Host SearXNG on your own offshore server to choose the search engines, settings and access policy for your instance. It retrieves results from upstream engines, which receive the queries sent to them. Review instance and proxy logging as part of your privacy configuration.
Why run your own instance
- Search configuration you control, including engines and instance access
- Your own instance, with upstream engines still receiving search queries
- Tiny footprint: about 256 MB of memory and 1 GB of disk
- Offshore and no KYC, paid in crypto, with an optional Tor mirror
Get it running
Pick a small VPS
Choose server resources for the installed version, enabled engines and concurrent searches. Monitor response times and upstream limits as usage grows.
Install it in one click
Install SearXNG from the catalog and give it a hostname such as search.example.com. HTTPS is issued automatically. See how one-click installs work.
Name your instance
Set the display name shown in the interface. Small touch, but it is what you will see every day.
Make it your default engine
Add it as a custom search engine in your browser so every search goes through your own instance instead of a tracker.
An optional Tor onion address provides another way to reach your instance. It does not automatically route the server’s outbound engine requests through Tor or replace access controls. See the Tor publishing guide.
If the instance is intended for private use, restrict who can access it. Public access can attract unwanted traffic and upstream rate limits. An onion address alone does not prevent abuse or make those limits disappear.
Upstream engines see your server, not you, which is the point. It also means the searches come from one address consistently, so pick a location that makes sense for the results you want.
Maintain engine settings and verify search results
Use app inspection and maintenance on a supported deployment with the Agent online, then test the engines you actually use. An upstream timeout or rate limit can affect results while the SearXNG container remains healthy.
Review app backups to Impreza S3 for persistent settings, access configuration and any engine credentials. Protect secrets and account for configuration outside the covered paths; do not treat app recovery as a record of every previous search.
For migration between compatible servers, recheck the hostname, access policy and results from the destination server. Its outbound address can affect upstream availability and the results returned.
Start now
Spin up an offshore VPS and install SearXNG from the catalog, or read the documentation.