For most people, Google has become an instant synonym for searching the web. When we ask someone to “Google It,” we just mean searching the web for something. However, we also know that Google is not the only search engine in the world.
Privacy-friendly picks like DuckDuckGo and country-specific search engines such as Baidu and Yandex are some of these options. But, if we talk about search engines that can truly compete with Google, there is only one name: Microsoft Bing. With the increasing popularity of Cortana and other Windows features, Microsoft Bing is becoming a household internet name. And we think it is the right time to arrange a Microsoft Bing vs Google debate.
In this article, we have explored the different aspects of both search engines so that you can choose the best one for your needs. We must remember that you can approach a comparison between search engines from different perspectives. We have looked at this comparison from an everyday user’s perspective.
The Google vs Bing debate
Microsoft Bing, commonly known as Bing, is owned and managed by Microsoft. This search engine was launched in 2009 and has acquired more features over time. Bing was a culmination of many services from Microsoft, such as MSN Search and Live Search. Microsoft now uses Bing as the default search engine on its various products and services, including, but not limited to, Windows 10, Microsoft Edge, and Office 365. With time, Bing has added support for video, image, and map search results.
Google Search, better known as Google, is the world’s most used search engine service. This search engine was created and is maintained by Google LLC, which Alphabet Inc owns. This search engine is available in 149 languages and holds a 92.16 percent market share. Google is the default search engine and a core component of various products like Chrome, Android, Gmail, etc. Compared to Bing, Google provides more search results, such as shopping, scholarly articles, books, finance, and videos.
As you can see, both Bing and Google have been active in the industry for an extended period and have added innovative features. But it is worth explaining how these two services work in real life.
Read: Areas where Microsoft Bing Search outperforms Google.
Indexing and Bulk
Microsoft Bing and Google may be using different technologies to crawl the web, but there is no noticeable difference in how much you can find. It is improbable that you will find something you cannot find on Bing on Google. The companies have spent more than decades crawling the web and preparing caches. The main difference occurs in how the search engines interpret this crawled information and show the users’ results.
Altogether, Bing-Vs.-Google is tied in terms of the amount of content you can find through the engine. It is almost the same on nearly all days.
Read: Search engines to consider if you no longer want to use Google.
User Interface
User interface and user experience are areas in which Bing has stepped up in recent years. It has shifted to a minimal yet rich User Interface that provides exactly what you want and the data you love to find. For instance, when you search for the term ‘Covid vaccine,’ Bing shows you a quick link to the Wikipedia page and many news articles from the web, followed by typical results. Microsoft Bing also succeeds in showing some extra information, such as a section-wise view of the webpage in terms of Wikipedia results.
Google, on the other hand, stuck to its classic looks for more than a decade. Of course, you get to see extra results when you search for something through the site. You also have an option to shift to the News section for a more detailed look. While Google does not always offer Wikipedia snippets on the right side, you can find additional snippets like commonly asked questions and rich data snippets based on what you need to see. Besides, Google shows a list of related search terms, which may come in handy.
Read: Bing is more private than Google.
Smart Search Options
Bing has enhanced the variety of smart search options on the SE as a part of its continuous improvement patterns. For instance, if you give Bing a currency conversion search string, it gives you powerful, interactive snippets, statistical data, and Wikipedia snippets in addition to the expected results. Similarly, you can find information about restaurants and local weather.
However, Google still holds the upper hand regarding smart search results. Compared to what you would get in Bing, Google shows a more detailed and refined set of SE results. For example, you can easily access flight information and local business data. We should also mention that Google has expanded its business owners’ options to verify and show more accurate information about their entities.
Overall, you may have to choose Google over Microsoft Bing if you want advanced smart search results, instant searches, and better integration.
Additional Features
In recent years, Bing has started offering additional features that may interest customers. One of them is Bing Rewards, which pays customers to use the search engine. You can also donate the resources to non-profit causes. This feature is available only in the United States and a few other countries, though. We must also mention that Bing offers better integration with various Microsoft products like Windows 10 and Office.
Read: How to use Microsoft Rewards and Give with Bing.
Google, on the other hand, does not offer many rewards directly. Of course, you can enjoy the extraordinary level of integration between various Google products, like Gmail, Calendar, Flights, YouTube, and News. Due to these, you get a wholesome web browsing experience, but only if you have signed in using a Google account. At the same time, you will have to deal with extensive ads, promotions, and tracking to keep using the services.
Conclusion
If you are asking which one you should choose between Bing and Google, we can give you a shorter answer now:
Bing is an excellent choice for a modern Search Engine with improved features and a high potential for rewards and social integration. This is also the best choice if you have heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem.
On the other hand, Google seems to be the best option for most people, especially if you need smart search results, instant search, and better integration with other popular services/products from Google. You also enjoy a better search experience if you use Android or Chrome.
We hope this helps you choose the right search engine that better suits your needs. What has been your experience with Bing? Do share in the comments.