How to Find Similar Websites (5 Easy Ways in 2026)

Love a website and want more like it? Or need a list of your competitors’ sites for research, guest posts or partnerships? There are quick ways to find similar websites to any site you name. The old Google trick, the related: search operator, no longer works, but free tools and AI assistants now do the job even better. Here’s how to find similar websites in 2026.

Quick answer: Enter the website in Similarweb to see its similar sites and competitors, search Google for “sites like example.com” or “alternatives to example.com”, or ask an AI assistant such as ChatGPT or Perplexity to list similar websites and explain how they compare.

Best ways to find similar websites in 2026

1. Similarweb

Similarweb (external site) is the best free tool for this. Type in any domain and its free website analysis shows the site’s competitors and similar sites, along with traffic estimates, top countries and where visitors come from. Its sister service, SimilarSites, offers a browser extension that suggests related sites as you browse.

2. Search for “sites like” and “alternatives to”

Google and Bing are still great at this when you phrase the search right. Try:

• sites like quickonlinetips.com
• alternatives to Canva
• best blogs about technology tips
• "quickonlinetips" vs (Google’s autocomplete suggests competitors)

Review sites like G2 and Capterra also list alternatives for software and online tools.

3. Ask an AI assistant

AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Perplexity are very good at suggesting similar websites. Ask something like “List 10 websites similar to quickonlinetips.com for tech tips, and explain how each is different”. Perplexity also shows links to its sources, and it leads our list of the best AI search engines. Always open the sites to check they still exist.

4. SEO tools for competitor sites

If you run a website, SEO tools find the sites that compete with you in Google results. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (external site) (free for your own verified site) and Semrush show “organic competitors” that rank for the same keywords. See our guide to the Ahrefs free account.

5. Reddit and communities

Search Reddit for “sites like [name]” or ask in a relevant community. Real users often recommend smaller, high-quality sites that tools miss.

What happened to Google’s related: search?

For years, typing related:quickonlinetips.com into Google showed sites similar to ours. Google confirmed in 2023 that the related: operator was being retired, and it no longer returns useful results. Searching “sites like” or using the tools above is the best replacement.

Older similar-site finders from our original list

When this post was first written in 2011, popular tools included Site Next Door, Links Navigator and the Similar Pages Firefox add-on. These have since closed or stopped working, along with the related: operator, which is why AI assistants and Similarweb have taken their place.

Why find similar websites?

• Discover new favourites on topics you already love.
• Research competitors before starting a business or blog.
• Find guest posting and partnership opportunities in your niche.
• Compare tools and services before you sign up or buy.
• Find backup sources when a favourite site shuts down or goes behind a paywall.

Frequently asked questions

Does Google related: search still work?

No. Google retired the related: operator in 2023. Use “sites like” searches, Similarweb or an AI assistant instead.

What is the best free tool to find similar websites?

Similarweb’s free website analysis is the most useful, showing competitors and similar sites for any domain along with traffic estimates.

How do I find my website’s competitors?

Use an SEO tool like Ahrefs or Semrush to see sites ranking for the same keywords, and check Similarweb for sites with a similar audience.

This post was first written in 2011 by guest author Sonia Mansfield and has been updated for 2026.