# Secret Browser vs Desktop Browser

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Secret Browser | Desktop Browser |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-browser/id337346574/reviews)** | [4.4 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desktop-browser/id940076212/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2.5K | **16K** |
| Positive reviews | **74.8% of reviews** | 52.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 156 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.5** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Steve Ehrenberg](https://appshunter.io/developer/309728606) | [Spicy Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/299136020) |

## What reviewers say

### Secret Browser

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-browser/id337346574)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Recurring | $0.99 | per month |
| 3 Month Recurring | $2.49 | per 3 months |
| 1 Year Recurring | $4.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### Desktop Browser

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desktop-browser/id940076212)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| weekly | $1.49 | per 7 days |
| monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| yearly | $7.49 | per year |
| remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| browse plus | $1.99 | one-time |
| all features pack | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

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


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*