4get vs LibreX
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted search engines options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | 4get | LibreX |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Search Engines | Search Engines |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 800 | ★ 846 |
| First released | 2022 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Google Search, Bing | Google Search |
What are 4get and LibreX?
4get
4get is a free and open-source metasearch engine that proxies results from many providers with a focus on privacy and a clean, minimal interface. It requires no JavaScript and stores no user data.
- JavaScript-free metasearch
- Image, video and news search
- No tracking or logging
- Clean minimal interface
LibreX
LibreX is a free, open-source metasearch engine that delivers private search results without ads or tracking. It aggregates results from multiple engines and proxies them for user privacy.
- Ad-free private search
- Aggregates multiple engines
- No JavaScript required
- Lightweight PHP implementation
4get vs LibreX: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP.
Why pick each one
Choose 4get if…
- Very lightweight
- No JavaScript needed
Watch out for
- Less known, fewer public instances
Choose LibreX if…
- Simple to deploy
- Minimal footprint
Watch out for
- Smaller engine selection
Frequently asked questions
Is 4get or LibreX better?
Neither is universally better. LibreX has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are 4get and LibreX free and open-source?
Yes. 4get is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and LibreX under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run 4get and LibreX with Docker?
4get: yes. LibreX: yes.