Best Deep Web Search Engines You Can Use

Arshmeet has been a tech tinkerer since childhood, but she realized her love for technology and writing about 5 years ago. Since then, she has been honing her skills and helping people figure out how things work, troubleshoot problems, choose the right app and products, and dig deep into the new and old concepts of technology. She is a self-professed Apple Enthusiast who loves debating what’s good and what’s not. It is her passion for finding techniques, hacks, apps, and products that make everyday life simpler.

Arshmeet has been a tech tinkerer since childhood, but she realized her love for technology and writing about 5 years ago. Since then, she has been honing her skills and helping people figure out how things work, troubleshoot problems, choose the right app and products, and dig deep into the new and old concepts of technology. She is a self-professed Apple Enthusiast who loves debating what’s good and what’s not. It is her passion for finding techniques, hacks, apps, and products that make everyday life simpler.

What is Deep Web

In this World Wide Web layer, there are password-protected websites, proprietary databases, confidential academic research, and much more that are usually not indexed by common search engines. And a deep web search engine can help you do exactly that.

Deep Web vs. Dark Web

While the term deep web is often used interchangeably with the dark web, they are distinct entities. Simply put, the deep web lets you dig deep into untapped resources, that conventional search engines might not index.

This may include legitimate inaccessible information, such as academic databases, government resources, cloud storage drives, company intranets, etc. Whereas, the dark web is a darker subsection of the deep web often associated with illegal activities and shady marketplace.

It is an intentionally and proactively concealed collective of sites that you can only access through special browsers. The data here is encrypted and relayed through multiple nodes, allowing users to remain anonymous.

10 Best Invisible Web Search Engine

1. Duckduckgo – Best Service to Dip Your Toes Into Deep Web

Popular for its privacy-focused approach,DuckDuckGois a valuable tool for searching the deep web. While it primarily functions as a search engine, it can also help you surface some deep web content.

The browser doesn’t limit itself and thus generates results from over 400 individual sources, from popular search engines to crowdsourced sites. The best part is that DuckDuckGo respects its user’s privacy and does not track or collect personal data.

So, it is a safe way to dip your toes into the deep web without compromising your anonymity. Moreover, its easy-to-use and minimal UI can be used and managed by almost anyone.

Pros

Cons

Check out DuckDuckGo

2. The Wayback Machine – Best Place to Search Old Web Archives

The Wayback Machine, aka the Internet Archive, boasts more than 100 terabytes of data and copies of over 361 billion web pages. While you can search for the latest information via regular search engines, this one is a remarkable resource for accessing historical versions of websites.

Though users can upload and download digital material to its data cluster, it primarily collects data from its automatic web crawlers. However, it doesn’t work like a regular search engine, i.e., you can search content randomly. You’ll need to provide the URL of a specific Web page to access its older copies.

So while it’s not a typical deep web search engine, it can be used to uncover content that has been removed or altered on the surface web. It’s an especially essential tool for researchers and historians looking to track the evolution of websites over time.

Pros

Cons

Check out The Wayback Machine

3. Pipl – Best Space to Search for People on the Deep Web

You might have Googled yourself sometimes, but have you ever searched for yourself or someone else on the deep web? There can be a vast difference in what you’ll find. Go try Pipl if you don’t believe us. Pipl is a deep search engine that specializes in finding people and their online presence.

It searches through databases, member directories, court records, and more to share relevant information about a person. Simply put, it fetches information from the deep web, which conventional search engines can’t.

Thanks to this, you can find out about people behind any email, phone number, and social media account usernames. A particularly helpful tool for organizations to search for their future employees or vice-versa.

Pros

Cons

Check out Pipl

4. Ahmia – A Safe Space to Access Dark Web

Ahmia is the crosswalk between the deep and dark web. While Ahmia is a dark web search engine, it’s one of the few dark web search engines that is available on the regular web. Designed specifically for the Tor network (a browser for the dark web), it lets you search through hidden services.

However, beware that you might need the Tor browser to open some links and results. It is an excellent choice for users interested in exploring the deeper, hidden corners of the internet, exposing themselves to associated risks.

