I have used SearXNG for a while, but I switched to LibreX after the search engine started glitching. Recently, though, LibreX has stopped returning any results. I am currently on Mojeek, but the results aren't that great.
I have also tried Qwant, but I wasn't too keen on it. Startpage will be impractical, as I use a VPN and this engine often blocks me because of it. I don't want to use Brave Search for a number of reasons. MetaGer has too many important features behind its paywall. I'm not sure about DuckDuckGo, but I could use it if there was no other option.
You’re right, I’ve totally read over it. Sorry :)
Can’t imagine a VPN is blocking it as I use it all the time, with and without a VPN. Maybe it’s your VPN provider?
I also use StartPage (always with a VPN) and have <1% of my searches blocked. I'm sure there is some logic as to why the occasional search doesn't get through, but I haven't been able to work it out.
Same. Changing servers or even just the query tends to work, but most of the times there's an option to fill a short "VPN form", solve a captcha, and it works again. So this tells me they're mostly interested in blocking automated traffic.