# Freedom Search vs Shimmer Browser

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Freedom Search at none against Shimmer Browser's 4. Freedom Search also leads on ratings volume (7 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). Shimmer Browser's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shimmer Browser sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Freedom Search asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Freedom Search against 5.0 for Shimmer Browser. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 2 respectively.

Freedom Search ships an update every 2 months, Shimmer Browser every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Freedom Search | Shimmer Browser |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-search/id6444747451/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shimmer-browser/id6739163018/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 51 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [HUMAN RIGHTS & FREEDOM](https://appshunter.io/developer/1598532522) | [Jamie Froggatt](https://appshunter.io/developer/933327498) |

## What reviewers say

### Freedom Search

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-search/id6444747451)

This browser prioritizes your privacy by minimizing website requests and automatically blocking third-party trackers and ads. It also assigns a privacy score to each site, offering transparency about data usage.

**Highlights:** Privacy-first browsing, Blocks third-party trackers, Blocks unwanted ads, Assigns website privacy scores, Minimizes website requests

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shimmer Browser

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shimmer-browser/id6739163018)

This web browser offers customizable visual styles and a resizable sidebar for a personalized experience. It includes features to manage tabs, set time limits, block web annoyances, and organize saved links. Homescreen widgets provide quick access to selected tabs.

**Highlights:** Customizable visual styles, Resizable sidebar, Tab saving and organization, Time limits on saved tabs, Web annoyance blocking, Homescreen widgets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| More Tabs | $7.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Freedom Search free?

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

### Is Shimmer Browser free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Freedom Search or Shimmer Browser?

Freedom Search and Shimmer Browser are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 7 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Freedom Search or Shimmer Browser have ads?

Neither Freedom Search nor Shimmer Browser shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Freedom Search or Shimmer Browser?

Freedom Search ships an update every 2 months, and Shimmer Browser every 6 days. Most recently, Freedom Search was updated on October 7, 2026 and Shimmer Browser on October 24, 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.*