Project Iris vs Fern Browser
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Project Iris
This utility app offers a streamlined browsing experience with advanced engine capabilities. It allows for private browsing, history management, and customizable search engines, all optimized for accessibility and supporting multiple languages.
- State-of-the-art browsing engine
- Keyword and URL distinction
- Bookmark management
- Private browsing mode
- History recording
- Customizable search engine
- History and bookmark locking
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Thank you for choosing Iris. If you cannot find Iris, please search it on your Apple Watch. Iris can... - Use state-of-the-art browsing engine - Distinguish keywords & URL - Manage bookmarks - Browse with Private Mode - Record history - Sync data with iCloud - Customize search engine - Use a secondary search engine - Customize home and theme color - Lock history and bookmarks - Check images and videos - Handle multiple tabs - Customize long press search button action - Use archives and extensions - Download medias - Send feedback with Carina attaching datas - Optimizes for accessibility - Type with Cepheus or FlickType
Fern Browser
Browse the web, search for information, and visit custom links directly from your wrist. This free web browser is designed for speed and simplicity on Apple Watch, offering quick access to online content without needing your phone.
- Quick web search
- Custom URL access
- AI model integration
- Clean and lightweight design
- Phone-free browsing
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Introducing Fern Browser, the first 100% free web browser designed for Apple Watch. Now you can search the web, visit links, ask a variety of AI models questions, and open custom URLs - right from your wrist. Built for speed, simplicity, and freedom. No subscriptions. No in-app purchases. Just fast browsing, anytime, anywhere. Key Features: • Quick Web Search: Search the internet in seconds. • Custom URL Access: Open any website directly by typing or dictating the address. • Clean & Lightweight: Designed specifically for Apple Watch. • No Paywalls: Fully free to use—forever. Fern Browser gives you instant access to the web without needing your phone in hand. Whether you want quick info from your watch, Fern Browser makes it easy.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Fern Browser at none against Project Iris's 1. Fern Browser also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Project Iris's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (13 vs 1). On price, rating, ads 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. Project Iris sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Fern Browser asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Project Iris against 5.0 for Fern Browser. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Project Iris has 13 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Project Iris ships an update every 4 days, Fern Browser every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and July 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Project Iris | Fern Browser |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (13 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 13 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 51 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | 力 雷 | Nobel Sam Mathew |
Customer experience
Project Iris
Fern Browser
In-app purchases
Project Iris
- Iris Vision$3.99
Fern Browser
No in-app purchases
