Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Disroot vs Qwant
Disroot
Qwant
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | DisrootReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | QwantReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan limits | 1GB mailbox, 2GB cloud, 500MB Cryptpad, 64MB attachment limit; free of charge, non-commercial use only | Free and unlimited once you create a Qwant account |
| Platforms | Web, Android | Web, iOS, Android, Chrome extension, Edge extension, Firefox extension, Safari extensionCovers more |
| Logging policy | Activity logs kept no longer than 48 hours; several services store no log data at all | By default does not store search history or personal data; no advertising trackers or pixels |
| Jurisdiction | NL | FR |
| Open source | YesHas it | No |
Same on both: Free plan (Yes), Privacy tool type (Search).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.
Key differences
- Qwant scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.2.
- Platforms: only Qwant offers iOS, Chrome extension, Edge extension.
- Support channels: only Disroot offers Chat.
- Support channels: only Qwant offers Phone.
- Open source: only Disroot.
- Founded is lower at Qwant: 2011 vs 2015.
Our verdict on each
Disroot
Disroot suits people who want a free mailbox on their own domain with 2 of cloud alongside it. The trade-off is that email is encrypted in transit only, while Zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption covers the vault, and the free tier is for non-commercial use.
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 | Disroot | Qwant |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Not confirmed | 9.1 |
| Offer | 9.4 | 9.6Higher |
| Privacy | 8.8 | 8.8 |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Disroot | Qwant |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy tools | 66 of 281 | 62 of 281 |
| Private browsers and search engines | 12 of 55 | 11 of 55 |
Which one suits you
Pick Disroot if open source matter most.
Pick Qwant if platforms matter most.
Sources behind this comparison
Disroot
- disroot.org: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Qwant
- about.qwant.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Disroot | Qwant |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Legal entity | Stichting Disroot.org | QWANT, SAS (RCS Paris B 532 867 256) |
| Headquarters | Netherlands | France |
| Founded | 2015 | 2011Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre, Community | Email, Phone, Help centre, Community |
Password managers
| Fact | Disroot | Qwant |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | Zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption | Not confirmed |
| Features | TOTP | Not confirmed |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | No | Not confirmed |
Encrypted storage
| Fact | Disroot | Qwant |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 2 | Not confirmed |
Pros and cons
Disroot
Pros
- A free plan that puts a mailbox, cloud storage and Cryptpad into a single account
- Activity logs are cleared after a short window, and several services record nothing at all
- Open source and run by Stichting Disroot.org under NL law
Cons
- Mail is encrypted in transit only, so end-to-end protection is a manual step through the Mailvelope browser extension in webmail
- The free tier tops out at 2 of cloud storage, with set allowances for the mailbox, Cryptpad and attachments, and covers personal, non-commercial use
- Platforms listed are web and android, so iOS and desktop clients sit outside what is supported
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
Disroot
Who it suits
- People who want a free personal mailbox on a custom domain
- Readers who like open source software and short log retention
- Anyone who wants the vault's totp codes and encrypted storage beside their mail
Who should look elsewhere
- Business users, since the free plan limits are for non-commercial use
- Apple Hide My Email readers, whose free plan limits exclude the service because it arrives only with a paid storage tier
- addy.io users who just need forwarding, since unlimited standard aliases fit that narrower job
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.
Questions about each
Disroot
What does the Disroot free plan include?+
There is a free plan, and it covers more than mail: a mailbox, cloud storage and Cryptpad space in a single account. The cloud portion alone is 2, alongside set allowances for the mailbox, for Cryptpad and for message attachments. Paid tiers sit above this for heavier use.
Is Disroot email encrypted end to end?+
Not by default. Email is secured in transit, and message-level encryption is something you turn on yourself with the Mailvelope browser extension in webmail. The vault is the part that carries Zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption, so files stored there are protected without extra setup.
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.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
Disroot
Qwant