# Search Ace vs Project Iris

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Project Iris at 100% against Search Ace's 60%. Project Iris also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Search Ace's advantage is ratings volume (605 vs 14). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Search Ace sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Project Iris sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Project Iris holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Search Ace has 605 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Search Ace's written reviews are positive against 100% of Project Iris's.

Search Ace ships an update every 3 weeks, Project Iris weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Search Ace | Project Iris |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (605 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/search-ace-ai-browser/id1510267499/reviews) | **[5.0 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-iris-watch-browser/id6477305403/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **605** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | 59.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 288 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [kimihiro kubota](https://appshunter.io/developer/500031798) | [力 雷](https://appshunter.io/developer/1746429413) |

## What reviewers say

### Search Ace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/search-ace-ai-browser/id1510267499)

This app offers a faster, more private web browsing experience by cross-searching multiple websites and AI tools with a single query. It blocks ads to improve loading speed, reduce data usage, and conserve battery, while also providing privacy features and Apple Watch compatibility.

**Highlights:** Cross-search websites and AI tools, Ad blocking, Generative AI search, Apple Watch browsing, Save battery and data, Privacy protection

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (1 Month) | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium (3 Month) | $7.99 | per 3 months |
| Premium (12 Month) | $17.99 | per year |
| Thesaurus for iOS | Free | one-time |
| English Thesaurus for WatchOS | Free | one-time |
| Search Ace Premium | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🔒 Robust security and privacy features
- 💡 Innovative search capabilities
- 🎨 Great for finding images and media

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🤔 Confusing or unintuitive features
- 🔍 Limited search engine options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch for some users
- Incompatible with certain iPad models
- Location services not working as expected
- Persisting issues even after uninstallation

**Requested features**

- Add support for landscape mode
- Implement background audio/video playback
- Improve customization options
- Enhance Apple Watch integration
- Optimize app size and performance


### Project Iris

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-iris-watch-browser/id6477305403)

This utility app offers a streamlined browsing experience with advanced engine capabilities. It allows for private browsing, history management, and customizable search engines, all optimized for accessibility and supporting multiple languages.

**Highlights:** State-of-the-art browsing engine, Keyword and URL distinction, Bookmark management, Private browsing mode, History recording, Customizable search engine, History and bookmark locking

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Iris Vision | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Search Ace free?

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

### Is Project Iris free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Search Ace or Project Iris?

Project Iris is rated higher. Search Ace averages 4.6 out of 5 from 605 ratings, while Project Iris averages 5.0 from 14 ratings.

### Do Search Ace or Project Iris have ads?

Neither Search Ace nor Project Iris shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Search Ace or Project Iris?

Search Ace ships an update every 3 weeks, and Project Iris weekly. Most recently, Search Ace was updated on October 27, 2026 and Project Iris on October 24, 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.*