# Orbot vs Underlayer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Orbot at none against Underlayer's 1. Orbot also leads on ads (none vs shown) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, update cadence and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Underlayer sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Orbot asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Orbot | Underlayer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (972 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbot/id1609461599/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **972** | — |
| Positive reviews | 25.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 119 MB | 179 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Tor Project](https://appshunter.io/developer/1199566365) | [Mihail Rukavishnikov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1648782212) |

## What reviewers say

### Orbot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbot/id1609461599)

This app provides a free and open-source Tor-powered VPN for enhanced internet safety and privacy. It allows users to browse the web over Tor, secure their traffic, and access .onion sites. While it offers increased privacy, users should be aware that browsing speeds may be slower than a standard VPN.

**Highlights:** Browse internet over Tor, Secure traffic from insecure networks, Access .onion sites, Free and open-source

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and reliable connection
- 🔒 Secure and private browsing
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 🌐 Bypasses censorship and internet restrictions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections and unstable connection
- 🔋 High battery drain
- ⚠️ Incompatible with some iOS versions and devices
- 🕰️ Slow connection speeds

**Reported bugs**

- Fails to connect at 50% or gets stuck in a connection loop
- Causes Wi-Fi or mobile data connection issues
- Randomly disconnects without warning
- Onion Browser integration is unreliable

**Requested features**

- Add manual bridge configuration options
- Implement a kill switch to block internet access when VPN disconnects
- Improve compatibility with other iOS apps and services
- Provide more detailed connection logs and diagnostics


### Underlayer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/underlayer-hide-text-in-photo/id6753363956)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $2.99 | per 7 days |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Orbot free?

Orbot is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Underlayer free?

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

### Do Orbot or Underlayer have ads?

Underlayer shows ads; Orbot does not.

### Which is updated more often, Orbot or Underlayer?

Orbot ships an update monthly, and Underlayer monthly. Most recently, Orbot was updated on October 25, 2026 and Underlayer on October 28, 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.*