# Brave Browser & Search Engine vs Private Browser

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Brave Browser & Search Engine at 674K against Private Browser's 233. Brave Browser & Search Engine also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and chart position (#22 vs unranked). Private Browser's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Brave Browser & Search Engine sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Private Browser sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Brave Browser & Search Engine holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brave Browser & Search Engine has 674K ratings behind it against 233, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Brave Browser & Search Engine's written reviews are positive against 68% of Private Browser's.

Brave Browser & Search Engine ships an update every 2 weeks, Private Browser weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Brave Browser & Search Engine | Private Browser |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (674K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brave-browser-and-search-engine/id1052879175/reviews)** | [4.6 (233 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-browser-brovacy/id1630781823/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **674K** | 233 |
| Positive reviews | **73.1% of reviews** | 68.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#22** | — |
| Size | 362 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Brave Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/1052874328) | [Actowise LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1563247119) |

## What reviewers say

### Brave Browser & Search Engine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brave-browser-and-search-engine/id1052879175)

**Currently charting:** #22 Top Free · Utilities, #105 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

A fast, private web browser that automatically blocks ads and trackers on all sites. It offers built-in private search, an AI assistant for summarizing and drafting, and a customizable news feed. Enjoy a cleaner, more secure browsing experience with reduced data usage.

**Highlights:** Automatic ad and tracker blocking, Private browsing with tracker prevention, Built-in private search engine, AI assistant for summarization and drafting, Customizable news feed, Faster page loading and reduced data usage, Shred feature to delete site data selectively

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Firewall + VPN | $9.99 | per month |
| Brave Leo AI (monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| Annual Firewall + VPN | $99.99 | per year |
| Brave Leo AI (annual) | $149.99 | per year |
| Brave Origin | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient browsing
- 🔒 Strong privacy and security features
- 👍 Customizable settings and options
- 💰 Earning potential with Brave Rewards

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🤔 Confusing or unintuitive UI changes
- 🚫 Lack of full sync capabilities across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing tabs and lost browsing data
- Compatibility issues with certain websites
- Problems with the Brave Playlist feature

**Requested features**

- Ability to clear browsing history and data in bulk
- More customization options for the home screen and UI
- Improved integration with other apps and services
- Expanded Brave Rewards program and payouts


### Private Browser

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-browser-brovacy/id1630781823)

This privacy-focused browser offers a minimalist, full-screen experience. It automatically clears browsing data upon exit and includes features like app locking and a "Burn Everything" option for complete privacy.

**Highlights:** Full screen browsing, Automatic private browsing data clearing, History-less and tracking-less browsing, Application lock, "Burn Everything" reset option, Easy zoom adjustment, Quick tab access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Lifetime | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pro Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Good privacy protection
- 👍 Easy to use
- ✨ Brilliant app
- 👍 Works as intended

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Charged for $0 promo
- 🐛 No refund eligibility
- 🐛 App asks for review too soon
- 🐛 Tabs reset on closing
- 🐛 No support reply

**Reported bugs**

- Charged $10 for $0 promo
- Tabs reset when app is closed
- Randomly switches search engine (Google to Bing)
- Ads appear at start-up after free promotion

**Requested features**

- Force dark mode on pages
- Add Chinese language support
- Keep browsing history private and secured
- Add more to keep prying eyes away from history
- Ability to return to previous browsing session


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brave Browser & Search Engine free?

Brave Browser & Search Engine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Private Browser free?

Private Browser is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Brave Browser & Search Engine or Private Browser?

Brave Browser & Search Engine is rated higher. Brave Browser & Search Engine averages 4.8 out of 5 from 674K ratings, while Private Browser averages 4.6 from 233 ratings.

### Do Brave Browser & Search Engine or Private Browser have ads?

Neither Brave Browser & Search Engine nor Private Browser shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Brave Browser & Search Engine or Private Browser?

Brave Browser & Search Engine ships an update every 2 weeks, and Private Browser weekly. Most recently, Brave Browser & Search Engine was updated on November 7, 2026 and Private Browser on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*