# Onion Browser vs Brave Browser & Search Engine

The clearest difference is rating: Brave Browser & Search Engine at 4.8 against Onion Browser's 3.2. Brave Browser & Search Engine also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 41%) and ratings volume (655K vs 2.1K). Onion Browser's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Onion Browser sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Brave Browser & Search Engine sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Brave Browser & Search Engine holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brave Browser & Search Engine has 655K ratings behind it against 2.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Onion Browser's written reviews are positive against 73% of Brave Browser & Search Engine's.

Onion Browser ships an update monthly, Brave Browser & Search Engine every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Onion Browser | Brave Browser & Search Engine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/onion-browser/id519296448/reviews) | **[4.8 (655K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brave-browser-and-search-engine/id1052879175/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2.1K | **655K** |
| Positive reviews | 41.2% of reviews | **73.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#22** |
| Size | 83 MB | 361 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Mike Tigas](https://appshunter.io/developer/519296451) | [Brave Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/1052874328) |

## What reviewers say

### Onion Browser

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/onion-browser/id519296448)

This app provides a secure and private way to browse the internet using the Tor network. It protects your privacy from trackers, secures your traffic on public Wi-Fi, and allows access to .onion sites. It also offers features to block scripts and clear cookies automatically.

**Highlights:** Browse internet over Tor, Protect privacy from website tracking, Secure traffic on insecure networks, Access .onion sites, Block scripts, Automatically clear cookies and tabs

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Onion Browser Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Onion Browser Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Onion Browser Tip | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and stable
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Recommended by Tor Project
- 💡 Customizable security settings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections and reconnections
- 🐛 Unstable and unreliable
- 🐛 Endless permission loops
- 🐛 Bookmarking issues
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Fails to connect to Tor network
- Crashes or freezes when switching apps
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Inability to disable JavaScript completely

**Requested features**

- Add option to disable JavaScript
- Improve tab management and browsing experience
- Integrate with more privacy-focused search engines
- Allow setting custom default search engine


### Brave Browser & Search Engine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brave-browser-and-search-engine/id1052879175)

**Currently charting:** #22 Top Free · Utilities, #124 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

A fast, private web browser with built-in ad blocking and a VPN. It offers an AI assistant, a crypto wallet, and a privacy-focused search engine. Enjoy offline media playback and enhanced security features.

**Highlights:** Built-in Adblock and Pop-up Blocker, Firewall + VPN, AI Assistant (Brave Leo), Secure Crypto Wallet (Brave Wallet), Privacy-Focused Search Engine (Brave Search), Offline Media Playback (Brave Playlist), Voice Search

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Firewall + VPN | $9.99 | per month |
| Brave Leo AI (monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| Annual Firewall + VPN | $99.99 | per year |
| Brave Leo AI (annual) | $149.99 | per year |
| Brave Origin | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient browsing
- 🔒 Strong privacy and security features
- 👍 Customizable settings and options
- 💰 Earning potential with Brave Rewards

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🤔 Confusing or unintuitive UI changes
- 🚫 Lack of full sync capabilities across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing tabs and lost browsing data
- Compatibility issues with certain websites
- Problems with the Brave Playlist feature

**Requested features**

- Ability to clear browsing history and data in bulk
- More customization options for the home screen and UI
- Improved integration with other apps and services
- Expanded Brave Rewards program and payouts


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Onion Browser free?

Onion Browser is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Brave Browser & Search Engine free?

Brave Browser & Search Engine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Onion Browser or Brave Browser & Search Engine?

Brave Browser & Search Engine is rated higher. Onion Browser averages 3.2 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while Brave Browser & Search Engine averages 4.8 from 655K ratings.

### Do Onion Browser or Brave Browser & Search Engine have ads?

Neither Onion Browser nor Brave Browser & Search Engine shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Onion Browser or Brave Browser & Search Engine?

Onion Browser ships an update monthly, and Brave Browser & Search Engine every 3 weeks. Most recently, Onion Browser was updated on September 25, 2026 and Brave Browser & Search Engine on September 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.*