DuckDuckGo review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
DuckDuckGo suits readers who want a private search and browser free, then a paid tier that folds in the VPN and data removal. The free plan, 5 devices on the VPN and 7 days of trial make the paid step low risk, though $9.99 a month is a real jump.
Key facts
- Best for
- A free tier first, with the VPN and data removal added in one subscription.
- Monthly price
- $9.99 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Long-term plan price
- $8.33 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Devices
- 5 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- US (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Protocols
- WireGuard (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- Kill-switch (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- iOS, Android, MacOS, Windows (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Owner
- Duck Duck Go, Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Longest plan (months)
- 12 months (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Duck Duck Go, Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2008 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- No logs
- Pricing model
- Free, Budget
- Official website
- duckduckgo.com
Privacy tools
- Price from
- $9.99 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan limits
- Free private search, browser and Duck.ai text chat, voice chat and image generation within daily limits (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- iOS, Android, MacOS, Windows (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Protocols
- WireGuard (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Logging policy
- Does not store IP addresses or user information used for micro-targeting or sold to advertisers (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- US (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Open source
- No (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Privacy tool type
- Search, Browser (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Duck Duck Go, Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2008 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free, Budget
Secure email
- Price from
- $9.99 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan limits
- Free private search, browser and Duck.ai text chat, voice chat and image generation within daily limits (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- US (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Open source
- No (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Duck Duck Go, Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2008 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free, Budget
Data removal
- Yearly price
- $99.99 to $199.99 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Data brokers covered
- from 80 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Removal frequency
- Every 10 days (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Duck Duck Go, Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2008 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free, Budget
Identity protection
- Monthly price
- $9.99 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free trial length
- 7 days (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Duck Duck Go, Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2008 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free, Budget
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App Store
- Elsewhere
- WikidataWikipediaXreddit.com
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free plan covers private search, the browser and Duck.ai chat within daily limits.
- Data removal reaches from 80 brokers and repeats Every 10 days.
- The VPN runs on WireGuard with a kill switch across 5 devices.
- A trial of 7 days lets readers try the paid tier before subscribing.
Cons
- Open source is no, so there is no public codebase to inspect.
- Support runs on help centre and community only.
- Yearly billing of $99.99 to $199.99 sits well above the site median of €65.76.
Who it suits
- Readers who want private search and a browser in one place, with the VPN joined to the same subscription.
- People who are happy to stay on the free plan and never open the paid features.
- Subscribers comfortable with a provider whose jurisdiction is US.
Who should look elsewhere
- People after a password manager rather than private search: Sinew Software Systems starts at $1.99 a month.
- Large households wanting wider device coverage: ESET Brasil covers 3 to 25 devices on its plans.
Privacy and jurisdiction
DuckDuckGo sits under a US jurisdiction, with its owner listed as Duck Duck Go, Inc.. The logging policy states that IP addresses are not stored, and user information used for micro-targeting or sold to advertisers is not kept either. That covers the main search and browser side of the service, though the VPN tier rides in the same subscription.
How DuckDuckGo compares
8.6 vs 9.1
8.6 vs 8.8
8.6 vs 8.5
8.6 vs 9.5
8.6 vs 9.4
8.6 vs 9.1
8.6 vs 9.2
8.6 vs 9.4ESET Brasil covers 3 to 25 devices, a wider range than the 5 devices here.
8.6 vs 9.2
8.6 vs 8.8
8.6 vs 9.3
8.6 vs 9.0
8.6 vs 9.0
8.6 vs 9.4
Where DuckDuckGo is available
- Available
- Canada, United Kingdom, United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does DuckDuckGo cost to start?+
Paid entry is priced at $9.99 a month, and the long term plan works out at $8.33 over a term of 12 months. The VPN and the data removal sit inside the same subscription rather than being sold as separate add-ons.
What happens at renewal?+
Yearly billing runs $99.99 to $199.99, so the renewal figure sits away from the monthly entry price of $9.99. Readers comparing plans should weigh both numbers rather than the monthly rate alone before subscribing.
Is there a free plan?+
Yes, there is a free plan. It covers private search, the browser and Duck.ai text chat, plus voice chat and image generation within daily limits. A paid trial of 7 days is also listed for readers who want the VPN and removal tools first.
How much data does the removal service cover?+
Removal covers from 80 brokers, and the service repeats Every 10 days on a set cycle. It sits inside the same paid subscription as the VPN, so readers get data removal by taking the bundle rather than buying a separate product.
What does the VPN tier include?+
The VPN runs on WireGuard and includes a kill switch, covering 5 devices at once. That device ceiling is the main limit to weigh, since the subscription bundles the VPN, browser and search in one place.
Which platforms are supported?+
The apps run on iOS, Android and macOS. That covers the main desktop and mobile systems in use, and the free plan is listed on the Android app store, so a reader can try the search and browser side before paying.
Who owns DuckDuckGo and where is it based?+
The owner is Duck Duck Go, Inc., and the jurisdiction is US, which matches the headquarters in the United States. The company was founded in 2008, so it is a long established business rather than a new entrant.
How do you get help?+
Support runs on help centre and community. That means help comes from self service articles and a community forum rather than a live chat line, which suits readers who are comfortable searching for their own answers.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DuckDuckGo checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Headquarters, Jurisdiction, Legal entity, Logging policy, Open source, Owner, Privacy tool type
“DuckDuckGo is an American software company founded by Gabriel Weinberg in 2008”
- play.google.com/store/apps/details checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free plan
“With one free download, you get an everyday private Internet browser that offers seamless protection while you search and browse”
- spreadprivacy.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free trial length, Support channels
“Try Privacy Pro for 7 Days with New Free Trials”
- spreadprivacy.com/meetprivacypro checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Devices, Features, Features, Platforms, Protocols
“Secure your connection anytime, anywhere, on up to five devices simultaneously.”
- spreadprivacy.com/privacy-pro-free-trials checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Data brokers covered, Removal frequency
“Privacy Pro now covers over 80 data broker sites and counting, including FastPeopleSearch, MyLife, and OfficialUSA.com”
- spreadprivacy.com/pro-subscription checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free plan limits, Long-term plan price, Longest plan (months), Pricing model, Price from, Monthly price, Yearly price
“Text chat, voice chat, and image generation are free to use within daily limits.”
Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Server countries, No-logs audit.
Related by the facts
DuckDuckGo
A free tier first, with the VPN and data removal added in one subscription.