent to available search nodes, and the results are generated based on these rankings.
Does Mojeek track its users?
No, Mojeek follows a strict no-tracking privacy policy. It does not implement any kind of specific user tracking, whether at the time of visit or subsequently via standard logs. IP addresses are replaced with a two-letter code indicating the visitor’s country of origin, ensuring no user can be identified.
What is Mojeek’s policy on cookies?
By default, Mojeek does not place any cookies on your computer unless you specifically agree to it, such as when setting personal preferences. You can view, understand, and delete any cookies Mojeek has placed on your computer at any time.
How does Mojeek handle user data and logs?
Mojeek keeps logs that contain the time of visit, page requested, referral data, and browser information, but these logs do not include identifiable data such as IP addresses. This data is used solely for storing historical traffic volumes and country demographics, and it is never sold or distributed to third-party vendors.
What search algorithm does Mojeek use?
Mojeek uses a lexical search algorithm, which means it looks for explicit matches to the words or phrases in your search query within the indexed web pages and their incoming links. It does not attempt to interpret the meaning or intent behind your query.
Can Mojeek perform site-specific searches?
Yes, Mojeek supports site-specific searches using the ‘site:’ operator. However, unlike some other search engines, Mojeek requires at least one keyword along with the ‘site:’ operator to display results. For example, to search for pages on Reddit, you would use ‘site:reddit.com reddit’.
What is Mojeek Focus and how does it work?
Mojeek Focus is a tool that allows you to choose a set of sites to search across. It enables you to perform ‘site:’ searches across multiple domains. You can use preset templates or customize your own to search trusted websites for specific topics, such as weather or recipes.
Why might the quality of Mojeek’s search results vary?
The quality of Mojeek’s search results can vary due to several factors, including the size of its index, the amount of user feedback, and the ongoing development and improvement of its algorithms. Users have reported that while some searches yield excellent results, others may be less accurate or relevant.
Is Mojeek committed to neutrality and privacy?
Yes, Mojeek is committed to neutrality and privacy. It ensures that search results are not influenced by user tracking or click behavior, and it does not censor controversial subjects. Mojeek’s focus is on providing a fair and unbiased view of the internet.
Mojeek - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of Mojeek in the Search Tools Category
Mojeek stands out as a unique and independent search engine with several compelling features that set it apart from other search tools.Key Features and Benefits
Crawler-Based Index
Mojeek uses its own crawler, or ‘bot,’ to index web pages, ensuring it is not reliant on other search engines for its results. This approach allows Mojeek to rank pages based on relevance and quality metrics, including the content of the page and the quality of its incoming links.
Lexical Search
Unlike some search engines that use semantic search, Mojeek employs lexical search, which looks for explicit matches to the words or phrases in your search query. This means users need to be specific with their search terms to get relevant results.
Privacy-Focused
Mojeek is committed to user privacy, as it does not track users. This is particularly appealing to those who value their online privacy and prefer not to be targeted by personalized ads.
Customizable Search
Mojeek offers tools like “Mojeek Focus” and “Search Choices” that allow users to customize their search experience. Focus enables searching across multiple trusted websites, while Search Choices allows users to switch between different search engines and proxies easily.
API Capabilities
The Mojeek Search API provides extensive flexibility, including the ability to extract up to 1,000 query matches and control the length of snippets. This is particularly beneficial for developers and businesses looking to integrate search functionality into their applications without the restrictive advertising policies of other APIs.
Who Would Benefit Most
Privacy-Conscious Users
Individuals who prioritize their online privacy will appreciate Mojeek’s non-tracking policy and respectful advertising methods.
Developers and Businesses
Those looking to integrate search functionality into their applications or websites will find the Mojeek API highly useful due to its flexibility and lack of restrictive advertising policies.
Researchers and Information Seekers
Users who need to search across a wide range of sources without being limited to a personalized feed will benefit from Mojeek’s diverse and unfiltered search results.
Overall Recommendation
Mojeek is a solid choice for anyone seeking a search engine that prioritizes privacy, offers customizable search options, and provides a wide range of results without the influence of tracking or personalized algorithms. While it may require more specific search queries due to its lexical search approach, the benefits in terms of privacy and customization make it a valuable alternative in the search tools category. If you are looking for a search engine that respects your privacy and offers flexible search options, Mojeek is definitely worth considering.