Marginalia Search vs Whoogle Search
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?
Marginalia Search
Independent search engine focused on the non-commercial web
VS
Whoogle Search
Self-hosted, ad-free, privacy-respecting Google search proxy
| Feature | Marginalia Search | Whoogle Search |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Search Engines | Search Engines |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Java | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,892 | ★ 11,595 |
| First released | 2021 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Google Search | Google Search |
Why pick each one
Choose Marginalia Search if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is Marginalia Search or Whoogle Search better?
Whoogle Search is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Marginalia Search if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Marginalia Search and Whoogle Search free and open-source?
Yes. Marginalia Search is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Whoogle Search under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Marginalia Search and Whoogle Search with Docker?
Marginalia Search: yes. Whoogle Search: yes.