Users can also contribute to the source code of this open-source search engine. The best thing about this search engine is it doesn’t support abusive material. Moreover. If you find any such thing in its index, you can report that for the quickest removal.

Pros

Cons

Check out Ahmia

5. Directory of Open Access Journals – Best for Researchers and Academics

DOAJ i.e., Directory of Open Access Journals, is an indispensable resource, especially if you’re looking for academic papers, journals, reports, etc. It grants you access to scholarly articles and research papers that might not be available elsewhere.

It boasts over 19,000 journals and more than 8.9 million articles on various topics and subjects. Most of these are often housed in the deep web due to their specialized and confidential nature or locked under a paywall.

While you can access some free articles on Google Scholar as well, DOAJ stands a bit taller. As it indexes a broader library without any article processing charges. However, if you’re using an article for scholarly purposes, it is advised to give proper references and payments wherever due.

Pros

Cons

Check out DOAJ

6. USA.gov – Invisible Web to Search Government-Related Documents

USA.gov is the official portal to the United States government’s online resources. While it may not be a traditional deep web search engine, it is the gateway to the repository of all public domain information and services.

You can access a wealth of government information and documents about agencies, laws, states, jobs, tax information, etc. The portal can also help you access public material related to federal agencies of the state, local, or tribal government.

Moreover, it’s safe to say that the content found here may not be indexed by commercial search engines. Aimed at giving users a better understanding of government service, it’s a valuable resource for citizens seeking government-related information.

Pros

Cons

Check out USA.gov

7. The Hidden Wiki – The Wikipedia of the Dark Web

Wikipedia’s deep web version is a directory of websites on the Tor network. One can access the directory of different onion websites by visiting its official website. Although you might need the Tor browser to visit some of the onion pages.

However, you’ll have to be mindful of this resource as it includes both legal and illegal destinations. And there might be legal and ethical implications involved when navigating this site.

Agreed, this can be a great starting point for discovering what the dark web offers. However, the available websites like whistleblower tools may or may not be legal in your country. So, proceed with caution.

Pros

Cons

Check out The Hidden Wiki

8. WWW Virtual Library – The Oldest Catalog on the Web

This one is a cross between The Wayback Machine and the Directory of Open Access Journals. Dating back to 1991, it’s one of the oldest directories of e-texts and information sources. Interestingly, the space was created by Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the World Wide Web.

Currently, it compiles all the crucial links for different sectors, including computer science, engineering, education, natural sciences, law, arts, society, and culture. Moreover, the WWW Virtual Library is a curated collection of internet resources organized by volunteers.

Simply put, it provides access to deep web content that may not be easily discoverable through mainstream search engines. Moreover, this library is an excellent starting point for academic and research-based deep web searches.

Pros

Cons

Check out WWW Virtual Library

9. WorldCat – Deep Web Database for Libraries

You can presume WorldCat as a dedicated search engine for unique materials and resources only available in libraries. It boasts a vast online catalog of library collections worldwide and connects you with the indexes of thousands of libraries.

So, instead of checking individual libraries for the needed resources, you can browse and access those from one search box. Be it books, magazines, articles, photos, ebooks, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, maps, records, or theses, you can find all these on this search engine.

Although not a deep web search engine in the traditional sense, WorldCat can help users uncover academic and research materials that may not be accessible through standard search engines.

Pros

Cons

Check out WorldCat

10. Elephind – Search Engine Dedicated to Historical Newspapers

While it works as a remarkable tool for scholars and researchers, it will be equally resourceful for genealogists and family historians. Why? Elephind is a specialized deep web search engine that can fetch historical newspaper archive data from anywhere in the world.

You are privy to a vast collection of digitized newspapers. But that’s not it; it also allows you to simultaneously search through multiple newspaper websites without spending a dime. As it shows the website URLs of many newspapers only available on the deep web, you can go straight to those websites by clicking on the link.

Pros

Cons

Check out Elephind

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Last updated on 24 July, 2024

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