# Onion Browser vs Orbot

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Orbot at none against Onion Browser's 3. Onion Browser's advantage is review sentiment (41% vs 25%) and rating (3.2 vs 3.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Onion Browser sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Orbot asks for nothing beyond the download.

Onion Browser holds the better App Store score, 3.2 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.1K and 951 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Onion Browser's written reviews are positive against 25% of Orbot's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Onion Browser | Orbot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.2 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/onion-browser/id519296448/reviews)** | [3.0 (951 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbot/id1609461599/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.1K** | 951 |
| Positive reviews | **41.2% of reviews** | 25.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 83 MB | 115 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mike Tigas](https://appshunter.io/developer/519296451) | [The Tor Project](https://appshunter.io/developer/1199566365) |

## 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


### Orbot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbot/id1609461599)

This app provides a free and open-source Tor-powered VPN for enhanced internet safety and privacy. It allows users to browse the web over Tor, secure their traffic, and access .onion sites. While it offers increased privacy, users should be aware that browsing speeds may be slower than a standard VPN.

**Highlights:** Browse internet over Tor, Secure traffic from insecure networks, Access .onion sites, Free and open-source

**Features:** Safari Extension

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and reliable connection
- 🔒 Secure and private browsing
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 🌐 Bypasses censorship and internet restrictions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections and unstable connection
- 🔋 High battery drain
- ⚠️ Incompatible with some iOS versions and devices
- 🕰️ Slow connection speeds

**Reported bugs**

- Fails to connect at 50% or gets stuck in a connection loop
- Causes Wi-Fi or mobile data connection issues
- Randomly disconnects without warning
- Onion Browser integration is unreliable

**Requested features**

- Add manual bridge configuration options
- Implement a kill switch to block internet access when VPN disconnects
- Improve compatibility with other iOS apps and services
- Provide more detailed connection logs and diagnostics


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Onion Browser free?

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

### Is Orbot free?

Orbot is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Onion Browser or Orbot?

Onion Browser is rated higher. Onion Browser averages 3.2 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while Orbot averages 3.0 from 951 ratings.

### Do Onion Browser or Orbot have ads?

Neither Onion Browser nor Orbot shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Onion Browser or Orbot?

Onion Browser ships an update monthly, and Orbot monthly. Most recently, Onion Browser was updated on September 30, 2026 and Orbot on September 29, 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.*