# RedirectWeb vs Customize Search Engine

The clearest difference is monetization model: Customize Search Engine at free against RedirectWeb's free with in-app purchases. RedirectWeb's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (93% vs 78%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RedirectWeb sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year and Customize Search Engine sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

RedirectWeb holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 73 and 66 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of RedirectWeb's written reviews are positive against 78% of Customize Search Engine's.

RedirectWeb ships an update every 2 weeks, Customize Search Engine every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RedirectWeb | Customize Search Engine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (73 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/redirectweb-smart-url-router/id1571283503/reviews)** | [4.4 (66 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/customize-search-engine/id6445840140/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **73** | 66 |
| Positive reviews | **93.1% of reviews** | 78.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 28 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Manabu Nakazawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497443611) | [Cizzuk Shihu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1674098361) |

## What reviewers say

### RedirectWeb

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/redirectweb-smart-url-router/id1571283503)

Automate your web browsing with custom URL redirects. This Safari extension lets you control how links open, from mapping apps to search engines and social media platforms, offering a cleaner, ad-free experience. It supports advanced rule creation and syncs across your Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Automatic URL redirection, Customizable rules, Smart Maps redirection, Privacy-focused search engines, Ad-free social media, iCloud Sync, Regex support

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all features (1 year) | $1.99 | per year |
| Unlock all features forever | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and understand
- 🚀 Works as expected, very fast
- 💡 Highly customizable with regex
- ✨ Useful for blocking distractions
- 🌐 Redirects to privacy frontends

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❓ Lacks clear instructions/explanations
- 🤔 Regex can be tricky for beginners
- ⚠️ Free version limited to one active rule
- 🎛️ Interface could be improved for non-techies
- ❌ Some users report it doesn't work

**Reported bugs**

- App is too difficult to understand for non-coders
- Redirection isn't smooth
- Some users report it doesn't work at all
- Extension doesn't open other apps as expected

**Requested features**

- Folders and search feature for created rules
- More in-depth tutorial for complex redirects
- Wildcard support in a future update
- Ability to modify request headers
- More examples in the help guide for wildcard redirects


### Customize Search Engine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/customize-search-engine/id6445840140)

This Safari extension lets you customize your default search engine and settings. Easily switch between preferred search engines, including AI assistants, and modify options like hiding AI Overviews or changing language. It offers quick search shortcuts and emoji search functionality.

**Highlights:** Customize default search engine, Use custom search engines in Private Browse, Quick search with keywords, Emoji search on Emojipedia, Switch search engines by shortcuts

**Features:** Safari Extension

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change App icon | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RedirectWeb free?

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

### Is Customize Search Engine free?

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

### Which has better reviews, RedirectWeb or Customize Search Engine?

RedirectWeb is rated higher. RedirectWeb averages 4.7 out of 5 from 73 ratings, while Customize Search Engine averages 4.4 from 66 ratings.

### Do RedirectWeb or Customize Search Engine have ads?

Neither RedirectWeb nor Customize Search Engine shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RedirectWeb or Customize Search Engine?

RedirectWeb ships an update every 2 weeks, and Customize Search Engine every 9 days. Most recently, RedirectWeb was updated on September 19, 2026 and Customize Search Engine on September 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.*