Comparison

Secure Web Browser vs Beacon Web Browser

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

Head to head
About

Secure Web Browser

Browse the internet privately and securely on your Apple devices. This app prevents websites from tracking your activity by deleting browsing history, cookies, and cache upon exit. Enjoy peace of mind when visiting sensitive sites or sharing your device.

Highlights
  • Private browsing
  • No history tracking
  • No cookie storage
  • Deletes cache on exit
  • Full-screen video playback
  • Pinch and zoom functionality
Features
Read full description

Secure Web Browser is a fast and secure way to surf the Internet on your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch without worrying about leaving a trail of web sites you've visited or any web site cookies behind. That means you can go to sensitive web sites with peace of mind. Secure Web Browser is perfect for those who value their privacy or share their device with other members of the family. If you use a company-issued iPhone or iPad, you need Secure Web to ensure your personal privacy when going to your favorite sites. Some important features: 1.) Works on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. 2.) Uses the same browser technology as Safari. 3.) Supports landscape and portrait orientation (all 4 ways). 4.) You can pinch and zoom to see more details on the page. 5.) You can watch videos in full-screen just like in Safari. 6.) The Go button (green arrow) becomes an hourglass to let you know the page is loading. 7.) Does NOT remember web sites visited (no history). 8.) Does NOT keep cookies from web sites visited (no cookies). 9.) Does NOT keep HTML5 storage and file caches from web sites visited (no file/cache traces). 10.) Does NOT stay running in the background (peace of mind). 11.) EVERYTHING IS DELETED when the app exits, enters in the background or when it starts (ultimate privacy). Use Secure Web Browser and explore the Internet with more confidence, security and peace of mind!

About

Beacon Web Browser

A privacy-focused web browser that replaces traditional certificate authorities with decentralized peer-to-peer naming systems. It offers on-device DNSSEC validation and supports encrypted DNS with Handshake naming.

Highlights
  • Decentralized peer-to-peer naming systems
  • On-device DNSSEC validation
  • Encrypted DNS with Handshake naming
  • Access to Ethereum names
  • Open source development
Features
Read full description

Beacon is a privacy and security-focused browser with the goal of replacing traditional certificate authorities with decentralized peer-to-peer naming systems, DNSSEC, and DNS-Based Authentication of Named Entities (DANE)! 1. We use a lightweight peer-to-peer client that connects to the Handshake network[1] and syncs block headers in a few seconds! 2. On-device DNSSEC validation, you don't need to trust external resolvers. Beacon doesn't use a centralized DNSSEC signing key either. Instead, it requests and verifies proofs from the Handshake network. 3. Enable your device to use encrypted DNS with Handshake naming support. Handshake links to other naming systems such as Ethereum using HIP-5. Beacon supports accessing those names too! Try opening humbly.eth or impervious.forever. 4. Look for "Secured by Handshake" to identify websites secured by decentralized DNS-Based Authentication. 5. Beacon is open source! Submit feedback, contribute and report bugs or issues: https://github.com/imperviousinc/beacon-ios [1] https://handshake.org

Screenshots

Secure Web Browser4 screens
Beacon Web Browser4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Beacon Web Browser at 100% against Secure Web Browser's 50%. Beacon Web Browser also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.5) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Secure Web Browser's advantage is iOS requirement (6.0 vs 13.0). On price, ratings volume, 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Beacon Web Browser holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 14 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Secure Web Browser's written reviews are positive against 100% of Beacon Web Browser's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Secure Web Browser ships an update monthly, Beacon Web Browser every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Secure Web Browser versus Beacon Web Browser: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSecure Web BrowserBeacon Web Browser
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (8 ratings)4.6 (14 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings814 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS6.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB104 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperSinSoft, Inc.Impervious Inc

Customer experience

Secure Web Browser

All ratings8 ratings
Positive62.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

Beacon Web Browser

All ratings14 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral7.1%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Secure Web Browser

No in-app purchases

None

Beacon Web Browser

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Secure Web Browser free?
Secure Web Browser is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Beacon Web Browser free?
Beacon Web Browser is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Secure Web Browser or Beacon Web Browser?
Beacon Web Browser is rated higher. Secure Web Browser averages 3.5 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Beacon Web Browser averages 4.6 from 14 ratings.
Do Secure Web Browser or Beacon Web Browser have ads?
Neither Secure Web Browser nor Beacon Web Browser shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Secure Web Browser or Beacon Web Browser?
Secure Web Browser ships an update monthly, and Beacon Web Browser every 3 weeks. Most recently, Secure Web Browser was updated on September 21, 2026 and Beacon Web Browser on September 30, 2026.

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