Comparison

iCab Mobile (Web Browser) vs Brave Browser & Search Engine

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

iCab Mobile (Web Browser)

A highly customizable web browser for iOS that prioritizes privacy and user control. Manage multiple profiles, tabs, and downloads with advanced filtering and interface options.

Highlights
  • Private browsing mode
  • Multiple user profiles
  • Tab management and grouping
  • Ad and tracker blocking filters
  • Configurable user interface
  • File download manager
  • Website content customization
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

iCab Mobile is a web browser for iOS. iCab Mobile is customizable in almost all areas and can thus be made into your very own personal browser. PRIVACY: In private mode, no private data is saved permanently. Special private tabs increase privacy even further, with only a small loss of comfort. PROFILES/USER ACCOUNTS: Any number of profiles/user accounts can be created, with each profile having its own settings, bookmarks, etc. Profiles are suitable for an iPad that is used by the whole family, but also for users who want to separate professional and private surfing. TABS, WINDOWS: iCab Mobile can open any number of websites simultaneously in tabs. Tabs can be saved and organized in groups so that they can easily be loaded together again later. Tabs can be protected against accidental closing or overwriting. On the iPad, multiple app instances can be opened as windows (Stage Manager, Split View), even with multiple profiles simultaneously (since iOS 18). FILTERS: Filters can be used to block advertising, trackers, etc. Popular filter lists can be used directly (Easylist, AdBlock Plus, uBlock & compatible), but you can also define your own. USER INTERFACE: The user interface is freely configurable. Action, context and text selection menus, toolbars and gestures can be adapted to your own needs. ACCESSIBLE: The user interface is barrier-free and adapts to the system font size and is compatible with VoiceOver. BOOKMARKS: Bookmarks can be organized in folders. “Smart folders” create special collections based on self-defined rules (e.g. the latest bookmarks from the last 2 weeks). Colored labels allow further categorization. DOWNLOADS: Download any files and manage the files in the download manager, including unpacking/creating ZIP archives, exporting/importing, etc. SEARCH: The app offers a large list of search engines (self-expandable) that you can use to search directly on the web. It is also possible to search on the current page. WEBSITES: You can define what websites can and cannot do. Highlight important content with a highlighter, hide unwanted elements, allow buttons to be clicked automatically (e.g. for cookie messages). Control permissions for camera, microphone and sensor usage. Pro users can even inject JavaScript and CSS code into websites to customize them to their liking. EXPORT/IMPORT: All data can be exported/imported (for creating backups, data synchronization with other devices/apps) WIDGETS: Widgets allow you to control the App and open bookmarks directly from the home screen. Websites can also be displayed directly there. APPLE WATCH: Open websites directly on the Apple Watch (albeit limited). Remotely control iCab Mobile on the iPhone from the Watch. FURTHER FEATURES: - Quick starter - Configurable browser ID (UserAgent) - Full support for international domain names - Simple built-in RSS reader - Kiosk mode - a more limited version of the full-screen mode for kiosk systems. The app includes a store where you can give us a tip via InApp purchase to additionally support the further development of the app. The development of the app takes a lot of time and is a lot of work, which the low purchase price cannot cover. Te sources of income used by the big popular browsers, such as advertising, deals with search engines, tracking etc. are not an option for iCab Mobile. Tipping is completely voluntary and you won't miss out on any important features if you don't tip. However, users who tip will be given the option to change the app icon as a thank you.

About

Brave Browser & Search Engine

A fast, private web browser with built-in ad blocking and a VPN. It offers an AI assistant, a crypto wallet, and a privacy-focused search engine. Enjoy offline media playback and enhanced security features.

