# Google Chrome vs Safari

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Safari at none against Google Chrome's 25. Safari also leads on ads (none vs shown) and device support (4 vs 2). Google Chrome's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 9 months) and review sentiment (61% vs 37%). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Google Chrome sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Safari asks for nothing beyond the download.

Google Chrome holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Chrome has 4M ratings behind it against 182K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Google Chrome's written reviews are positive against 37% of Safari's.

Google Chrome ships an update weekly, Safari every 9 months. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Google Chrome | Safari |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (4M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-chrome/id535886823/reviews)** | [4.4 (182K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/safari/id1146562112/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4M** | 182K |
| Positive reviews | **61.3% of reviews** | 37.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#2** | — |
| Size | 419 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Apple Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) |

## What reviewers say

### Google Chrome

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-chrome/id535886823)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Free · Utilities, #44 Top Free (US App Store)

This web browser offers fast and secure internet access, integrating Google Search and Lens for quick information retrieval. It provides robust security features like enhanced protection and password management, and syncs your data across devices for seamless browsing.

**Highlights:** Fast and secure browsing, Google Search and Lens integration, Enhanced protection mode, Password manager, Cross-device sync, Tab groups, Autofill

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (400 GB) | $4.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 5 TB | $24.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $29.99 | per year |
| 2 TB | $99.99 | per year |
| 30 TB | $149.99 | per month |
| Google AI Ultra (30 TB) | $249.99 | per month |
| 5 TB | $249.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Seamless syncing across devices
- 🔒 Robust security features
- 💡 Useful integration with other Google services

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Unreliable search results
- 💤 Slow page loading
- 🔒 Privacy concerns
- 🤔 Counterintuitive UI changes

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard issues and lags
- Inconsistent behavior when closing tabs
- Unreliable bookmark syncing
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Customizable UI and layout options
- Improved tab management and session recovery
- Better support for extensions and add-ons
- Enhanced password management and syncing


### Safari

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/safari/id1146562112)

Browse the web at high speeds with advanced privacy features and extensive customization. Access your tabs, translate pages, and sync data across your Apple devices. Enjoy a cleaner reading experience and personalized browsing.

**Highlights:** Cross-device syncing, Private Browsing mode, Intelligent Tracking Prevention, Tab Groups, Profiles, Web page translation, Reader mode

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 🔒 Robust privacy features
- 👍 Seamless integration with Apple ecosystem
- 🤩 Excellent reading mode
- 💡 Useful tab management options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Difficulty finding specific tabs
- 🤦‍♀️ Confusing UI changes
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🤔 Inconsistent search results

**Reported bugs**

- Tabs randomly closing or disappearing
- Issues with website loading and rendering
- Unexpected behavior when switching between tabs
- Problems with syncing and iCloud integration
- Compatibility issues with certain websites

**Requested features**

- Add 'Find in Page' functionality
- Improve tab management and organization
- Provide more customization options
- Enhance search capabilities
- Optimize performance and stability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Google Chrome free?

Google Chrome is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Safari free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Google Chrome or Safari?

Google Chrome is rated higher. Google Chrome averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4M ratings, while Safari averages 4.4 from 182K ratings.

### Do Google Chrome or Safari have ads?

Google Chrome shows ads; Safari does not.

### Which is updated more often, Google Chrome or Safari?

Google Chrome ships an update weekly, and Safari every 9 months. Most recently, Google Chrome was updated on October 26, 2026 and Safari on October 26, 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.*