Why Hot Sphinx Exists

What is Hot Sphinx?

HotSphinx.com is a privacy-first shopping search engine. Our custom search index contains millions of products from small indie brands all the way up to global iconic brands. We help you find a great price by showing you different sellers side by side.

We have vetted every store on our site, and sellers are continually evaluated to ensure they meet our safety, trust and ethics guidelines.

What makes Hot Sphinx different?

We exist because we believe there is a better way, and we are paving the path.

Does Hot Sphinx sell its own products?

We do not sell our own products. We are a shopping search engine dedicated to helping you find great products from trusted sellers of all sizes

What types of products can I find on Hot Sphinx?

Our goal is to have the largest searchable database of products. As the saying goes, “We have everything but the kitchen sink”. Except we have those too 😉.

I could not find the product or brand that I was looking for. What can I do?

Our search index is growing very rapidly. We have been adding hundreds of thousands of products every day across many product categories. Chances are, we’ll have what you’re looking for soon. If you are having trouble finding something, or you would like to see a product/brand we don’t currently offer, please contact us, and we'll work to get them included.

Why does Hot Sphinx maintain its own search index?

TL;DR - it’s the best way for us to provide great search results.

If you look at the list of search engines on Wikipedia, you’ll notice that most of them just use Google or Bing under the hood.These are called meta search engines. These sites search Google and Bing on your behalf to help keep you anonymous. There are a few problems with this approach:

1. By using these meta search engines, you’re still supporting Big Tech. When you click on ads, you are directly supporting Big Tech monetarily. Also, meta search engines pay the big companies to serve search results. This further grows their sphere of influence and dominance.
2. You are still being tracked by those companies when you click on links, especially in their shopping search. If you peak at the link before clicking, you’ll see that it goes to Google or Bing first before sending you to your destination. This gives them everything they need to know about you in that exact moment. If your goal is to live more freely on the internet, meta search engines are not the way.

By maintaining our own search index, we can ensure search results are always ranked based on relevance to your search query instead of whoever is paying the most.

This also gives you the power to refine your queries. You can get as specific as your heart desires. You can type exact model numbers, UPC/EAN codes or anything unique to the product you are trying to find. We also do our best to hide results that are related to your query. If you search for “khaki faux leather mini dress”, you’re only going to see listings that have all of those words. You’re not going to get blue, brown and beige full length dresses. You’re going to get what you typed. It doesn’t seem like a crazy concept, but oftentimes search engines try to be “helpful”, but it ends up very frustrating.

Lastly, we get the opportunity to show niche brands and products you can’t find on other sites.

Why should I make the switch to Hot Sphinx?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, come to Hot Sphinx and breathe some fresh air.

Why is there no cookie notice on HotSphinx.com?

Because we simply do not use cookies or any other browser storage. We do not need to know your activity. So, we don’t collect it. It’s that simple. Websites are required to notify you when they use cookies to share your data with their parties. Every time you see one of those cookie notices, you know that website wants to share your data with companies you likely don’t know and don’t trust.

On Hot Sphinx, your activity is only ever processed as a reference. i.e. you visited example.com from HotSphinx.com. Here’s how it works:

That's it. You're anonymous while on HotSphinx.com. Other sites only know we referred you.

Cookie laws come in many flavors around the world, but the main thing they are after is third party user tracking across websites. Be sure to check your local laws.

Can’t I just install a VPN?

VPNs are great, and that is certainly an option, but our vision is bigger than that. We believe the internet does not need to be a super-spying digital panopticon. We dream of a time when websites are held to account and can no longer track people like they have been. We dream of an internet where you don’t need to default to installing ad blockers. It was not like this before. Websites used to prioritize content over clicks.

Also, if your goal is to remove these invasive conglomerates from your life, even a VPN won’t save you when you start entering personal information, such as when you make a purchase. The moment you do that, everything is identified right back to your first click on one of their ads. With Hot Sphinx, you go from us to our partner affiliate network to our partner’s site, and we’ve done our best to get you there safely.

I like what I’m seeing! How can I support the mission?

Step 1 is acknowledging there is a better way. You’ve already done that! Be intentional about how you see your data being used, and continue to explore alternatives. All we ask is you give us a try. Search around as you normally would. If you like what you’re seeing, please do tell all your friends about us so they can join the Hot Sphinx revolution too!

I’m a seller. How do I get my products on Hot Sphinx?

We’re glad you’re interested! You can read more about how to get your products listed here.

One of the main drivers behind the creation of Hot Sphinx is our frustration with pay per click. If you want to hear more about our digital philosophy and how it benefits sellers, check out our quick write-up here.

How do I report a listing or share general feedback?

We are constantly working to improve. We accept any and all feedback. Even if you roast us. We take issues with listings very seriously. If you see something, please contact buyer support.

For sellers, please contact support, or you can message us through our mutual affiliate network.