Definition
SearXNG is a free, self-hostable meta-search engine that aggregates results from 60-251 search engines (Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Mojeek, Brave, etc.) under one query, returning JSON, CSV, or HTML output without tracking users.
In Depth
Originally a SearX fork, SearXNG became the dominant fork by 2024 with active maintenance and broader engine support. As of 2026 (release 2026.4.x), it ships as a Docker image and runs on a small VPS. The /search endpoint takes q, categories, and format parameters; format=json is the API mode used by AI agents. Public instances exist at searx.space but many disable JSON output to reduce abuse — production AI use typically requires self-hosting. Honest constraint: SearXNG is the wrapper; the underlying engines still throttle, captcha, and IP-block. Self-hosting means owning that operational burden, which is the trade-off vs paid hosted alternatives.
Example Usage
An r/Searx post shipped a self-hosted SearXNG variant with Playwright Cloudflare bypass for use as a free SerpAPI alternative in AI agent workflows. The deploy was a Docker image plus Redis for rate-limiting; total VPS cost ~$5-10/mo.
Platforms
SearXNG (Meta-Search Aggregator) is relevant across the following platforms, all accessible through Scavio's unified API:
Related Terms
Typed JSON Search API
A typed JSON search API is a search endpoint that returns results as a typed JSON document — fields named, types consist...
Search API Vendor Consolidation
Search API vendor consolidation is the practice of replacing 3-5 single-purpose search APIs (one for SERP, one for Reddi...
Structured Search Output
Structured search output is the typed JSON returned by a search API — title, snippet, link, position, timestamp — that f...