Highlights
  • Built-in Adblock and Pop-up Blocker
  • Firewall + VPN
  • AI Assistant (Brave Leo)
  • Secure Crypto Wallet (Brave Wallet)
  • Privacy-Focused Search Engine (Brave Search)
  • Offline Media Playback (Brave Playlist)
  • Voice Search
Features
Read full description

Brave is a fast, private web browser that blocks ads and trackers on every site, automatically. No settings to change, no extensions to install. Over 125 million people browse with Brave. It's free, open source, and independent — we don't sell your browsing data. Everything below is built into the browser. One app, not a stack of them. BLOCK ADS ON EVERY SITE Brave Shields stops banner ads, pop-ups, autoplay interruptions, and the ads that play before and during videos. Same on news sites, shopping sites, forums and video pages — no per-site setup, no ad blocker extension. It dismisses cookie consent banners too, and it's on from your first tab. PRIVATE BROWSING THAT BLOCKS TRACKERS Private mode in most browsers only hides your history from your own phone. Brave blocks the cross-site trackers and fingerprinting scripts that follow you from a shopping page to your social feed, strips tracking codes from links you copy, and turns on Global Privacy Control by default. SHRED: DELETE ONE SITE'S DATA, NOT ALL OF IT Clearing browser data usually logs you out of everything. Shred deletes the cookies and storage for one site and leaves your other sessions intact. Set Auto Shred to run whenever you close a tab. BRAVE SEARCH: A PRIVATE SEARCH ENGINE, BUILT IN Brave Search is the default search engine in the browser, running on its own independent index — not resold results from Google or Bing. It doesn't profile you or log your searches. Ask Brave puts search results and AI answers in one place. Switch search engines any time. BRAVE LEO: A FREE AI ASSISTANT Summarize a long article, translate a page, or draft a reply without leaving the tab. Choose from several AI models. Leo doesn't record your conversations, share them, or use them to train models. BRAVE NEWS: A FEED WITH NO PROFILE BEHIND IT Personalize a news feed from hundreds of sources or any RSS feed with Brave News. FASTER PAGES, LESS MOBILE DATA Ads and trackers are most of what a modern page downloads. Blocking them means fewer requests, less data and less battery drain. We rebuilt Brave's ad blocking engine to use 75% less memory, so it stays responsive with many tabs open. MAKE BRAVE YOUR DEFAULT BROWSER Open Settings, scroll to Brave, choose Default Browser App. Every link you tap — from Mail, Messages or any app — opens with ad and tracker blocking already on. WHAT'S FREE AND WHAT ISN'T Free: the browser, ad and tracker blocking, Shred, Brave Search, Brave Leo, Brave News, Sync and night mode. Subscriptions: - Brave Firewall + VPN encrypts your whole device, not just browser traffic, with a kill switch and smart proxy. - Brave Leo Premium unlocks more capable AI models. - Brave Origin: The streamlined, minimalist browser that gives you Brave's industry-leading privacy and ad-blocking, with none of the extras. One-time purchase: Brave Origin, an ultra-minimalist build of Brave — no AI, no crypto, nothing but the web. One purchase covers all your devices. Also inside: encrypted Sync, a self-custody Brave Wallet (off by default), night mode, voice search, password autofill, custom app icons, and bookmark import from Safari or Chrome. OPEN SOURCE Brave is open source, so anyone can audit what the browser does. Read what we collect at https://brave.com/privacy/ Our mission is to protect your privacy online by building a fast, private browser — while growing a fairer revenue model for creators. Enjoying the app? Please leave us a 5 star review! Brave.com · Support: https://brave.com/support Terms of Use: https://brave.com/terms-of-use/ Privacy Policy: https://brave.com/privacy/ SUBSCRIPTION TERMS Price may vary by location. Subscriptions are charged to your Apple Account. Firewall + VPN and Leo Premium are offered monthly and annually, and renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in Account Settings. Free trials may be used once; any unused portion is forfeited on purchase.

Screenshots

iCab Mobile (Web Browser)4 screens
Brave Browser & Search Engine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Brave Browser & Search Engine at Free against iCab Mobile (Web Browser)'s $2.99. Brave Browser & Search Engine also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (655K vs 468). iCab Mobile (Web Browser)'s advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Brave Browser & Search Engine is free to download; iCab Mobile (Web Browser) costs $2.99 up front. iCab Mobile (Web Browser) sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Brave Browser & Search Engine sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Brave Browser & Search Engine holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brave Browser & Search Engine has 655K ratings behind it against 468, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of iCab Mobile (Web Browser)'s written reviews are positive against 73% of Brave Browser & Search Engine's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iCab Mobile (Web Browser) ships an update every 2 weeks, Brave Browser & Search Engine every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
iCab Mobile (Web Browser) versus Brave Browser & Search Engine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriCab Mobile (Web Browser)Brave Browser & Search Engine
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (468 ratings)4.8 (655K ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.0% of reviews73.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings468655K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#108#20 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB361 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperAlexander ClaussBrave Software

