One-Third of Google Users Stuck with Bing After Two Weeks—Is Google’s Grip Just Habit?
A new study reveals that 33% of users who tried Bing for two weeks didn’t return to Google—raising questions about whether Google’s dominance is due to quality or convenience.
3 min readHighlights
- 33% of Google users stayed with Bing after a two-week paid trial period.
- Exposure to Bing significantly boosted user perception of its quality.
- Study reveals user inertia and default settings play key roles in Google’s dominance.
Source: Image designed by Martech Scholars using Canva Pro and Photoshop, showcasing the Google vs. Bing search engine comparison.
A surprising new study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research has revealed that 33% of Google users chose to keep using Bing after being paid to try it for two weeks. This result challenges the long-held belief that Google’s dominance in the search engine market is based purely on quality.
The experiment involved 2,354 U.S. desktop internet users and measured real-world behavior using a browser extension. Instead of relying on surveys, it tracked how people actually searched.
Not Just About Quality: How Google Maintains Market Share
For years, Google has claimed that its dominance is a result of its superior product and that alternatives are “just a click away.” However, the study, conducted by top researchers from MIT, Stanford, and UPenn, tells a more nuanced story.
The researchers explored various factors that might explain Google’s ~90% market share:
- Product quality
- Default settings
- Difficulty of switching
- Lack of awareness
- Perceived inferiority of alternatives
- User inattention
What they found was eye-opening: when users gave Bing a real shot, their perception changed significantly. In fact, 64% said Bing was better than expected, and 59% said they simply got used to it.
“Try Before You Buy” Effect
The most impactful part of the study was the “Switch Bonus” group, who were paid to use Bing for two weeks. Even after the incentive stopped, a third continued using it.
“Exposure to Bing increased users’ self-reported perceptions of its quality by 0.6 standard deviations,” the researchers reported.
That’s a meaningful shift, closing a third of the perceived gap between Google and Bing.
Defaults Matter More Than You Think
When users were simply offered a choice (without being paid or forced to switch), Bing’s market share only increased by 1.1 percentage points. This underscores how powerful default browser and device settings are in keeping users locked into Google.
In other words, it’s not that users hate Bing—it’s that they rarely try it.
Data Access? It Wouldn’t Change Much
The study also tested a theory floated by Microsoft: Would Bing dramatically improve if it had access to Google’s search data? The answer: not really.
Click-through rates would rise only from 23.5% to 24.8%, a marginal gain. The real key to competition, the study suggests, is getting users to give alternatives a fair trial.
What This Means for the Search Landscape
The research concludes that Google’s market hold isn’t unbreakable—but alternatives need more exposure. The authors recommend that regulators treat search engines like “experience goods,” meaning users need to try them to realize their value.
This has implications for ongoing antitrust cases in both the U.S. and EU, where regulators are seeking ways to encourage more competition.
“Our results suggest that regulators can increase market efficiency by designing remedies that induce learning,” the study notes.
Takeaway for Marketers and Users Alike
This research is a wake-up call for both consumers and marketers:
- Consumers: Try alternative search engines. You might be surprised.
- Marketers: Don’t underestimate Bing or others when optimizing for search.
- Regulators: It’s not enough to offer choice—exposure is the missing ingredient.
