# CustomSearch 2 vs Aside

The clearest difference is price: CustomSearch 2 at $1.99 against Aside's $9.99. CustomSearch 2 also leads on iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

CustomSearch 2 costs $1.99 and Aside $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

CustomSearch 2 ships an update every 6 weeks, Aside every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CustomSearch 2 | Aside |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[2.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/customsearch-2/id1588019370/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| Positive reviews | 76.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 4 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Marco Cebrian Muino](https://appshunter.io/developer/1525876594) | [Dinh Quang Trung](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896721621) |

## What reviewers say

### CustomSearch 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/customsearch-2/id1588019370)

Take control of your web searches with a customizable engine selector. Choose from dozens of pre-built options or add your own, and use quick shortcuts to switch engines on the fly. Your privacy is protected as the extension only operates at the URL level.

**Highlights:** 29+ built-in search engines, Add custom search engines, Bang shortcuts for quick switching, Native iOS and iPadOS app, Privacy-focused operation, Safari toolbar integration

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Aside

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aside-on-device-ai-chat/id6771574702)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CustomSearch 2 free?

CustomSearch 2 costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Aside free?

Aside costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do CustomSearch 2 or Aside have ads?

Neither CustomSearch 2 nor Aside shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CustomSearch 2 or Aside?

CustomSearch 2 ships an update every 6 weeks, and Aside every 2 months. Most recently, CustomSearch 2 was updated on November 11, 2026 and Aside on November 10, 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.*