Customize Search Engine vs The Link Inspector
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Customize Search Engine
This Safari extension lets you customize your default search engine and settings. Easily switch between preferred search engines, including AI assistants, and modify options like hiding AI Overviews or changing language. It offers quick search shortcuts and emoji search functionality.
- Customize default search engine
- Use custom search engines in Private Browse
- Quick search with keywords
- Emoji search on Emojipedia
- Switch search engines by shortcuts
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Safari Extension to customize your search engine. This extension allows you to use your preferred search engines, such as non-default search engines or AI assistants. You can also use it to change search engine settings, for example, by hiding AI Overviews or changing language settings. ### Features ### --- Customize your Search Engine Change Safari's default search engine. --- CSE for Private Browse Switch search engines in Private Browse. --- Quick Search Enter the keyword to switch search engines. Example: - Search "br something" to search in Brave Search - Search "wiki Safari" to find Safari on Wikipedia - Search "yt Me at the zoo" to find the oldest videos on YouTube - Search "wbm example.com" to see past versions of the website --- Emoji Search If you enter only one emoji, you can search it on Emojipedia.org. --- Switch Search Engines by Shortcuts and Focus You can use a different custom search engine or disable CSE while at work, school, etc.
The Link Inspector
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Is that link clean? Every link you receive can carry hidden tracking: where it was shared, which campaign it came from, even a code that is unique to you. The Link Inspector takes the link apart, piece by piece, and tells you in plain language what each part does. Then you decide what stays and what goes. What it does • Finds the tracking added to a link and sorts each part into clear levels, from "needed" to "known tracker" • Recognises hundreds of known tracking tags, so you do not have to • Unwraps links that bounce through Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Outlook and dozens of other redirect services, so you can see where a link really goes • Keeps the parts a link needs to work, like sign-in and payment steps, so cleaning does not break the link • Cleans links entirely on your phone: nothing about the link is sent anywhere, and no one knows you looked How to use it 1. Share a link from any app, or paste it straight in 2. See the tracking in the link, in plain language 3. Keep or remove each part with a tap 4. Copy the clean link and share it as usual Link Inspector Plus Free cleaning happens entirely on your phone. Plus adds the deeper checks that go online, one step at a time, and is honest about who each step contacts: • Look up what the public record says about the web address, including how new it is • Follow the link to the end, to see where it really lands • Open the real page in an isolated, view-only preview called Aquarium. You can scroll and read, while links, typing, forms, downloads and handoffs to other apps are disabled. It shows the cookies and contacts it observes, along with the device details the page can read. One purchase. No subscription. It keeps the app free of ads and independent, and funds new rules that spot fresh tracking and scams. What it does not do The Link Inspector shows and explains; it is not a content blocker, and it never promises a link is safe. It focuses on the tracking inside the link itself and on showing you what a page does. It does not block cookies, fingerprinting or pixel tracking. First aid Tapped something that felt off? The built-in first-aid guide walks you through what to check and what to do next, calmly and step by step. Your privacy The first step runs entirely on your phone: no link is sent anywhere, and no one knows you looked. The deeper Plus checks are the only part that uses the network, and the app shows you what each step contacts. Looking up the public record for an address asks internet directory services, not the site itself; following the link and opening the page reach the destination, which then sees your IP address. Each contact the app observes is recorded in a plain, on-device log, so you can see who learned what. The Link Inspector stores nothing on a server, and nothing goes through us. No ads. No analytics. We never track you.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Customize Search Engine at every 10 days against The Link Inspector's every 2 months. Customize Search Engine also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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. Customize Search Engine sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and The Link Inspector sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Customize Search Engine ships an update every 10 days, The Link Inspector every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.
| Parameter | Customize Search Engine | The Link Inspector |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (66 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 77.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 66 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 37 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cizzuk Shihu | Øyvind Berget |
Bugs and requests
Customize Search Engine
Reported bugs
8 issues- App crashes during export settings
- Inconsistent search results
- Safari freezes when using Brave Search
- Unremovable 'Open in the Google app' banner
- Rapid redirecting causing CAPTCHA issues
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- Block page sometimes stuck or slow
- Doesn't work on iOS
- Doesn't work at all
Requested features
4 requests- Add Ecosia as an option
- Support full-width space in quick search
- Sync settings between devices
- Improve redirect screen simplicity
The Link Inspector
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Customize Search Engine
- Change App icon$0.99
The Link Inspector
- Plus$2.99
Questions
Is Customize Search Engine free?
Is The Link Inspector free?
Do Customize Search Engine or The Link Inspector have ads?
Which is updated more often, Customize Search Engine or The Link Inspector?
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