Ask.com Closes Its Doors After 25 Years

Ask.com, originally known as Ask Jeeves, has officially ceased operations after nearly three decades in the search engine market.

3 min readTechnology

Ask.com, which began its journey as Ask Jeeves on June 3, 1996, has officially shut down as of May 1, 2026. This closure marks the end of an era for a platform that once played a significant role in the search engine landscape, predating the rise of Google. The company announced its decision to discontinue the search service through a message on its website, expressing gratitude to the engineers and users who supported it over the years. The statement emphasized appreciation for the millions who relied on Ask.com for answers in an evolving digital world. Despite the challenges posed by modern AI-driven search engines, Ask.com maintained a unique identity as an answer engine. However, the competitive landscape ultimately led IAC, its parent company, to conclude its operations. The legacy of Ask.com, along with its iconic mascot Jeeves, will be fondly remembered in the search marketing community.

Technology