Startpage key facts
Last updated- Legal entity
- Startpage BV
- Headquarters
- Netherlands (NL)
- Ownership
- Part of Privacy One Group (System1)
- Data hosting
- EU (any EU region), Netherlands
- Infrastructure
- Self-hosted (on-premise servers in EU data centers)
- Deployment
- SaaS
- Open source
- No
- US Cloud Act exposure
- Low (no US parent)
- Replaces
- Google Search, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Brave Search
About Startpage
Startpage BV is a privacy-focused search engine based in the Netherlands. It acts as an intermediary between the user and Google, forwarding search queries anonymously. By stripping away all identifying information, including IP addresses and tracking cookies, Startpage ensures that Google receives the query but cannot identify the individual user. This allows users to access high-quality Google search results without the associated profiling or data collection. The company operates under Dutch and European Union jurisdiction, providing strong legal protection under the GDPR. Startpage manages its own 'premise servers' in locked cabinets within EU data centers, handled exclusively by non-U.S. administrators. While the company received a significant investment from the U.S. ad-tech firm System1 (via Privacy One Group), Startpage maintains that its privacy decisions and data management remain independent and strictly governed by Dutch law, with no U.S. personnel having access to user IP data.
Alternative to
Target Segments
Deployment Options
Hosting & Security
Self-hosted (on-premise servers in EU data centers)