In short. Ecosia lets users select a preferred search provider where available, but availability can still lead it to use another provider.
Definition: As of 17 October 2026, Ecosia offers a preferred search provider setting, where available, to influence which service supplies search results. Ecosia may still use other providers because of availability.
Key facts
- Ecosia's provider documentation names Microsoft Bing, Google and European Search Perspective (EUSP) as its search partners.
- The settings guide says the provider selector appears when multiple providers are available; cookie preferences must be set first.
- The cookie guide says declining the Google cookie leads to Bing results in markets where Google results are available.
How is the provider preference selected?
Ecosia's settings guide covers the website's controls, including access through a mobile browser. The settings address is:
https://www.ecosia.org/settings
After cookie preferences are set, the Preferred search provider control appears if multiple providers are available. The available choices depend on region, device and browser, as well as local partnerships and regulations. With only one provider available, Ecosia applies the regional default and hides the selector.
The Search region control changes the region from which results originate. After choosing the settings, the Save button stores them in the browser. Settings use cookies and remain specific to that browser; logging into an Ecosia account does not synchronize them across devices or browsers.
Can Google results be declined through cookies?
Cookies are small pieces of text that a website sends to a browser to remember information about a visit. Ecosia's cookie guide describes Manage cookies as the control for choosing which cookies to allow. For markets where Google results are available, it explicitly says that leaving the Google cookie unselected produces Bing results.
The same guide lists reasons cookie choices can disappear: deleting browsing history, using incognito mode, antivirus software deleting cookies, or a browser deleting them when it closes.
What limits apply to the preference?
Ecosia's provider documentation says availability can cause another provider to supply results despite the preference. The provider can change between searches for the same user, or over time as Ecosia runs tests and changes partnerships.
To identify the provider used for a search, the results page offers a three-dot control or information icon beside a result link. Opening it displays a provider message. Ads can come from a different provider than the organic results, meaning the unpaid listings.
Related terms
- How do I identify the provider of an Ecosia search result?
- How do I change Ecosia's search market for a regional comparison?
- Can Ecosia users turn off AI answers?
FAQ
Why is the provider selector missing?
Ecosia's settings guide says it is hidden when only one provider is available for your region. Set your cookie preferences before choosing a provider.
Does the preference exclude every other provider?
Ecosia's provider documentation says it may still use other providers because of availability. You can inspect the provider message beside a result to check an individual search.
Sources
- Ecosia, "Search Result Providers", 12 August 2026
- Ecosia, "Customize your Ecosia Search through settings", 19 June 2026
- Ecosia, "Cookie-Management: What are cookies and how do I manage them?", 12 February 2025
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