4get vs MetaGer
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted search engines options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | 4get | MetaGer |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 800 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2022 | 1996 |
| Replaces | Google Search, Bing | Google Search, Bing |
What are 4get and MetaGer?
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
MetaGer
MetaGer is an open-source metasearch engine that aggregates results from multiple sources while protecting user privacy. Its core software can be deployed to run a self-hosted private search portal.
- Aggregated metasearch
- Privacy protection
- Result anonymization
- Configurable sources
4get vs MetaGer: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. 4get is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for MetaGer. MetaGer is the more established project (first released 1996), while 4get arrived in 2022. 4get has the considerably larger community, at 800 GitHub stars versus 200.
Why pick each one
Choose 4get if…
- Very lightweight
- No JavaScript needed
Watch out for
- Less known, fewer public instances
Choose MetaGer if…
- Strong privacy stance
- Long-running project
Watch out for
- Heavier than minimal metasearch
- PHP stack
Frequently asked questions
Is 4get or MetaGer better?
4get is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider MetaGer if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are 4get and MetaGer free and open-source?
Yes. 4get is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and MetaGer under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run 4get and MetaGer with Docker?
4get: yes. MetaGer: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, 4get or MetaGer?
4get has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for MetaGer. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.