# CSV Lite vs Samurai Search

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Samurai Search at 100% against CSV Lite's 36%. Samurai Search also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.5) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 weeks). CSV Lite's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Samurai Search holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Samurai Search has 20 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of CSV Lite's written reviews are positive against 100% of Samurai Search's.

CSV Lite ships an update every 4 weeks, Samurai Search every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CSV Lite | Samurai Search |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/csv-lite/id294650744/reviews) | **[5.0 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samurai-search-textpdf-files/id1576636770/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **20** |
| Positive reviews | 36.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 2 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ozymandias](https://appshunter.io/developer/286776954) | [Michael Rourke](https://appshunter.io/developer/634812076) |

## What reviewers say

### CSV Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/csv-lite/id294650744)

Access and organize your data offline with this utility app. Search, sort, and visualize your collections from CSV files imported from various sources. Ideal for managing libraries, databases, or any list on the go.

**Highlights:** Offline data access, Search and sort functionality, Import CSV files from cloud storage, Support for links and images, Customizable data visualization, Handles multiple files and languages

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Samurai Search

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samurai-search-textpdf-files/id1576636770)

Efficiently search text and PDF files across your device, iCloud, and external storage. Preview matched files or open them in other applications. Supports advanced search options like regular expressions.

**Highlights:** Search text and PDF files, iCloud and external storage support, File preview, Regular expression support, Customizable file types, Saved search locations

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CSV Lite free?

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

### Is Samurai Search free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CSV Lite or Samurai Search?

Samurai Search is rated higher. CSV Lite averages 1.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Samurai Search averages 5.0 from 20 ratings.

### Do CSV Lite or Samurai Search have ads?

Neither CSV Lite nor Samurai Search shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CSV Lite or Samurai Search?

CSV Lite ships an update every 4 weeks, and Samurai Search every 5 days. Most recently, CSV Lite was updated on September 12, 2026 and Samurai Search on September 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.*