Ecosia - Private Web Browser Reviews

by JillianKay123

In general I really do love Ecosia.

But the most recent update has all sorts of problems. The biggest: Ecosia won’t open. It opens for about 1.5 seconds and then the screen goes black and it crashes immediately. It happens every time. I’ve tried restarting my phone. Closing Ecosia . Closing all other apps on my phone. Trying multiple times in a row. Trying it after not using my phone for a while. And every single time it keeps opening and then immediately crashing.
This started only after the most recent update that I downloaded earlier today. Prior to that I had been keeping up with the updates and versions of Ecosia .
While the previous update did improve certain aspects of Ecosia —like search history and tabs features—it had a bit of a problem with the screen constantly flipping between showing the top and bottom search bars and not, even without touch, just based on movement. I like to read on my phone and this makes it difficult to keep track of where you are when reading a longer article/piece. The menu/app bars were very unstable and would pop up and jump the page at the slightest touch or movement or change in position/angle of my phone.
Of course that was the second most recent update. The most recent update won’t let Ecosia open at all.

I’m hoping for a speedy update fix because I really do enjoy using this app and love the premise.

by KoolCroco

Why Apple doesn’t allow for you to choose your custom search engine for Safari in 2020 or doesn’t at least have this app as one of the options alongside Google, Yahoo, Bing, and DuckDuckGo boggles me. But I still have to use Safari over this, sadly. The reason being that you can’t make the text bigger like in Safari since the iOS 13 update and if I, as a vision-impaired person, want to be able to read anything without it, I have to zoom in and scroll right and right and right and then there’s new line of text below it so I gotta scroll left and left and left and left to get to the start and then right and right and then again left and left and left and then down and down and so on. But when I make the text as a whole bigger it scrunches all the words to fit on my screen and I just have to scroll down. Listen, I LOOOOOVE this app, and I’ve been using it on my Windows computer since there were 81M trees planted, but this is an ESSENTIAL thing for me on here. I will change my one star-rating to five stars once this issue is addressed.

And on a side note, kind of a big deal for me is the “find on page” feature (like ctrl F), where you search for a certain word and see all the times where it was mentioned on the website. Please add that too.

by Grim_Aristea

The concept of this app is extraordinary: helping plant trees without even changing my lifestyle. Every search contributes. However, it was not without its problems.

First, the easiest problem to overcome is that the results aren’t all the same as if I used safari or google chrome. I noticed that this app orders search results differently. Which isn’t a problem, but when doing research (I’m a grad student so 90% of my time on the Internet is research) I have to look even harder than usual to find what I’m looking for.

And then there’s the error message. “The trees are silent.” 1/3 clicks will give you this message. It is SO frustrating to click a link and the entire thing crashes. You need to either refresh a lot or relaunch Ecosia , because turning back just leads to the same result.

And lastly, the most annoying thing: don’t bother searching for pictures. EVERY TIME you click a picture on the images tool, it WILL NOT load. The result is a black image. You need to either reload the page 10 times or actually open the image on a separate page. And that won’t even work 50% of the time.

Overall I’m so disappointed and dissatisfied with this search engine, and end up using safari 80% of the time anyways. The ONLY reason I’m giving it 2/5 instead of a (much deserved) lower score is because of its good intentions in saving the environment.

TL;DR: the frustration and lack of proper function in this search engine makes it too annoying to use

by Jacstr23

I’ve been using Ecosia for a year because I loved the idea of planting trees with my searches. I also heard that my information was safe on this browser. However, I found Ecosia frustratingly buggy. I thought about deleting it all the time, but finally just had enough.

My two main issues were that if I opened a new tab and then tabbed away from it, when I went back to the tab, I’d have lost previous pages and couldn’t go back to them. The biggest issue is that many mainstream, top searches pop up blank pages. If I wanted to read something, I’d frequently have to open another search app to do it. I kept using this app anyway because I was planting trees when it would work, but if I’m constantly having to open Chrome to search yet again and read my search results, what’s the point?

