Comparison

iPrivateBrowser vs Sidefari

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

Head to head
About

iPrivateBrowser

A privacy-focused web browser offering anonymous browsing through Tor integration, ad blocking, and HTTPS-only connections. It features automatic data clearing and app lock for enhanced security.

Highlights
  • Tor network integration for anonymity
  • Built-in ad and tracker blocking
  • HTTPS-Only mode for secure connections
  • Automatic data clearing on exit
  • PIN and biometric app lock
  • Access to .onion hidden services
Read full description

iPrivateBrowser is a privacy-first web browser built from the ground up to keep your browsing safe, private, and anonymous. With built-in Tor integration, ad blocking, and HTTPS-Only mode, you're in complete control of your online privacy. PRIVACY BY DEFAULT Nothing you do is sent to us — no tracking, no telemetry, no analytics. Clear Data on Exit, on by default, wipes your browsing data whenever you leave the app, and Burn erases it all with one tap. TOR INTEGRATION Route your traffic through the Tor network for maximum anonymity. Your IP address is hidden from every website you visit. Access .onion hidden services directly. WebRTC is automatically blocked when Tor is enabled to prevent IP leaks. Traffic is encrypted through multiple relay hops worldwide. Turn Tor on or off from the shield menu. Tor is an in-app purchase — your first 3 sessions are free. AD & TRACKER BLOCKING Turn on content blocking to remove ads and trackers before they load. EasyList and EasyPrivacy come with the app and refresh weekly. Pages load faster and your browsing stays private, even offline. HTTPS-ONLY MODE Automatically upgrades all connections to HTTPS. Insecure HTTP connections are blocked unless you explicitly allow them. Onion sites are correctly exempted. PRIVATE TAB MANAGEMENT Visual tab switcher with screenshot previews. Swipe to close tabs. Your open tabs are encrypted at rest, and wiped automatically when Clear Data on Exit is enabled. Close all tabs with a single tap. APP LOCK Protect the browser with PIN or biometric authentication — Face ID, Touch ID, and Optic ID are all supported. Configurable auto-lock timeout. After 10 failed attempts, all browsing data is erased. FULL DEVICE SUPPORT Optimized for iPhone and iPad, with three toolbar layouts to choose from. Full landscape support. External keyboard shortcuts. VoiceOver accessibility throughout. Available in 50 languages. ADDITIONAL FEATURES • Bookmarks and favorites with search • Find in Page • Reader Mode for distraction-free reading • Pull to refresh • Custom search engine selection (DuckDuckGo, Startpage, Brave, Google) • Pop-up blocking • JavaScript toggle Your data stays yours. Browse the web on your terms with iPrivateBrowser.

About

Sidefari

This app acts as a companion to Safari, offering a "mini" version of the browser within other applications. It allows for convenient access to Safari features and content blockers, enhancing privacy and user experience.

Highlights
  • Safari View Controller integration
  • Content blocker support
  • Open Modally in Safari extension
  • Side-by-side browsing on iPad
  • Privacy-focused browsing
Read full description

Sidefari is a simple web browser that is designed to act as a companion to Safari. Sidefari uses a feature built into iOS called the Safari View Controller to display a "mini" version of Safari that shares many features of the full Safari app, like content blockers. How can this help you? In iOS 10.2 and newer: Sidefari features an extension called "Open Modally in Safari" that will enable you to bring a Safari-based window inside of other apps that enable ways to share website URLs. Why would you want to do this? Perhaps you prefer the convenience of having some Safari features inside the same app, or if you're conscious about your privacy perhaps you don't want to use the custom web browser many apps have. In iOS 9: When on an iPad, besides the "Open Modally in Safari" extension mentioned above, Sidefari shows as an extra Safari-based browser on the side of your screen when summoned to the side thanks to multi-tasking. Now you'll be able to have two websites simultaneously on the same screen. ** Please note that compatible iPads include the iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4, and iPad Pro, or greater. Please refer to the "How to set up the extension" inside the app to learn more about how to enable Sidefari.

Screenshots

iPrivateBrowser4 screens
Sidefari2 screens

Verdict

The call

iPrivateBrowser and Sidefari both sit at 3.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 66% of Sidefari's written reviews are positive against 31% of iPrivateBrowser's. Sidefari also leads on ratings volume (145 vs 14) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. iPrivateBrowser sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Sidefari sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.9 for iPrivateBrowser against 4.0 for Sidefari. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sidefari has 145 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 31% of iPrivateBrowser's written reviews are positive against 66% of Sidefari's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
iPrivateBrowser versus Sidefari: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriPrivateBrowserSidefari
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (14 ratings)4.0 (145 ratings) — better
Positive reviews31.4% of reviews65.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings14145 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB26 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperShmoopi LLCFrancisco Cantu

Customer experience

iPrivateBrowser

All ratings14 ratings
Positive64.3%
Neutral21.4%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews156 reviews
Positive31.4%
Neutral9.0%
Negative59.6%

Sidefari

All ratings146 ratings
Positive73.3%
Neutral6.2%
Negative20.5%
Written reviews82 reviews
Positive65.9%
Neutral4.9%
Negative29.3%

Bugs and requests

iPrivateBrowser

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Sidefari

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • Won't do anything for iPad Gen/Air
  • Flat out broken
  • Unable to use
  • Won't Install on iPhone
  • Causes phone to reboot
Show 5 more
  • Freezes and stops working
  • Close animation is super annoying
  • Keyboard input focus issues
  • System crashes every time
  • Makes Safari unstable

Requested features

6 requests
  • iPhone X update
  • Ability to have two Safari apps open simultaneously
  • Improve keyboard input focus
  • Add bookmarks or a Safari homescreen
  • Send Safari page to Sidefari as well as the other way
Show 1 more
  • Dark mode option

In-app purchases

1 purchases

iPrivateBrowser

One-time1
  • pro version$0.99
4 purchases

Sidefari

One-time4
  • Tip$0.99
  • Generous Tip$2.99
  • Giant Tip$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Gargantuan Tip$9.99

Questions

Is iPrivateBrowser free?
iPrivateBrowser is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sidefari free?
Sidefari is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iPrivateBrowser or Sidefari?
Sidefari is rated higher. iPrivateBrowser averages 3.9 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Sidefari averages 4.0 from 145 ratings.
Do iPrivateBrowser or Sidefari have ads?
Neither iPrivateBrowser nor Sidefari shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iPrivateBrowser or Sidefari?
iPrivateBrowser ships an update every 3 weeks, and Sidefari every 3 weeks. Most recently, iPrivateBrowser was updated on November 1, 2026 and Sidefari on November 2, 2026.

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