Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Avast vs Qwant
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Avast |  Qwant |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan limits | Free Antivirus free indefinitely; app may prompt reactivation of the free subscription after 12 months; includes Free Cleanup, Free BreachGuard and a 60-day SecureLine VPN trial (payment method required to activate the VPN trial). | Free and unlimited once you create a Qwant account |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS | Web, iOS, Android, Chrome extension, Edge extension, Firefox extension, Safari extension |
| Logging policy | States it does not sell users' personal data; security products send suspicious files to Avast Threat Labs for analysis and AntiTrack/BreachGuard block advertiser tracking. | By default does not store search history or personal data; no advertising trackers or pixels |
| Jurisdiction | CZ | FR |
| Privacy tool type | Browser | Search |
| Price from | €3.33 | Not confirmed |
| Protocols | OpenVPN, IPsec | Not confirmed |
| Open source | Not confirmed | No |
Same on both: Free plan (Yes).
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Key differences
- Qwant scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.0.
- Platforms: only Avast offers Windows, MacOS.
- Platforms: only Qwant offers Web, Chrome extension, Edge extension.
- Support channels: only Qwant offers Email.
- Founded is lower at Avast: 1988 vs 2011.
- Privacy tool type: only Avast offers Browser.
- Privacy tool type: only Qwant offers Search.
Our verdict on each
Avast
Avast suits households and travellers who want antivirus and a VPN from a single supplier, and its free version covers a surprising share of the basics. Premium Security opens at $49.99 to $69.99 for the first year, covering 1 to 10 devices on Windows, macOS and Android.
Qwant
Qwant suits readers who want a private search engine with no cost attached, since a free plan is included. It is the fit for people who put no stored search history above open source code, while the typical starting price in the site's private-search field is €6.93.
Score breakdown
| Area | Avast | Qwant |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2HigherIntro $49.99 to $69.99 sits near the €49.95 median for the category, and monthly SecureLine pricing of $4.99 is under €7.89. | 9.1 |
| Offer | 8.8 | 9.6Higher |
| Privacy | 9.2Higher | 8.8 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Avast | Qwant |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Czechia | France |
How they place
| Ranking | Avast | Qwant |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy tools | 36 of 280 | 77 of 280 |
| Private browsers and search engines | 12 of 55 | 15 of 55 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Avast | Qwant |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Legal entity | Avast Software s.r.o. | QWANT, SAS (RCS Paris B 532 867 256) |
| Headquarters | Czechia | France |
| Founded | 1988Lower | 2011 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community, Phone | Email, Phone, Help centre, CommunityCovers more |
VPN
| Fact | Avast | Qwant |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $4.99 | Not confirmed |
| Long-term plan price | $3.99 | Not confirmed |
| Devices | 1 to 10 | Not confirmed |
| Server countries | 74 | Not confirmed |
| Features | No logs, Streaming, Travel | Not confirmed |
| Renewal price | $77.99 to $99.99 | Not confirmed |
| Money-back period | 30 days | Not confirmed |
| Features | Kill switch, Split tunnelling, Multi hop | Not confirmed |
| Streaming services | Built for streaming, downloads, and everything else you do online, Up to 2 Gbps for 4K streaming and big downloads | Not confirmed |
| Owner | Gen Digital Inc. | Not confirmed |
| Longest plan (months) | 36 months | Not confirmed |
Identity protection
| Fact | Avast | Qwant |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial length | 60 days | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Avast | Qwant | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | €3.33lowest quarter | Not confirmed | €7.50 |
Median across 50 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Avast
Pros
- The free version is not a trial: it includes Free Cleanup, Free BreachGuard and a 60 SecureLine VPN trial.
- Premium Security covers 1 to 10 devices on Windows, macOS and Android, so a single licence handles a mixed household.
- SecureLine VPN spans 74 server countries over OpenVPN and IPsec, with a kill switch, split tunnelling and multi hop on top.
Cons
- Renewal is the sting: $77.99 to $99.99 once the first term ends.
- The paid plan spans 1 to 10 devices while the typical free antivirus listed spans 10, so paying buys features rather than device count.
- Support runs on help centre, community and phone only.
Qwant
Pros
- A free plan is included, and Free and unlimited once you create a Qwant account.
- Search history and personal data are not stored by default, and no advertising trackers or pixels are run.
- It runs on web, iOS and Android and support covers email, phone and help centre.
Cons
- Open source: no, so the code behind the engine is not published for outside review.
- The unlimited free tier depends on signing up: Free and unlimited once you create a Qwant account.
Who each suits
Avast
Who it suits
- Budget-first households that want a permanent free baseline rather than a countdown, with Premium Security as the upgrade.
- People who stream and travel, since SecureLine is listed for no-logs, streaming and travel and reaches 74 server countries.
- Buyers weighing a long commitment: SecureLine sells monthly at $4.99 or on a long-term plan at $3.99 with a 30 day refund window.
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Inc., whose built-in protection covers iOS, iPadOS and macOS and suits readers already inside that ecosystem.
- Comodo (Xcitium), whose free plan reaches 50 and fits teams needing raw endpoint count.
- ESET Brasil, whose first-year price of BRL 64.22 is quoted in reais for readers buying in Brazil.
Qwant
Who it suits
- Readers who want a search engine that keeps no search history or personal data by default.
- People in the Apple ecosystem, who can pair a Qwant account with Apple Hide My Email for aliasing.
- Anyone who wants one account across web, iOS and Android.
Who should look elsewhere
- EasyOptOuts, for readers whose main task is opting out of data brokers rather than searching; it has no free plan.
- Apple Hide My Email, for email aliases: its aliases are free with an Apple Account, which is a different job from private search.
Current offers
Avast
Current offer
First period offer
Save 36% on first year, single device (US): $49.99 first year vs $77.99 renewal
US store page, Windows PC or Mac single-device plan, 30-day money-back guarantee
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
Save 30% on first year, 10 devices (US): $69.99 first year vs $99.99 renewal
US store page, 10-device plan
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Holiday promo code applied in Buy now links: WD-HOLIDAYPROMO21
Appears as promocode parameter in the US Buy now links for Premium Security
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Try Premium Security free for 30 days: 30 days, no credit card needed
US page, Windows PC plan
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Try Premium Security free for 60 days: 60 days, $0 at checkout
US page, Mac plan, promocode AVAST_TRIAL_60
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
Avast
How much does Avast cost in the first year?+
Premium Security sells at $49.99 to $69.99 for the introductory year, and Avast also lists an entry point of €3.33 in its store. The first-year figure is a launch price rather than the ongoing rate, so budget for what follows it. Avast ranks 13 of 36 brands on first-year price.
What does Avast charge when the subscription renews?+
Renewal lands higher than the introductory year: $77.99 to $99.99 against a first year of $49.99 to $69.99. Across the brands listed, Avast sits 7 of 22 on renewal price, a stronger position than its entry rank. Anyone staying past the first term should compare renewal, not the launch discount.
Qwant
Is Qwant really free?+
Yes. A free plan is included and Free and unlimited once you create a Qwant account, so the search stays free once an account exists. The only model listed is free, so there is no paid tier priced against it.
What does Qwant cost, and what happens at renewal?+
Qwant's free plan covers the search, and Free and unlimited once you create a Qwant account. There is no introductory deal to time and no renewal step for a paid plan, since free is the only model listed. For scale, the typical yearly price across tools on the site is €65.76.