Beacon Web Browser vs Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Beacon Web Browser
A privacy-focused web browser that replaces traditional certificate authorities with decentralized peer-to-peer naming systems. It offers on-device DNSSEC validation and supports encrypted DNS with Handshake naming.
- Decentralized peer-to-peer naming systems
- On-device DNSSEC validation
- Encrypted DNS with Handshake naming
- Access to Ethereum names
- Open source development
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Beacon is a privacy and security-focused browser with the goal of replacing traditional certificate authorities with decentralized peer-to-peer naming systems, DNSSEC, and DNS-Based Authentication of Named Entities (DANE)! 1. We use a lightweight peer-to-peer client that connects to the Handshake network[1] and syncs block headers in a few seconds! 2. On-device DNSSEC validation, you don't need to trust external resolvers. Beacon doesn't use a centralized DNSSEC signing key either. Instead, it requests and verifies proofs from the Handshake network. 3. Enable your device to use encrypted DNS with Handshake naming support. Handshake links to other naming systems such as Ethereum using HIP-5. Beacon supports accessing those names too! Try opening humbly.eth or impervious.forever. 4. Look for "Secured by Handshake" to identify websites secured by decentralized DNS-Based Authentication. 5. Beacon is open source! Submit feedback, contribute and report bugs or issues: https://github.com/imperviousinc/beacon-ios [1] https://handshake.org
Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser
A powerful, private web browser designed for customization and control. It offers desktop-style tab management, built-in ad and tracker blockers, and sync capabilities across devices. Personalize your browsing experience with themes, wallpapers, and dark mode.
- Ad Blocker
- Tracker Blocker
- Desktop-like tabs
- Encrypted Sync
- Customizable Themes & Wallpapers
- Dark Mode for Webpages
- Notes & Bookmarks
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Vivaldi Browser is a powerful, personal, and private web browser. It comes packed with built-in features including desktop-style tabs, an Ad Blocker, tracking protection. Designed to put you back in control. Trusted by millions of users across the world. FEATURES: - Ad Blocker: Browse with minimal distractions. - Tracker Blocker: Stay protected with leading privacy and security features. - Custom Wallpapers & Themes: Pick a theme and background that matches your style. - Dark Mode for all webpages: Force Dark Mode to every website you visit. - Desktop-like tabs: Efficiently manage multiple websites at once. - Encrypted Sync: Seamlessly sync data across your mobile and desktop devices. - Notes: Jot down thoughts and ideas while browsing. - Bookmarks: Organize your favorite sites effortlessly. - Reading Lists: Save articles for offline reading. - Custom App Icon: Personalize Vivaldi's appearance on your home screen. - Switch Search Engines: Choose your preferred search engine on the fly. POWERFUL Packed with flexible features, all built in. PERSONAL You make it your own, Vivaldi adapts to you. PRIVATE We don't track you, or your behavior. DESKTOP-LIKE TABS Bring the robust tab management from your desktop to your iOS device. Vivaldi on iOS features a unique Tab Bar akin to the desktop browser. To activate or deactivate the Tab Bar, head to Vivaldi menu > Settings, and tap on "Show Tab Bar" to toggle the setting. SYNC ACROSS DEVICES Never feel out of touch. Sync your data across devices with end-to-end encryption. From open tabs and saved logins to bookmarks and notes, everything is seamlessly available wherever you go. Add an extra layer of security with an encryption password. SET AS DEFAULT BROWSER Ready to make the switch? Set Vivaldi as your default browser and experience the web like never before. Here's how: Go to Settings, scroll down to Vivaldi, and select it as your Default Browser App. It's that simple! ABOUT VIVALDI With millions active users and a vibrant community of over 1.4 million members worldwide, Vivaldi is redefining what a web browser can be. At Vivaldi, we believe a browser should be powerful, personal, and private. With our unique philosophy of "respect, question, create, and deliver," we're crafting a browsing experience that adapts to you, not the other way around. Some of the links in this app are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support the development of Vivaldi and keeps the web browser independent. Thank you for your support! By downloading Vivaldi, you are agreeing to the End User License Agreement at https://vivaldi.com/privacy/vivaldi-end-user-license-agreement/. Learn more about how Vivaldi handles and protects your data in our Privacy Policy at https://vivaldi.com/privacy/browser/.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser at 4.4K against Beacon Web Browser's 14. Beacon Web Browser's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 77%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Beacon Web Browser against 4.7 for Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser has 4.4K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Beacon Web Browser's written reviews are positive against 77% of Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser's.
Beacon Web Browser ships an update every 3 weeks, Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on June 10, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Beacon Web Browser | Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (14 ratings) | 4.7 (4.4K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 77.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 14 | 4.4K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 104 MB | 241 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Impervious Inc | Vivaldi Technologies |
Customer experience
Beacon Web Browser
Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser
Bugs and requests
Beacon Web Browser
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser
Reported bugs
4 issues- Issues with ad blocker not working consistently
- Problems with tab syncing between devices
- Text input lag and delays
- Forced review prompts
Requested features
6 requests- Option to move address bar and navigation buttons to the bottom of the screen
- Ability to set custom search engines
- Implement a reader mode
- Add support for browser extensions
- Improve tab closing/management gestures
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- Provide more customization options
In-app purchases
Beacon Web Browser
No in-app purchases
Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Beacon Web Browser free?
Is Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser free?
Which has better reviews, Beacon Web Browser or Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser?
Do Beacon Web Browser or Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser have ads?
Which is updated more often, Beacon Web Browser or Vivaldi Powerful Web Browser?
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