Private Search for OpenClaw#

Route all web searches through privacy-respecting engines. No ads. No tracking. No query monetization.

Why This Exists#

OpenAI now shows ads to ChatGPT users and routes queries through ad-network-partnered search APIs. OpenClaw defaults to Google/Bing-backed search — both of which monetize your queries. This skill replaces that with:

• Brave Search — independent index, no ad tracking, free tier available
• Kagi — premium ad-free search, best result quality
• SearXNG — fully self-hosted, zero third-party dependency

Quick Setup (Brave Search — Recommended)#

1. Get a free Brave Search API key: https://api.search.brave.com/
2. Set env var: BRAVE_API_KEY=your_key_here
3. Done. All agent web searches now route through Brave.

Configuration#

Set any of these in your OpenClaw environment:

VariableDescriptionDefaultBRAVE_API_KEYBrave Search API keyRequired for BraveKAGI_API_KEYKagi API keyOptionalSEARXNG_URLSelf-hosted SearXNG URLOptionalPRIVATE_SEARCH_ENGINE``brave, kagi, or searxng``brave``PRIVATE_SEARCH_RESULTSNumber of results to return5``PRIVATE_SEARCH_STRIP_TRACKINGStrip UTM/tracking params from URLstrue

Usage#

Once configured, use web search naturally. This skill overrides the default search behavior:

text

Search for the latest OpenAI news
Find me pricing for Hetzner VPS plans
What are the top AI tools this week?

All queries route through your chosen private engine.

Engine Comparison#

EngineCostPrivacyIndex QualityBest ForBraveFree tier (2,000/mo) / $3/mo for 20KHighGoodMost usersKagi$10–$25/moHighestExcellentPower usersSearXNGSelf-hosted (free)MaximumVariesDevs/privacy maximalists

How It Works#

This skill provides a private_web_search tool that:

1. Accepts a query string and optional parameters
2. Routes to your configured engine via API
3. Strips tracking parameters from all result URLs (UTM, fbclid, gclid, etc.)
4. Returns clean, structured results
5. Never logs queries to third-party ad networks

Scripts#

Run the setup script for guided configuration:

bash

bash scripts/setup-brave-search.sh

References#

See references/privacy-engines.md for full engine documentation, pricing tiers, and self-hosting instructions for SearXNG.

Privacy Guarantee#

This skill never sends your queries to Google, Bing, or any ad-network-affiliated search provider when properly configured. Your research stays private.

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Published on ClawHub. Built in response to OpenAI's March 2026 ad rollout.