# Magnifying Glass vs Google Chrome

The clearest difference is price: Google Chrome at Free against Magnifying Glass's $1.99. Google Chrome also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (4M vs 161). Magnifying Glass's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 25) and ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Google Chrome is free to download; Magnifying Glass costs $1.99 up front. Google Chrome sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Magnifying Glass asks for nothing beyond the download.

Google Chrome holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Chrome has 4M ratings behind it against 161, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Magnifying Glass's written reviews are positive against 61% of Google Chrome's.

Magnifying Glass ships an update every 8 months, Google Chrome weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Magnifying Glass | Google Chrome |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (161 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magnifying-glass/id314979545/reviews) | **[4.7 (4M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-chrome/id535886823/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 161 | **4M** |
| Positive reviews | 53.7% of reviews | **61.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#2** |
| Size | 36 MB | 419 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [I-Beam](https://appshunter.io/developer/314979548) | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) |

## What reviewers say

### Magnifying Glass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magnifying-glass/id314979545)

This app transforms your device into a powerful magnifying glass with infinite zoom and enhanced viewing options. It also functions as a zoomable camera with a dimmable flashlight, offering full control over focus and exposure.

**Highlights:** Infinite digital zoom, Zoomable camera, Freeze and enhance view, Dimmable flashlight, Image filters, Rotate images, Stabilization mode

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Google Chrome

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-chrome/id535886823)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Free · Utilities, #58 Top Free (US App Store)

This web browser offers fast and secure internet access, integrating Google Search and Lens for quick information retrieval. It provides robust security features like enhanced protection and password management, and syncs your data across devices for seamless browsing.

**Highlights:** Fast and secure browsing, Google Search and Lens integration, Enhanced protection mode, Password manager, Cross-device sync, Tab groups, Autofill

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (400 GB) | $4.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 5 TB | $24.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $29.99 | per year |
| 2 TB | $99.99 | per year |
| 30 TB | $149.99 | per month |
| Google AI Ultra (30 TB) | $249.99 | per month |
| 5 TB | $249.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Seamless syncing across devices
- 🔒 Robust security features
- 💡 Useful integration with other Google services

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Unreliable search results
- 💤 Slow page loading
- 🔒 Privacy concerns
- 🤔 Counterintuitive UI changes

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard issues and lags
- Inconsistent behavior when closing tabs
- Unreliable bookmark syncing
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Customizable UI and layout options
- Improved tab management and session recovery
- Better support for extensions and add-ons
- Enhanced password management and syncing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Magnifying Glass free?

Magnifying Glass costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Google Chrome free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Magnifying Glass or Google Chrome?

Google Chrome is rated higher. Magnifying Glass averages 4.4 out of 5 from 161 ratings, while Google Chrome averages 4.7 from 4M ratings.

### Do Magnifying Glass or Google Chrome have ads?

Google Chrome shows ads; Magnifying Glass does not.

### Which is updated more often, Magnifying Glass or Google Chrome?

Magnifying Glass ships an update every 8 months, and Google Chrome weekly. Most recently, Magnifying Glass was updated on October 23, 2026 and Google Chrome on October 25, 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.*