Onion Browser vs DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Onion Browser
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.
- Browse internet over Tor
- Protect privacy from website tracking
- Secure traffic on insecure networks
- Access .onion sites
- Block scripts
- Automatically clear cookies and tabs
Read full descriptionHide full description
Onion Browser is the original free and open-source Tor-powered web browser for iOS. Onion Browser helps you access the internet with more safety and privacy, and no extra cost to you. “The best Tor-related offering on iOS right now is Onion Browser” - The Daily Dot, October 14, 2015. Featured in: The New York Times, The Guardian, Salon, TechCrunch, Gizmodo, Boing Boing, Lifehacker, Macworld, The Daily Dot, & others. FEATURES: • Browse the internet over Tor: - Protect your privacy from website tracking - Secure your traffic from insecure wireless networks and ISPs - Access .onion sites that are only accessible over Tor. • Fight online tracking: block scripts and automatically clear cookies and tabs, based on your preferences. • And more privacy-enhancing features! DISCLAIMERS: - Web browsing is much slower than through a normal web browser or a VPN because your traffic is encrypted and relayed through the Tor network. - Onion Browser might not work on networks with advanced network restrictions. If the app does not connect, try using bridges (or a different type of bridge), force-quit, and then restart the app. - Use of Onion Browser is at your own risk; remember that sensitive data does not always belong on a mobile device. ** Onion Browser is free and open-source software. You can read more about Onion Browser and how to support development of Tor on iOS by visiting onionbrowser.com **
DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai
This app offers a private search engine and browser that blocks trackers and cookies by default. It includes AI chat features and optional tools like a VPN and email protection to safeguard your online activity and personal information.
- Private search engine
- Tracker and cookie blocking
- Private AI chat
- Optional VPN
- Email protection
- Encryption enforcement
- Fingerprinting escape
Read full descriptionHide full description
At DuckDuckGo, we believe the best way to protect your personal information from hackers, scammers, and privacy-invasive companies is to stop it from being collected at all. That's why millions of people choose DuckDuckGo over Chrome and other browsers to search and browse online. Our built-in search engine is like Google but never tracks your searches. Our browser blocks YouTube ads, invasive web ads, and cookie pop-ups, reducing distractions and helping to stop other companies from collecting your data. While our optional integrated AI features, Search Assist and Duck.ai, are private and never use your data to train AI. Oh, and our browser is free. We make money from privacy-respecting search ads, not by exploiting your data. Take back control of your personal information with the browser designed for data protection, not data collection. FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS Protect Your Searches by Default: DuckDuckGo Search comes built-in, so you can easily search online without being tracked. Shield Your Browsing History: Our 3rd-Party Tracker Loading Protection blocks most trackers before they load, greatly exceeding what most popular browsers offer by default. Chat Privately With AI: Duck.ai lets you have private conversations with 3rd-party AI models, anonymized by us and never used to train AI. Secure Your Email (Optional): Use Email Protection to block most email trackers and hide your existing email address with @duck.com addresses. Block Ads: Our browser blocks YouTube Ads, and stops invasive trackers from loading on sites, effectively eliminating targeted ads. Automatically Enforce Encryption: Shield your data from network and Wi-Fi snoopers by forcing many sites to use an HTTPS connection. Escape Fingerprinting: Make it harder for companies to create a unique identifier for you by blocking attempts to combine info about your browser and device. Sync and Back Up Securely (Optional): Sync encrypted bookmarks and passwords across your devices. Clear your tabs and browsing data in a flash with the Fire Button. Banish cookie pop-ups and automatically set your preferences to minimize cookies and maximize privacy. And many more protections not available on most browsers, even in private browsing mode, including protection from link tracking, Global Privacy Control (GPC), and more. DUCKDUCKGO SUBSCRIPTION Subscribers get • Our VPN: Secure your connection on up to 5 devices. • Access to advanced AI Models in Duck.ai: Chat privately with AI models built for complex tasks. • Personal Information Removal: Find and remove personal info from sites that store and sell it. • Identity Theft Restoration: If your identity is stolen, we’ll help restore it. DuckDuckGo Subscription Pricing & Terms Payment will be charged automatically to your Apple Account until you cancel, which you can do in app settings. You have the option to provide an email address to activate your subscription on other devices, and we will only use that email address to verify your subscription. For terms of service and privacy policy, visit https://duckduckgo.com/pro/privacy-terms Read more about our free Tracking Protections at https://help.duckduckgo.com/privacy/web-tracking-protections Privacy Policy: https://duckduckgo.com/privacy/ Terms of Service: https://duckduckgo.com/terms Note about 3rd-Party Tracker Protection and Search Ads: while there are some limitations following search ad clicks, viewing ads on DuckDuckGo search is anonymous. Learn more here https://help.duckduckgo.com/privacy/web-tracking-protections Privacy. Simplified. ™
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai at 4.8 against Onion Browser's 3.2. DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai also leads on ratings volume (2.4M vs 2.1K) and review sentiment (65% vs 41%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Onion Browser sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai has 2.4M 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 65% of DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai's.
Onion Browser ships an update monthly, DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Onion Browser | DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.2 (2.1K ratings) | 4.8 (2.4M ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 41.2% of reviews | 65.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2.1K | 2.4M — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #14 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 83 MB | 240 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | +17 |
| Developer | Mike Tigas | DuckDuckGo, Inc. |
Customer experience
Onion Browser
DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai
User reviews
Onion Browser
From 2.1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fast and stable
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Recommended by Tor Project
- 💡 Customizable security settings
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent disconnections and reconnections
- 🐛 Unstable and unreliable
- 🐛 Endless permission loops
- 🐛 Bookmarking issues
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai
From 2.4M App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Excellent privacy protection
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🔥 Effective ad and tracker blocking
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 🔍 Slower page load times compared to other browsers
- 🔍 Inconsistent search quality compared to Google
Bugs and requests
Onion Browser
Reported bugs
4 issues- 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
4 requests- Add option to disable JavaScript
- Improve tab management and browsing experience
- Integrate with more privacy-focused search engines
- Allow setting custom default search engine
DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai
Reported bugs
2 issues- Inability to set DuckDuckGo as default browser on iOS
- Refresh button hidden in menu instead of standalone
Requested features
3 requests- Add support for voice search
- Improve tab management and history navigation
- Introduce customizable font and theme options
In-app purchases
Onion Browser
- Small Onion Browser Tip$0.99
- Medium Onion Browser Tip$4.99
- Large Onion Browser Tip$9.99
DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai
- DuckDuckGo (Plus, Monthly)7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- DuckDuckGo monthly$9.991 Month
- DuckDuckGo (Pro, Monthly)$19.991 Month
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- DuckDuckGo (Pro, Monthly)7 Days trial$19.991 Month
- DuckDuckGo (Plus, Yearly)7 Days trial$99.991 Year
- DuckDuckGo annual$99.991 Year
- DuckDuckGo (Pro, Yearly)7 Days trial$199.991 Year
Questions
Is Onion Browser free?
Is DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai free?
Which has better reviews, Onion Browser or DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai?
Do Onion Browser or DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai have ads?
Which is updated more often, Onion Browser or DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai?
Other comparisons















