Comparison

Secret Browser vs Desktop Browser

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

Head to head
About

Secret Browser

Browse the web privately and securely. This app automatically clears your history, cookies, and cache, offering a clean interface and optional full-screen browsing. Enjoy fast browsing with WebKit and basic ad blocking.

Highlights
  • Automatic history, cookie, and cache clearing
  • Optional full-screen browsing
  • Fast WebKit rendering engine
  • Basic ad blocking
  • Tabbed browsing
  • Home and Lock reset options
  • Share sheet integration
Features
Read full description

Browse the web secretly and with ease of mind! History, cookies and cache are cleared for automatically! Secret Browser has a FAST, simple, familiar interface that gets out of your way when you want it to allowing for (optional) full screen browsing. Secret Browser does one simple thing and does it well. Browse the web (in secret). And it does it all for FREE! Use your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad to browse the web without worrying about your history or cookies leaving a trail that can be traced from anyone else who might pick up your device. - Clean and familiar interface is there when you need it but knows the get out of the way when you don't. Updates to work with any sized screen you throw at it! - Dark mode supported - Uses Apple's super fast WebKit framework giving you the same rendering and javascript engines that Safari uses so you know it's fast! - Basic Ad Blocking support with the open source Ka-Block! content rule list! - Tabbed Browsing. Supports as many tabs as your device can handle with 3D Touch support for devices that allow it! - Home Reset. By default, any time Secret Browser gets sent to the background the browser is cleaned and reset automatically so next time it's launched, your history, cookies and cache will be completely gone! - Lock Reset. Optionally, you can set Secret Browser to wipe everything and start over any time your device is locked! - Rotation Lock. Setup the orientation lock and keep your device in portrait or landscape modes, only. - Share sheet support. Browsing a website somewhere else and want to take things a little more private? Hit the share button and open it in Secret Browser. - Share sheet search. Find some text you want to search for in another app? Select the text and tap Share to search for it instantly in Secret Browser! - Hide the Status Bar on your smaller iPhones and iPod Touch devices to save those precious pixels and browse in FULL SCREEN! - Disable Javascript. Make things a little more light weight. - Custom User-Agent. Optionally select one of many pre-made User-Agent strings or use a custom string. Trick (most) websites into thinking you're using a different web browser or device! (Pro Mode subscription required) - Custom Start Page. Optionally setup a custom startup page for every time Secret Browser loads up. (Pro Mode subscription required) - Custom Search Providers. Switch between some default, provided search providers or use any URL you'd like! Search right from the address bar! (Pro Mode subscription required) - Custom 3D Touch Shortcuts. If you have a 3D Touch capable device, you can 3D touch the Secret Browser icon to bring up a list of shortcuts! Customize them inside the Settings.app! (Pro Mode subscription required) - Printing Support. Print pages right from Secret Browser to any printer that supports printing from your iOS device. (Pro Mode subscription required) - Easy to customize! Plenty of options available and all stored away in your devices Settings.app to keep Secret Browser's interface clutter-free and easy to use. NOTE: Secret Browser CAN NOT hide your browsing activity from your Internet Service Provider or local network. * Subscription payments will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase or after your trial ends. Any unused portion of a free trial will be forfeited if you purchase a subscription before the trial ends. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal of the same duration subscription within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Subscriptions may be managed and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to your Account Settings after purchase. EULA: https://secretbrowserapp.com/eula.txt Privacy: https://secretbrowserapp.com/privacy.txt LOVE SECRET BROWSER? If you enjoy using Secret Browser, please take a second when you have time to leave a review. It helps a lot!

About

Desktop Browser

Access full desktop versions of websites on your mobile device, overcoming content limitations and enhancing productivity. Enjoy a customizable browsing experience with tabbed browsing and bookmarks, seamlessly integrated with other apps.

Highlights
  • View desktop website versions
  • Tabbed browsing
  • Bookmarks
  • Customizable settings
  • Seamless app integration
  • Enhanced productivity
Features
Read full description

