Comparison

Chute vs VPN

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Chute

This network toolbox offers advanced proxy capabilities for iOS devices. It supports various proxy protocols and allows for traffic interception and logging. Ideal for power users seeking comprehensive network control.

Highlights
  • Advanced proxy experience on iOS
  • Full DNS and proxy server support
  • Network traffic interception and logging
  • Flexible rule system for traffic routing
  • Supports multiple proxy protocols (HTTP, SOCKS5, Shadowsocks, etc.)
Read full description

Chute turns your iPhone and iPad into a complete network workstation: a rule-based proxy client, an HTTPS debugging proxy, and a full DNS stack — all running on a network engine written from scratch for Apple platforms. Switch it on once and the whole device is behind the proxy. Every connection your apps make can be inspected, routed, rewritten, or blocked by rules you wrote. SYSTEM-WIDE PROXY • Chute VIF — a transparent virtual interface on a custom TCP/IP stack, no per-app setup • Local HTTP and SOCKS5 servers for the other devices on your network • Hot reload — edit rules, DNS, and scripts without dropping a single connection • On-demand activation, per-Wi-Fi behavior, and persistence across reboots 17 PROXY PROTOCOLS HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5, SOCKS5 over TLS, Shadowsocks (AEAD, AEGIS, and 2022), ShadowsocksR, VMess, VLESS, Trojan, TUIC v5, Hysteria2, WireGuard, AmneziaWG, AnyTLS, ShadowTLS, MASQUE, and SSH tunneling — plus a built-in Tailscale client. Transport and TLS: XTLS Vision, REALITY, XHTTP, uTLS fingerprinting, ECH, and X25519MLKEM768 post-quantum key exchange. 30 RULE TYPES • DOMAIN, DOMAIN-SUFFIX, DOMAIN-KEYWORD, DOMAIN-WILDCARD, DOMAIN-REGEX • IP-CIDR, IP-CIDR6, GEOIP, IP-ASN, SUBNET — match on Wi-Fi SSID, BSSID, or router • SRC-IP, SRC-PORT, DEST-PORT, IN-PORT, IN-TYPE, IN-USER, IN-NAME • PROCESS-NAME, PROCESS-PATH, PROCESS-NAME-REGEX, USER-AGENT, URL-REGEX • PROTOCOL, HOSTNAME-TYPE, and AND / OR / NOT for composite conditions • RULE-SET and DOMAIN-SET with remote subscriptions and auto-update • SCRIPT for the cases a rule alone cannot express POLICY GROUPS • URL-Test — always ride the lowest-latency node • Fallback — automatic failover the moment a node degrades • Load Balance — round-robin, consistent hash, or sticky sessions • SSID — switch policy automatically by Wi-Fi network • Select — take the wheel manually whenever you want it MODERN DNS • DoH, DoH3, DoQ, DoT, and plain DNS — a different resolver per domain if you want • FakeDNS for fast, leak-free routing decisions • EDNS Client Subnet, negative caching, custom hosts, and full query logs TRAFFIC INSPECTION • Capture HTTP, HTTPS, and DNS live, with full headers and bodies • HTTPS decryption scoped to exactly the hosts and paths you choose • URL rewrite, header rewrite, and JSONPath body rewrite • Local mock responses for offline work and edge-case testing • Real-time throughput charts, per-connection detail, and traffic accounting SCRIPTING AND MODULES • A JavaScript engine for requests, responses, DNS resolution, and scheduled tasks • A persistent store, an HTTP client, and notification APIs available to your scripts • Modules package rules, rewrites, and scripts into one installable file BRING YOUR EXISTING SETUP • Import Clash and sing-box profiles from a subscription URL, a file, or over Wi-Fi • Remote subscriptions with automatic update • Pair with Chute Dashboard, a free Mac app, to inspect iPhone traffic over Wi-Fi or USB BUILT FOR DAILY USE • Home Screen widget, Control Center control, and a Notification Center toggle • Face ID / Touch ID lock • Picture in Picture traffic monitor FREE AND PAID The proxy engine, the rule engine, the DNS stack, and the live dashboard are free to use with one configuration. A single one-time purchase — no subscription — adds multiple switchable configurations, iCloud sync, HTTPS decryption, traffic recording for Chute Dashboard, local server control, the Picture in Picture monitor, and Always On. One purchase covers up to 3 iPhone or iPad devices and 3 Apple TV devices. Chute does not operate proxy servers and does not provide network access on its own — you bring your own server or a service you already use. Traffic and logs stay on your device. Chute collects no browsing data and sells nothing to anyone.

About

VPN

This app provides intelligent network management for iOS devices. It allows users to easily import server nodes, switch proxy modes, and capture all network traffic. Advanced rule management enables precise control over connections and ad blocking.

Highlights
  • One-click server node import
  • Multiple proxy modes
  • HTTP, HTTPS, and TCP traffic capture
  • Advanced rule configuration
  • Traffic usage monitoring
  • Ad blocking
  • Local DNS mapping
Features
Read full description

English (Polished Promotional Version) FlyShadow – Your Smart Rule-Based Proxy Solution FlyShadow is a powerful, rule-based proxy client for iPhone and iPad, designed for seamless and intelligent network management. One-click import of server nodes for instant setup. Switch effortlessly between different proxy modes. Start your proxy connection with a single tap. Simple, intuitive interface – easy for anyone to use. Advanced Traffic Control & Rule Management Capture all HTTP, HTTPS, and TCP traffic from any app on your device, and redirect it to your proxy server. Configure precise rules using domain matches, domain suffixes, keywords, CIDR IP ranges, or GeoIP lookup. Monitor traffic usage and network speed across WiFi, cellular, direct, and proxy connections. Import rule files from URLs or iCloud Drive. Block ads efficiently using domain and user-agent rules. Local DNS mapping for faster and more reliable connections.

Screenshots

Chute2 screens
VPN4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: VPN at weekly against Chute's every 3 months. VPN also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Chute's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Chute sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and VPN sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chute ships an update every 3 months, VPN weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Chute versus VPN: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChuteVPN
PriceFreeFree
Rating—1.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews20.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better14
Further details — not scored
Size57 MB28 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperS. Smart Rabbit LLCOrangePlusZero LLC

Customer experience

Chute

Written reviews5 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative80.0%

VPN

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Chute

One-time1
  • Chute iOS Full Feature$3.99
10 purchases

VPN

One-time10
  • Monthly Light Plan$2.99
  • Semi-Annual Light Plan$17.99
  • Semi-Annual Standard Plan$23.49
Show 7 more
  • Quarterly Premium Plan$24.99
  • Annual Light Plan$35.49
  • Lifetime Plan V2$42.49
  • Annual Standard Plan$46.49
  • Semi-Annual Premium Plan$48.49
  • Lifetime Plan V3$94.99
  • Annual Premium Plan$96.99

Questions

Is Chute free?
Chute is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is VPN free?
VPN is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Chute or VPN have ads?
Neither Chute nor VPN shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chute or VPN?
Chute ships an update every 3 months, and VPN weekly. Most recently, Chute was updated on September 16, 2026 and VPN on September 14, 2026.

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