Startpage

Name: Startpage — Sovereign (Sovereign Beacon™ privacy rating)
Item: Startpage
Rating: 5
Author: HecTec Labs

Sovereign Rating 5 / 5 · Sovereign — Data stays local. Best class.

Claim evaluated

Startpage is a privacy-focused search engine that explicitly states it does not collect personal data for searches. Since 2009, it has not recorded IP addresses, and its policy confirms, "We don't record your IP address" and "We don't record your search queries." Technical mechan

Analysis

Startpage is a privacy-focused search engine that explicitly states it does not collect personal data for searches. Since 2009, it has not recorded IP addresses, and its policy confirms, "We don't record your IP address" and "We don't record your search queries." Technical mechanisms include anonymizing search queries before sending them to providers and using HTTPS encryption with SSL/TLS for all searches, a feature launched in 2011. Although acquired by System1 in 2019, Startpage maintains that its founders retain control over privacy implementations, and independent audits confirm its practices, including not building advertising profiles or selling personal data. A supplemental policy for accounts collects necessary billing and contact information, but explicitly states, "Having a Startpage account does not change how we treat your searches."

Sources

Rating Grade Card

The full methodological and legal context for this rating. This card is what we point to when asked to substantiate the claim.

Rating IDark_intel_9d7f3bcd

SubjectStartpage

CategorySite

VerdictSecure — green

Beacon stateSovereign

Analyzed2026-10-09

CompanyStartpage B.V. (owned by System1)

Official sitehttps://www.startpage.com/

AnalystSovereign Beacon™ agent — Google Cloud Run · Gemini with Google Search, reads the subject's own privacy policy

ApprovalApproved with the steward's YubiKey (touch) before publication

Data basisPublicly reported information only

Claim framingOpinion based on cited sources, not a statement of intent

Ingest origingcp_beacon_agent

Content fingerprint0d6ab143e0bb538362eeaf166794277eeeee2eb85a97ffee1576a6b7e2782c96

Integrity proofHMAC-SHA256 recorded in the Node 0 attestation ledger (BEACON_RATING_COMMITTED) at commit

MethodologySovereignware™ methodology v2.0

Right of replySubmit a response →

CorrectionsCorrections policy →

Disclaimer. This rating reflects publicly available information as of 2026-10-09. Conditions, policies, ownership, and product behavior may change after publication; re-verify before relying on this rating. The verdict expressed here is an opinion formed from the cited sources and is not a statement of fact about the subject's intent.