Desktop Browser displays the mobile or the desktop version of a website. In their mobile version some websites hide content, display different content or event present a payable content to the user. Desktop Browser let you surf the web the way you want. Desktop Experience on Mobile: With Desktop Browser, say goodbye to limitations. Enjoy the full desktop browsing experience on your iPhone, complete with tabbed browsing and bookmarks. Whether you're researching, shopping, or simply browsing the web, you'll have all the features you need at your fingertips. Enhanced Productivity: Boost your productivity with the ability to access desktop versions of websites on your iPhone. No more struggling with mobile-optimized layouts that lack functionality. With Desktop Browser, you can work more efficiently, seamlessly switching between tabs and accessing all the tools and features you need to get things done. Customization Options: Tailor your browsing experience to suit your preferences. Desktop Browser offers customizable settings, allowing you to adjust everything from font sizes to default search engines. Make your browsing experience truly your own with personalized options that enhance usability and convenience. Seamless Integration: Desktop Browser seamlessly integrates with other apps and services on your iPhone. Whether you're sharing links with friends, saving articles for later, or accessing web-based resources within other apps, Desktop Browser ensures a smooth and cohesive user experience. Continuous Updates and Support: Rest assured that you're always getting the best experience possible. Desktop Browser is regularly updated with new features, performance enhancements, and security patches to ensure optimal performance. Plus, our dedicated support team is always available to assist you with any questions or issues you may encounter. Experience the future of mobile browsing with Desktop Browser. Download the app today and unlock a world of possibilities right from your iPhone. --- Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Secret Browser4 screens
Desktop Browser4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Desktop Browser at fortnightly against Secret Browser's every 2 months. Desktop Browser also leads on ratings volume (16K vs 2.5K). Secret Browser's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 52%) and iOS requirement (13.5 vs 17.0). On price, rating, 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

Both are free to download. Secret Browser sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Desktop Browser sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per 7 days. 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 — 4.5 for Secret Browser against 4.4 for Desktop Browser. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Desktop Browser has 16K ratings behind it against 2.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Secret Browser's written reviews are positive against 52% of Desktop Browser's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Secret Browser ships an update every 2 months, Desktop Browser fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Secret Browser versus Desktop Browser: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSecret BrowserDesktop Browser
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2.5K ratings) — better4.4 (16K ratings)
Positive reviews74.8% of reviews — better52.3% of reviews
Number of ratings2.5K16K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.5 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size156 MB18 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperSteve EhrenbergSpicy Apps

Customer experience

Secret Browser

All ratings2,473 ratings
Positive87.4%
Neutral4.6%
Negative8.0%
Written reviews218 reviews
Positive74.8%
Neutral8.3%
Negative17.0%

Desktop Browser

All ratings16,020 ratings
Positive85.5%
Neutral3.3%
Negative11.2%
Written reviews664 reviews
Positive52.3%
Neutral3.5%
Negative44.3%

User reviews

Secret Browser

From 2.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 🔒 Keeps browsing history private
  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 👍 Great for secret/private browsing

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and freezes
  • 🐛 Loses browsing data when exiting app
  • 💸 Ads and in-app purchases
  • 🔋 High battery consumption

Desktop Browser

From 16K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Useful for desktop browsing on mobile
  • 🚀 Reliable in forcing desktop mode
  • 💡 Helpful for accessing desktop-only features

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent performance on some websites
  • 💸 Aggressive monetization with ads and in-app purchases
  • 🔍 Cluttered interface with too many toolbars

Bugs and requests

Secret Browser

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Frequent crashes and freezes
  • Browsing history not fully cleared when exiting app
  • Compatibility issues with iOS updates

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add bookmarking and tab management features
  • Improve compatibility with older devices
  • Implement ad-blocking capabilities

Desktop Browser

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when trying to upload images
  • Reloads pages unexpectedly when interacting with text fields
  • Fails to properly display desktop versions of certain websites

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add PDF export/download functionality
  • Improve tab management and background browsing
  • Provide more customization options

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Secret Browser

Subscriptions3
  • 1 Month Recurring7 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • 3 Month Recurring1 Month trial$2.493 Months
  • 1 Year Recurring1 Month trial$4.991 Year
6 purchases

Desktop Browser

Subscriptions3
  • weekly3 Days trial$1.497 Days
  • monthly3 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • yearly3 Days trial$7.491 Year
One-time3
  • remove ads$1.99
  • browse plus$1.99
  • all features pack$2.99

Questions

Is Secret Browser free?
Secret Browser is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Desktop Browser free?
Desktop Browser is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Secret Browser or Desktop Browser?
Secret Browser is rated higher. Secret Browser averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while Desktop Browser averages 4.4 from 16K ratings.
Do Secret Browser or Desktop Browser have ads?
Both Secret Browser and Desktop Browser show ads.
Which is updated more often, Secret Browser or Desktop Browser?
Secret Browser ships an update every 2 months, and Desktop Browser fortnightly. Most recently, Secret Browser was updated on September 26, 2026 and Desktop Browser on September 30, 2026.

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