The Big Google Search Tools Collection (2026 Update)
Google is much more than a search box. This is our big collection of Google search tools, first compiled in 2006 and fully updated for 2026. Many tools from the original list, like Google Directory, Blog Search, Catalogs and the Google Toolbar, have been shut down. Others, like Google Lens and AI Mode, did not exist back then. Here are the Google search tools that are useful today, grouped by what you want to find.
Quick answer: The most useful Google search tools in 2026 are Google Search with AI Overviews and AI Mode, Advanced Search and search operators, Google Lens, Google Images, Google Scholar, Google Books, Google News, Google Trends, Google Alerts and Google Search Console for site owners. All are free.
Table of Contents
Core Google search tools
- Google Search – the search engine, now with AI Overviews at the top of many results.
- AI Mode – a conversational search tab in Google where you can ask follow-up questions and get answers with links.
- Google Advanced Search – search by exact phrase, site, file type, language, region and date.
- Search operators – type
site:,filetype:, quotes for exact phrases, or a minus sign to exclude words. - Autocomplete – the old Google Suggest, now built into every search box.
- Google My Activity – see and delete your search history, and set auto-delete.
Want more results per page? Here is how to show more Google search results on one page. You can also search Google by voice.
Search images, visuals and the world around you
- Google Images – search pictures with filters for size, colour, type and usage rights.
- Google Lens – search with your camera or any image to identify objects, translate signs, solve homework and shop. It replaced reverse image search; see how to search faces with Google Images.
- Circle to Search – on many Android phones, circle anything on screen to search it.
- Google Maps – search places, reviews and directions.
Specialised searches
- Google Scholar – academic papers, theses and citations.
- Google Books – search the full text of millions of books.
- Google News – headlines from thousands of sources, personalised by topic.
- Google Shopping – compare prices across stores. It began as Froogle.
- Google Flights – find and track cheap flights.
- Google Finance – stock quotes and market news.
- Google Dataset Search – find public datasets.
- Fact Check Explorer – see what fact-checkers say about a claim.
Research and monitoring tools
- Google Trends – compare what the world is searching for over time and by region.
- Google Alerts – get an email when new results appear for your name, brand or topic.
- Google Translate – translate text, documents and web pages.
Google tools for website owners
- Google Search Console – see which searches bring visitors and fix indexing problems.
- Programmable Search Engine – add a Google-powered search box to your site. It grew out of Google Co-op; read our history of Google Co-op custom search.
- PageSpeed Insights – test how fast your pages load. See make your site faster with Google PageSpeed.
More in our list of free Google SEO tools.
Discontinued Google search tools
These appeared in our 2006 list but no longer exist: Google Directory, Google Blog Search, Blogger blog search, Google Catalogs, Google Music Search, the original Google Video search, Google Toolbar, Google Instant and the News Archive search interface. Fun extras like Google Gravity still live on through fan-made demos.
FAQ
What is the best free Google search tool for research?
Google Scholar for academic work, Google Trends for interest over time, and Advanced Search for precise web results.
How do I search Google with an image?
Click the camera icon in Google Images or use the Google Lens app, then upload or snap a photo.
Can I turn off AI Overviews?
Not completely, but the “Web” filter under the search box shows plain links without AI summaries.
Is there a way you can do a historical search? I want to know how many google hits there were for a particular phrase on 26 July 2006. Any ideas?
Excellent info provided in the post about Google product and their list and now can get easily all Google products list
I have found one nice tool http://www.GoogleItFaster.com . Is so clean and user-friendly, that I’m surprised why more web searching services are not using that solution. Do you have any idea?
I love the Googlism. Lol.
this was very informative …
Getting closer with Mr. G :)
Awesome resources !
please give me time to read & understnad this!
WAU! thx a lot.
A super great collection, very useful, thank you so much
Try http://www.mixeb.com for better search in google
Try this great tools for easy search on google
Man, there are a lot of google search tools. I did not know that. Thanks for the list.
A super great collection, very useful, thank you so much
Very good ones :) one more that worth mentioning http://filebytype.googlepages.com/search.htm
If I type the word “Car” into the google search box and press enter it takes me to various web pages. Later when I go back to the google search – Once in click on the search box a scroll down box appears and the word “Car” is there. Kind of like a google search history.
I do I remove this feature?
http://www.UltimateSuggest.com
beautiful List! Thank you! Google has a been a business godsend. Thanks for putting this list together.
Great Collection, Am thinking of adding Google Search to mysite. Might be alot better than the search script i currently use. hmmm.. Ponders.. :)
This is my favorite!
ALL google products on one easy to use page:
http://www.googdesk.com
Try googling with a wallpaper!
cool list!
Google software like Picasa and others also would be relevant.
And then it would be almost complete list.
(may be most popular blogs about Googles? notify me if you want them. i have a list of some at my blog, but my blog is in Ukrainian, so not linking.)
Nice! This going to become a very very looog list!
http://www.googlism.com/
http://www.soople.com/
hmm, those are the only ones I have in mind now…