Great idea, poor execution. I was hoping the bugs would be fixed eventually, but it’s been this way the entire time.

by AshCimm

I don’t like writing reviews unless I’m completely satisfied but I’ve been having some issues with Ecosia for quite some time. I will click on links (ie, my local health site for COVID testing) and then my phone will show me that my screen time is exponentially higher than normal. Two sites have been running in the background for over 7 days straight even though I don’t have tabs to those sites open in this app anymore. My girlfriend uses different apps for browsing and those same sites do not continue to run in the background after being clicked on.
I have even tried setting a 1min maximum screen time allowance for each of these sites in my settings but it has continued through this as well. This last week is not the first time this happened and typically each site stops running in the background after a 7 day period has gone by since visiting that site but that’s just far too long. Sadly I will be deleting this app from my phone.

by I Hate You Gnarwhal

Honestly, there should be more apps like this. Apps like this app can really help conserve our planet’s resources. However, this concept alone is keeping Ecosia on my home screen. From a UI standpoint, this app is a watered-down version of Google. Simple functions like refreshing the page require you to press an extra button (a solution I actually admire but is not very efficient). And what I dislike the most is that certain links that work on any other browser out there do not work on this app. This is extremely frustrating.

Many things about Ecosia need to be fixed. Simply taking inspiration from the Google browser would really help improve Ecosia, and I feel that many more people would download it if it were improved. Regretfully, I probably won’t use Ecosia a lot until its problems are resolved (right now, it’s just not practical to use), but I really, really hope Ecosia is improved on.

by Weezybee2010

Overall, this app is a great app, i loved the formatting, plus it was working really well for me. The thought of planting trees with my searches was a huge bonus and I got exited to contribute the environment just by sitting around on my phone 😏. It was the ideal search engine.
Ecosia itself is fine, but a friend of mine pointed how many trees that that the company would have to plant for allegedly every website you access on it.
So tell me, do you find the fact that every website you go to could plant a tree, that this would be contributing greatly to the real issues that go on around Earth? Oh, and what about the people who have to plant said trees, are they being paid well enough.
So I’ve deleted this app off my phone, much to my chagrin.
I’m really sorry to have left a bad review, but I feel as though this is a detail that should be pointed out.

by D. Nikolaeva

I genuinely like using this on my phone. However. There are some problems with the computer version. First off, for some reason, while using it on the computer, one of my old google themes was enabled. I had not even searched for google themes, and it appeared in the background. this app was still the search engine, however. Oh well, I took it out and continued. A few minutes later, I went to look for one of my bookmarks, which I had organized into folders when I was still using google, and I saw that they were completely out of order! They were not in the folders I had placed them in before, and I was a bit upset. I feel like the extension was undoing my settings. Anyways, there are plenty of good reasons to use Ecosia , since it helps to plant trees and everything, but the computer version seems to have various issues, which I do not understand.

by Katie-kins2013

I love the idea of being able to plant trees with simple searches from my phone, however the actual execution could use some work. I’m not fond of Ecosia itself, it keeps somehow losing the pages I last loaded when I go back into Ecosia after being in a different one. Or it doesn’t update the page. As in, I read from my phone, and I’ll be in several chapters then leave Ecosia because someone messaged me, then when I come back it has me several chapters behind. I then have to find which chapter I was on and scroll through to get to where I left off. In that sense Ecosia itself is impractical. It also doesn’t allow separate tabs to be just that - separate. It has tab options but when you leave the new tab to go back to an older one, you can’t go back a page from the original tab, it portals you to the new tab. For research purposes this is unbearably frustrating. It would help if they could fix these things and make it run like a normal search engine, or have a way to add this app as the default browser in safari. Because I would love to see this work, but at the moment it just doesn’t do it for me.

by Dreamistar

Not only are the graphics clean and simple, but this browser shows you how many trees they’ve planted with a live counter (amazing!!!!!), and updates you on stories across the world of ecosystems and people they are helping :) I’ve recommended this to all of my friends and the best part is that this is free! And helps the earth!!!! What’s better than that?!!!
One quick suggestion I would make is to allow multiple tabs to be open at once... Im a biology nerd and I usually like to learn about several related species at once, and it’s easiest for me to have different species in different tabs, but whenever I open a new one, the browser deletes the tab I was previously on ):
Thanks for creating such an easy-to-use app with such a great cause! I love it so much :)

by Pushups

I think this is a solid browser and definitely gets the job done but still isn’t as good as something like safari. When you click into the address bar at the top, the entire link to the site your on doesn’t get highlighted, which makes it annoying to copy/paste links when sending to friends. Also, you have to hit a back button in order to go back, rather than swiping your finger moving right from the side of the screen, like in chrome/safari. There’s just little stuff like that that makes Ecosia worse. That being said, I use it because apple doesn’t let me set this app as the default search engine on safari. If that were possible, I’d switch back to safari immediately but continue with the environmental benefits of this app.

