Araa Search vs PeARS
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted search engines options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Araa Search
Privacy-respecting self-hosted Google metasearch engine
VS
PeARS
Lightweight distributed web search you can host yourself
| Feature | Araa Search | PeARS |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Search Engines | Search Engines |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | HTML |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 331 | ★ 38 |
| First released | 2023 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Google Search | Google Search |
Why pick each one
Choose Araa Search if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Python
Frequently asked questions
Is Araa Search or PeARS better?
Araa Search is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider PeARS if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Araa Search and PeARS free and open-source?
Yes. Araa Search is licensed under GPL-3.0 and PeARS under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Araa Search and PeARS with Docker?
Araa Search: yes. PeARS: yes.