# Surge 5 vs Proxyman

The clearest difference is rating: Proxyman at 4.8 against Surge 5's 4.1. Proxyman also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 52%) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Surge 5 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year and Proxyman sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Proxyman holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1K and 808 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Surge 5's written reviews are positive against 81% of Proxyman's.

Surge 5 ships an update monthly, Proxyman weekly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surge 5 | Proxyman |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surge-5/id1442620678/reviews) | **[4.8 (808 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proxyman-capture-https/id1551292695/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | 808 |
| Positive reviews | 51.6% of reviews | **80.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#6** | #9 |
| Size | 73 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Surge Networks Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1442620677) | [Proxyman LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1677092874) |

## What reviewers say

### Surge 5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surge-5/id1442620678)

**Currently charting:** #6 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #30 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

This advanced network utility allows developers to intercept, process, and forward network traffic. It offers deep control over connections, including URL redirection, local file mapping, and HTTPS decryption. Ideal for debugging and network analysis.

**Highlights:** Network connection takeover, Modify network requests/responses, Forward traffic to other proxies, Intercept and save network data, Decrypt HTTPS traffic, Rule-based forwarding, Ad blocking by domain

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Feature Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Surge Pro | $49.99 | one-time |


### Proxyman

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proxyman-capture-https/id1551292695)

**Currently charting:** #9 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #54 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

This app acts as a web debugging proxy, allowing you to capture and inspect HTTP/HTTPS traffic directly from your iPhone or iPad. It decrypts requests and responses, offers advanced debugging tools, and ensures your sensitive data remains on your device.

**Highlights:** Capture & Inspect HTTP/HTTPS from iOS devices, Decrypt and view requests/responses, JSON syntax highlighting, Quick filtering by URL, header, body, Advanced debugging tools (SSL Proxying, Block List), Secure with FaceID/TouchID/Passcode

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly Subscription | $8.99 | per month |
| PROJECT PASS Quarterly Subscription | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Premium Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Proxyman Lifetime with Black Friday | $69.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Powerful networking tools
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 💡 Helpful for debugging and development
- 🤖 Great for reverse engineering APIs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive premium version
- 🔋 High data usage reported by some users
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🤖 Confusing user experience for free version

**Reported bugs**

- Breakpoint functionality not working properly
- Losing session state when relaunching the app
- Incompatibility issues with certain apps and websites
- Crashes when trying to view large response bodies

**Requested features**

- Add support for Simplified Chinese
- Implement scripting capabilities like the desktop version
- Improve handling of WebSocket and MQTT traffic
- Allow grouping of related requests
- Add an option to change DNS settings within the app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surge 5 free?

Surge 5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Proxyman free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Surge 5 or Proxyman?

Proxyman is rated higher. Surge 5 averages 4.1 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while Proxyman averages 4.8 from 808 ratings.

### Do Surge 5 or Proxyman have ads?

Neither Surge 5 nor Proxyman shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Surge 5 or Proxyman?

Surge 5 ships an update monthly, and Proxyman weekly. Most recently, Surge 5 was updated on October 24, 2026 and Proxyman on October 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Surge 5 or Proxyman?

Surge 5 currently peaks at #6 in the App Store charts, and Proxyman at #9. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*