RIP Ask Jeeves: Historic Google Search rival shuts down after 30 years

• Ask.com has officially shut down its search business as of May 1, 2026, after 25 years of operation.
• Parent company IAC said the decision reflects a strategic shift.
• The closure marks the end of a prominent Google Search rival from the early days of the web.

After more than two decades in existence despite the dominance of Google Search, Ask.com has now officially shut down. Parent company IAC confirmed that it discontinued its search business, including Ask.com, on May 1, 2026. This brings an end to one of the web’s earliest recognizable search brands that once rivaled Google Search.