I hope they make some changes!

by ADAWG165

The idea of this app is very nice. The UI of Ecosia is also nice and simpler. Ecosia functionality, however, could use some major improvements. There’s no swiping gestures enabled, so if u wanted to go back a page you would have to physically tap the back button. Another case would be if u wanted to get rid of a tab. You can’t swipe, you would have to tap the button. Another issue occurs when ur scrolling. The buttons at the bottom disappear. This in it of itself is not an issue. The issue is when u want the buttons to appear back. If u want it to come back, you would have to physically scroll back up a bit, instead of simply tapping the bottom like safari. Lastly, there isn’t a private mode.

Overall, the search and UI is great, it’s just that the implementation needs more time to be fleshed out.

by ItzYoGirlRuthy💜

This works amazing (for me at least) I can’t seem to find a problem with it but something that would help more people actually want it is to make its design and overall use slightly similar to other browsers. For example maybe on a laptop/computer version you could make the plain white background before you search something customizable? Or you could make switching between images on this app less laggy and actually have the tab move instead of just popping up the next image. Overall it works just as well as other browsers and had a better cause! I recommend💛

by Coffee The Dog 🐾

This browser is the best, I found it on TikTok one time, and since it plants trees, I wanted do try out, and I fell in love! It’s 10 times better than google and every other browser I know, it’s the best! It doesn’t only JUST plant trees every few searches, it also doesn’t lag, crash AND it look very cute! I saw some people saying it’s ugly, but it’s not, I also like the memes when ur going to download it on mobile, lol
I recommend Ecosia SO much, I downloaded it on my Ipad, my phone, my computer and the family computer, I’m also making some of my friends and family members download it! ❤️
This is the best browser so far, I recommend it SO MUCH!
Keep up the good work :)

by +Vitalli+

For starters, I’d just like to say the fact that this app as a browser is helping to save the Earth simply through our use of the internet is amazing. The money generated through ad-revenue is used to plant trees, and that alone is what convinced me to download this application. I think if you want to help the plant in an easy, cost effective way, this is undoubtedly one of the best ways to do it. Every single search is helping, so every time you feel dumb for not knowing a word.. you are indeed helping to fix our broken planet. Personally, I 100% recommend Ecosia. It’s practical, easy to use, effective, and it has a greater purpose. :>

by Yellow_Penguin

I have been using this app for a while now, and—well NOTHING’S WRONG WITH MY iPAD! There are quite a lot of reviews that say “this app is a virus!!!” but it’s not. Nothing is happening to me, and I love to plant trees with this interesting search engine!

this app is definitely the best search engine that I am using! Although there are a few glitches, none of them really bother me a lot. This is a very clean app, and you are able to see how many searches you have made. I don’t think you are able to log in on Ecosia yet, but the this app team is probably working on it. Overall, 5/5 stars! If you are wondering if you want to get it or not, do yourself a favor and get it. Hooray for this app!! 🥳

by Ella Katrovas

When using this app, we must take into mind it’s purpose - planting trees, helping our planet. The idea, and honestly even the execution, is close to perfect, and I am so happy to be using this application on a daily basis.

Of course, there have been problems, mainly in the outcome of my searches; they often come up short especially compared to google and others. Or, and this really isn’t that substantial, but it does hurt my little OCD heart, and that is that the application’s icon is slightly off, with a dark line on the left side.

