VanillaSurf vs Secure Web Browser
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
VanillaSurf
This app offers a full-screen browsing experience with robust download management for MP3s and other files. It allows for offline tab support, bookmark import/export, and multiple search engine options.
- Full-screen browsing
- MP3 download manager
- Offline tab support
- Bookmark import/export
- Multiple search engines
- Private browsing
- Ad-blocker
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The best MP3 download manager inside a browser. Great alternative to Safari. Full screen. Import/Export bookmarks and more. FULL SCREEN BROWSING Browse the web in full screen in the portrait and landscape mode without losing comfort. You can also lock the auto rotation (this works of course also in the non-full screen mode). The locked rotation will be restored when you start VanillaSurf. TABS with OFFLINE SUPPORT Define the behavior of creating new Tabs in the settings. New Tabs can be opened in the background or directly. VanillaSurf stores the currently opened Tabs and reopens them on launch (even if no internet connection is available - you can disable offline browsing in the settings). You can delete a tab with a swipe to the right. DOWNLOADS Download files from any website with VanillaSurf and transfer them to you desktop computer with the built-in web server or iTunes File-Sharing. You can also view downloaded files directly in the app. BOOKMARKS with IMPORT and EXPORT Create bookmarks (and organize them in folders). Import Bookmarks from Safari or Firefox or export them back from VanillaSurf using the built-in web server or iTunes File-Sharing. The bookmarks are also synced across your devices through iCloud. Access your latest shared links on Facebook through the Bookmarks. HOMEPAGE Easily set any website as your homepage. Just load the desired website and tap and hold the homepage button for one second. To go to the saved homepage, just tap on the button. SEARCH Use multiple search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, Twitter, Amazon, eBay, Wikipedia). You can select another search engine by tap and hold the current search engine icon for one second. OTHER USEFUL FEATURES If you're in Safari and want to open the current page in VanillaSurf add this code as a bookmarklet in Safari: "javascript:document.location.href='vsurf://'+document.location.href;" and then just open this bookmarklet on the current page. Download, copy or save images (just like in Safari tap and hold on an image). You can make a screenshot of the current website (also in full screen mode). Choose between different Themes (Classic like Safari and Black). Send an URL to a friend, Twitter or Facebook. Activate private surfing or the the Ad‐Blocker. Deactivate loading of pictures to save bandwidth. Auto-Completion: VanillaSurf remembers your search terms and loaded URL's (history) for an easy re-usage (you can clear the history in the settings). Support for HTTP Authentication protected pages. SUPPORT If you have any problems with VanillaSurf or experiencing bugs: please contact us! This helps us improving this application and tailoring it to your needs.
Secure Web Browser
Browse the internet privately and securely on your Apple devices. This app prevents websites from tracking your activity by deleting browsing history, cookies, and cache upon exit. Enjoy peace of mind when visiting sensitive sites or sharing your device.
- Private browsing
- No history tracking
- No cookie storage
- Deletes cache on exit
- Full-screen video playback
- Pinch and zoom functionality
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Secure Web Browser is a fast and secure way to surf the Internet on your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch without worrying about leaving a trail of web sites you've visited or any web site cookies behind. That means you can go to sensitive web sites with peace of mind. Secure Web Browser is perfect for those who value their privacy or share their device with other members of the family. If you use a company-issued iPhone or iPad, you need Secure Web to ensure your personal privacy when going to your favorite sites. Some important features: 1.) Works on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. 2.) Uses the same browser technology as Safari. 3.) Supports landscape and portrait orientation (all 4 ways). 4.) You can pinch and zoom to see more details on the page. 5.) You can watch videos in full-screen just like in Safari. 6.) The Go button (green arrow) becomes an hourglass to let you know the page is loading. 7.) Does NOT remember web sites visited (no history). 8.) Does NOT keep cookies from web sites visited (no cookies). 9.) Does NOT keep HTML5 storage and file caches from web sites visited (no file/cache traces). 10.) Does NOT stay running in the background (peace of mind). 11.) EVERYTHING IS DELETED when the app exits, enters in the background or when it starts (ultimate privacy). Use Secure Web Browser and explore the Internet with more confidence, security and peace of mind!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: VanillaSurf at 5.0 against Secure Web Browser's 3.5. Secure Web Browser's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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. VanillaSurf sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Secure Web Browser asks for nothing beyond the download.
VanillaSurf holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of VanillaSurf's written reviews are positive against 50% of Secure Web Browser's.
VanillaSurf ships an update every 3 weeks, Secure Web Browser monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | VanillaSurf | Secure Web Browser |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 3.5 (8 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 52.5% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 7.0 | 6.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | MetaCert Inc. | SinSoft, Inc. |
Customer experience
VanillaSurf
Secure Web Browser
Bugs and requests
VanillaSurf
Reported bugs
4 issues- Pages not loading correctly
- Tabs not behaving as expected
- Settings reset after updates
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
Requested features
5 requests- Bookmark management and organization
- Password manager integration
- Ability to download files
- Landscape mode keyboard support
- Sync with cloud services
Secure Web Browser
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
VanillaSurf
- VanillaSurf Premium Upgrade$0.99
Secure Web Browser
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is VanillaSurf free?
Is Secure Web Browser free?
Which has better reviews, VanillaSurf or Secure Web Browser?
Do VanillaSurf or Secure Web Browser have ads?
Which is updated more often, VanillaSurf or Secure Web Browser?
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