Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Qwant vs Surfshark Alert
Qwant vs Surfshark Alert: the differences
| Compare |  Qwant |  Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Free plan limits | Free and unlimited once you create a Qwant account | 7-day free trial, 3 devices |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, Chrome extension, Edge extension, Firefox extension, Safari extension | Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Routers, Chromebook, Smart TVs, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation |
| Logging policy | By default does not store search history or personal data; no advertising trackers or pixels | No-logs policy, independently verified by Deloitte in 2023 and 2025; RAM-only server network |
| Jurisdiction | FR | NL |
| Privacy tool type | Search | Private dns, Ad blocker, SearchCovers more |
| Protocols | Not confirmed | Doh |
| Open source | No | Not confirmed |
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Qwant scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.0.
- Free plan: only Qwant.
- Platforms: only Qwant offers Web, Chrome extension, Edge extension.
- Platforms: only Surfshark Alert offers Windows, MacOS, Linux.
- Support channels: only Qwant offers Phone, Community.
- Support channels: only Surfshark Alert offers Chat.
- Founded is lower at Qwant: 2011 vs 2018.
- Pricing model: only Qwant offers Free.
- Pricing model: only Surfshark Alert offers Budget.
- Privacy tool type: only Surfshark Alert offers Private dns, Ad blocker.
Our verdict on each
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.
Surfshark Alert
Surfshark Alert ranks 2 of 54 brands on monthly price, with entry costs of €2.49 a month. It suits readers who want identity alerts, private DNS and ad blocking inside a single budget account rather than a large insurance payout after fraud.
Score breakdown
| Area | Qwant | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1 | 9.2HigherMonthly price of €2.49, ranked 2 of 54 brands, with a 7-day trial standing in for a free plan. |
| Offer | 9.6Higher | 9.2Insurance of $1,000,000 sits 10 of 45 brands, held up by private dns, ad blocker and search extras and chat, email and help centre support. |
| Privacy | 8.8Higher | 8.2 |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Qwant | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy tools | 77 of 280 | 8 of 280 |
| Private browsers and search engines | 15 of 55 | 4 of 55 |
Licences and countries
| Country | Qwant | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | France | Netherlands |
Pick Qwant if, pick Surfshark Alert if
Pick Qwant if offer, privacy, and free plan matter most.
Pick Surfshark Alert if privacy tool type matter most.
What we checked
Qwant
- about.qwant.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Surfshark Alert
- surfshark.com: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Qwant | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Budget |
| Legal entity | QWANT, SAS (RCS Paris B 532 867 256) | Surfshark B.V. |
| Headquarters | France | Netherlands |
| Founded | 2011Lower | 2018 |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre, Community | Chat, Email, Help centre |
Pros and cons
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.
Surfshark Alert
Pros
- Monthly price of €2.49 places Surfshark Alert 2 of 54 brands in our data, near the floor of the monthly prices we compare
- Deloitte has independently audited the no-logs policy, and the server network runs in RAM rather than writing anything to disk, which is the main privacy claim to weigh
- The same Surfshark subscription covers private dns, ad blocker and search alongside identity alerts, and it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux from phones to routers and consoles, so a single vendor covers monitoring and browsing
Cons
- Phone support is not among its support channels (chat, email and help centre), which matters most when a fraud alert needs an answer the same day
- Insurance of $1,000,000 ranks 10 of 45 brands, so a bigger payout means a bigger bill, as at Norton or LifeLock
Who each suits
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.
Surfshark Alert
Who it suits
- Readers who mainly want alerts on their personal details rather than a large insurance payout, and who weigh the entry price before anything else on the plan
- People already paying for Surfshark who want alerts, private DNS, ad blocking and private search in a single account instead of separate tools
- Households that treat an audited no-logs policy and a RAM server network as part of identity protection, and who are comfortable starting on a short trial
Who should look elsewhere
- LifeLock and Norton readers who rank the insurance payout first, since LifeLock runs $10.42 to $34.99 a month and Norton $34.99 a month
- Allstate Identity Protection readers who want identity monitoring sold on its own at $3 a month rather than bundled with DNS and search
- Readers who want a standing free tier, since the free plan is no and the trial is limited to 7-day free trial, 3 devices, so testing is short
Current offers
Surfshark Alert
Current offer
Bonus
3 extra months on 24-month plans: 27 months for the price of 24 (Starter €67.23, One €75.33, One+ €121.23)
24-month Starter, One or One+ subscription; sale price applies to the first 27 months; VAT may apply
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
7-day free trial: 7 days free, then automatic paid renewal
New users only, 12- and 24-month plans, payment details required (credit card, PayPal or Apple Pay), 3 devices during trial; plus 30-day money-back guarantee
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
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.
Surfshark Alert
How much does Surfshark Alert cost each month?+
Surfshark Alert runs at €2.49 a month and ranks 2 of 54 brands on monthly price. A budget entry price draws most readers here, and the renewal figure is worth reading before you commit to a term.
Is there a free plan or a free trial?+
There is no free plan. The free trial lasts 7 days, and 7-day free trial, 3 devices sets the terms of that look. It is a short taste of the alerts rather than a free tier you can keep.
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