Customer experience

iCab Mobile (Web Browser)

All ratings468 ratings
Positive71.6%
Neutral4.5%
Negative23.9%
Written reviews1,049 reviews
Positive66.0%
Neutral9.2%
Negative24.9%

Brave Browser & Search Engine

All ratings655,391 ratings
Positive95.3%
Neutral2.1%
Negative2.6%
Written reviews7,557 reviews
Positive73.3%
Neutral7.5%
Negative19.2%

User reviews

iCab Mobile (Web Browser)

From 468 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Highly customizable
  • 👍 Powerful features
  • 🔒 Excellent privacy options
  • 💡 Unique modules and add-ons
  • 🚀 Fast and responsive

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Stability issues and crashes
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 🔍 Overwhelming complexity for some users
  • 🐛 Compatibility problems with recent iOS updates
  • 🐛 Unreliable downloads and file management

Brave Browser & Search Engine

From 655K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and efficient browsing
  • 🔒 Strong privacy and security features
  • 👍 Customizable settings and options
  • 💰 Earning potential with Brave Rewards

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🔋 Battery drain issues
  • 🤔 Confusing or unintuitive UI changes
  • 🚫 Lack of full sync capabilities across devices

Bugs and requests

iCab Mobile (Web Browser)

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent crashes and freezes
  • Broken or unreliable video playback
  • Issues with bookmarks, history, and other data persistence
  • Problems with user agent spoofing and desktop site rendering

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improved tab management and organization
  • Easier integration with cloud storage and other apps
  • Enhanced ad-blocking and content filtering capabilities
  • Streamlined user interface and onboarding experience
  • Syncing of settings and data across devices

Brave Browser & Search Engine

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Disappearing tabs and lost browsing data
  • Compatibility issues with certain websites
  • Problems with the Brave Playlist feature

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to clear browsing history and data in bulk
  • More customization options for the home screen and UI
  • Improved integration with other apps and services
  • Expanded Brave Rewards program and payouts

In-app purchases

10 purchases

iCab Mobile (Web Browser)

One-time10
  • Upgrade$0.99
  • Small additional Tip$0.99
  • Small Tip$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Upgrade plus Tip$1.99
  • Upgrade plus Generous Tip$2.99
  • Medium additional Tip$2.99
  • Medium Tip$2.99
  • Large additional Tip$4.99
  • Large Tip$4.99
  • Upgrade plus Extra Generous Tip$5.99
5 purchases

Brave Browser & Search Engine

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Firewall + VPN7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Brave Leo AI (monthly)7 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Annual Firewall + VPN7 Days trial$99.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Brave Leo AI (annual)7 Days trial$149.991 Year
One-time1
  • Brave Origin$59.99

Questions

Is iCab Mobile (Web Browser) free?
iCab Mobile (Web Browser) costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Brave Browser & Search Engine free?
Brave Browser & Search Engine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iCab Mobile (Web Browser) or Brave Browser & Search Engine?
Brave Browser & Search Engine is rated higher. iCab Mobile (Web Browser) averages 4.0 out of 5 from 468 ratings, while Brave Browser & Search Engine averages 4.8 from 655K ratings.
Do iCab Mobile (Web Browser) or Brave Browser & Search Engine have ads?
Neither iCab Mobile (Web Browser) nor Brave Browser & Search Engine shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iCab Mobile (Web Browser) or Brave Browser & Search Engine?
iCab Mobile (Web Browser) ships an update every 2 weeks, and Brave Browser & Search Engine every 3 weeks. Most recently, iCab Mobile (Web Browser) was updated on September 26, 2026 and Brave Browser & Search Engine on September 26, 2026.
Which is more popular, iCab Mobile (Web Browser) or Brave Browser & Search Engine?
iCab Mobile (Web Browser) currently peaks at #108 in the App Store charts, and Brave Browser & Search Engine at #20. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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