Nonetheless, I must thank you, this app. You are doing a wonderful and incredibly innovative thing. And I will continue to support you and spread the word, it’s the least I could do. Hopefully I will come to do more.

by AmazingBTD

I would definitely recommend Ecosia.
I find Ecosia to be better than the google app in my opinion.
Ecosia is obviously for a good cause. Super user-friendly. They give more detail about their cause in Ecosia . Keeps count of how much trees you helped with planting. And contrary to the google app you can actually open more tabs (woah!). Also they obviously need ad revenue, but the ads aren't annoying at all, like about games or annoying pop ups. They are just the first few
(2 or 3) links that you get after searching. AND ARE MOST OF THE TIME ACTUALLY RELEVANT TO YOUR SEARCH. Not like with normal website ads who give you ads based on location and things they think you might like.
Overall, great app would DEFINITELY recommend.

by SeestheSky

As an Oregonian, I live surrounded by constant green and wildlife. this app’s cause I totally stand by and support because helping save/grow trees impacts ecosystems, etc; to keep it short it’s impact is like a domino effect. As for Ecosia , I love it, it works very well. I’m finding everything I need on it just as I would google, I spend a lot of my time researching, reading books online, just trying to grow and learn so having an app where I can do that AND it helps a worthy cause, can’t be beat.

I adore that the home button is 🌍, and I know the back buttons take some adjustment but in my opinion, having one extra step is worth it, in addition to ensuring I slow down, be present and pay attention to detail rather than get caught up on the media and start running on autopilot.

by Jelfndkdowkfn

Overall this is a great app I recommend it to all my friends it goes to a great cause and does not go to a greedy corporations my Google or Yahoo. Whenever a Google something and brings up probably three ads and the money that the ads paid to be there go to a forest planting organization. It takes about 70 searches to plant one tree and I have planted probably 25 trees over the last year I had Ecosia . So it's not like you're going to plan and tire for us but you are doing a major part for the ecosystem. The apps does not seem to crash I've never had a problem with it it is as easy to Google things as Google app. The only thing I do not like is I don't think there is a search history or I just cannot seem to find it. Overall I would recommend it to anyone, so give it a try.

by Deepfreeze915

First of all, this concept is genius. I fully support taking ad revenue away from Google & using that $ to fight climate change. I love this organization’s transparency through their monthly financial reports & descriptions about their real-world projects around the globe.

Issues:
That being said, Ecosia is near perfect, but it needs a few things. The only issues I experience regularly are:
•the refresh button not working
•web urls not going through in the address bar
•”personal counter” only counting some searches; 4 different search tabs with different terms only moved my counter up by 1, for example

Suggested Features:
•As an iOS 13 user, I would LOVE to see a dark mode for Ecosia to make it easier on the eyes in low-light settings
•I would also LOVE a private/incognito mode, because then I could drastically increase my number of searches without having those searches take up space in my history- my history would only consist of the important terms I wanted saved, and not searches I made just to get my counter up & more trees planted. (I wouldn’t have to sort through the 10 times I searched numbers just to find the article I was reading, for example. I could then use incognito mode to spam the search bar without flooding my history).

by Snhekins

i'm giving you 5 stars because this is honestly an amazing app with an amazing cause. just a couple things that i want to improve?
i want Ecosia to be able to support higher quality videos, like higher than 360p. 720p or 1080p would be amazing.
i also want there to be less porn? i searched the name of a youtuber and a bunch of nsfw art came up of them that wouldn't normally come up in safari or google. or i searched "video" and a porn website came up in the results, which, again, normally wouldn't happen. i'm okay with porn but it makes me slightly uncomfortable when i'm scrolling through normal images and get blasted with images of penises!!!!
i feel like the search results work better and are newer in google or safari than on Ecosia. i'll still use it because we need to save the planet but those are just a few small problems. thank you i love you and your app is amazing

by Guest66)

So this is a great app! Its nice how this app workers plant trees based on your searches!!! XD It is cool how they try to save our planet... To be Honest this is WAAAY better than google or safari because those companies are payed by vaccines! Vaccines are BAD. They gave my brother Autism! Everyone should switch to this app 🌍! EARTH IS DYING! We pollute it with plastic bottles 24/7! I tried to get my family to switch but they say it is not worth it! LIES. If I could give this app a higher review, I WOULD! Sometimes i just would search “ abc “ like 100 times! Honestly! Just so more trees can be planted! I love Ecosia! My mom even deleted it because she said it was not safe BUUUUT... I got it again. Go me! And the kind this app workers and people who have downloaded this!!!! If Earth dies, WE DIE! ( Sorry for all my capitals ) Bye Readers!

— JustARobloxianInARobloxWorld

P.S. 👁❤️🌍