How does Qwant handle user data collection and storage practices?
Executive summary
Qwant positions itself as a privacy-focused search engine that minimizes personal data collection, stores little user-identifying information, and hosts services in Europe, while relying on third-party technologies for analytics and some search results [1] [2] [3]. Public documentation shows a mix of strong privacy commitments—encryption, pseudonymisation, and limited cookies—and operational realities that include partnerships (Microsoft, Piwik Pro) that can collect data under their own terms, plus signals that Qwant does create some usage profiles for analytics [3] [2] [4].
1. How Qwant defines "minimal" collection and the legal framing
Qwant’s official materials repeatedly stress data minimization and high privacy standards: the company states it collects “only the strict minimum of information necessary” and applies pseudonymisation to protect confidentiality, framing its policies to comply with EU rules such as the GDPR [2] [3]. Those are legal and marketing claims anchored in Qwant’s published Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, which also position hosting in Europe as a privacy advantage and promise not to sell personal data or retain search histories on their servers [1] [2].
2. What Qwant actually collects and stores
Despite broad privacy claims, Qwant’s documentation admits to collecting certain technical and usage data: IP addresses, user agent strings, device and service data, and anonymous usage metrics via an analytics partner (Piwik Pro) used to build profiles based on browsing history and engagement metrics like bounce rate and pages viewed [3] [4]. Qwant also handles account data for users who register (email, preferences) and says it uses collected data to manage accounts, improve services and provide contextual advertising when applicable [4] [3].
3. Third parties, advertising partners, and control of data
Qwant distinguishes its own role from that of advertising or technology partners, noting many partners act as independent data controllers who set purposes and methods for processing; for instance, Microsoft is cited as an advertising and results partner whose data collection can continue unless a user revokes consent, and Qwant points users to partner privacy policies for opt-outs [3] [4]. Operationally this means that while Qwant limits what it directly stores, using Qwant can still trigger external data flows—especially when results, ads, or measurement tools originate from partners like Microsoft or Piwik Pro [3] [4].
4. Technical protections, cookies, and analytics trade-offs
On the technical side, Qwant claims encrypted searches and limits cookies to core functionality rather than advertising, and it uses pseudonymisation and local storage primarily for UI settings [5] [3] [6]. However, third-party analytics and monitoring technologies such as Real User Monitoring (RUM) have been flagged by privacy researchers and community auditors as potential sources of extra telemetry; community reports question exactly what RUM or similar requests may collect when visiting Qwant’s site [7]. The net effect is a mix: stronger protections than mainstream ad-supported search engines by design, but not an absolutist “zero-data” posture.
5. Independent perceptions, gaps in reporting, and user choices
Privacy-focused reviewers and directories often endorse Qwant as a privacy-respecting alternative and note its avoidance of targeted ad tracking in many contexts, yet independent analyses vary and community audits raise questions about residual trackers or partner telemetry [8] [6] [7]. The publicly available sources reviewed do not furnish exhaustive details about precise retention periods, the full scope of profiling algorithms, or independent third‑party audit reports, so conclusions must weigh Qwant’s documented commitments against the operational reality of third‑party partnerships and analytics [2] [3].