Which company owns the GIF search engine Tenor?

Google owns the GIF search engine Tenor.

Tenor began as Riffsy, a company focused on helping people find and share animated GIFs in conversations. It later adopted the Tenor name and built a searchable catalog, mobile keyboard tools, and integrations that let users insert GIFs into messaging and social platforms.

Google acquired Tenor in March 2018. The service continued operating as a distinct brand, while its library and technology complemented Google’s products, including messaging and keyboard experiences. Ownership by Google is therefore different from saying that Tenor was created by Google; it was an independent startup before the acquisition.

Tenor is also easy to confuse with Giphy, another major GIF platform. Giphy was acquired by Facebook, now Meta, in 2020, but that is a separate company and transaction. Shutterstock is a stock-media company, and Microsoft does not own Tenor. The answer is Google, even though Tenor’s services may appear inside products made by other companies through integrations or licensing.