# Personal Web Defense vs Norton Private Browser

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Norton Private Browser at 38% against Personal Web Defense's 0%. Norton Private Browser also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Personal Web Defense's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.2). On price, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Personal Web Defense sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Norton Private Browser asks for nothing beyond the download.

Personal Web Defense holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 93 and 164 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of Personal Web Defense's written reviews are positive against 38% of Norton Private Browser's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Personal Web Defense ships an update every 6 months, Norton Private Browser every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Personal Web Defense | Norton Private Browser |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/personal-web-defense/id6499127337/reviews)** | [4.2 (164 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/norton-private-browser/id6670603868/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 93 | **164** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **38.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 274 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Generali Global Assistance Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1326224613) | [Gen Digital Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/355033599) |

## What reviewers say

### Personal Web Defense

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/personal-web-defense/id6499127337)

Enhance your digital security with a suite of protection tools. Features include a VPN for private Wi-Fi access, secure browsing and banking protection, parental controls for online safety, and a password manager for generating and storing strong credentials.

**Highlights:** VPN for private Wi-Fi, Secure browsing and banking, Parental controls, Password vault, Cross-device profile sharing

**Features:** Safari Extension

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 month / 1 device | $4.99 | one-time |


### Norton Private Browser

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/norton-private-browser/id6670603868)

Experience a secure and private browsing experience with built-in ad blocking and advanced protection against malicious websites and trackers. Encrypt your downloaded files and lock your browser for ultimate peace of mind.

**Highlights:** Built-in AdBlocker, Web Shield protection, Secure File Vault, Private Mode, Browser Lock, Privacy Cleaner

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Blocks ads effectively
- 🔒 Blocks malware and enhances security
- 🚀 Runs fast and is efficient
- 👍 Easy to clear cookies and data
- 👍 Offers reset option

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 German language missing
- 👎 No way to import bookmarks
- 👎 No print option
- 👎 Limited customization
- 👎 Forces Bing as search engine

**Reported bugs**

- App won't open
- Takes user to Amazon on opening
- App makes phone go hot
- Crashes frequently
- Cannot download documents from trusted banking sites

**Requested features**

- Add German language support
- Add import bookmarks feature
- Add print option
- Add 'Home' button
- Add bookmark sync across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Personal Web Defense free?

Personal Web Defense is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Norton Private Browser free?

Norton Private Browser is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Personal Web Defense or Norton Private Browser?

Personal Web Defense is rated higher. Personal Web Defense averages 4.4 out of 5 from 93 ratings, while Norton Private Browser averages 4.2 from 164 ratings.

### Do Personal Web Defense or Norton Private Browser have ads?

Personal Web Defense shows ads; Norton Private Browser does not.

### Which is updated more often, Personal Web Defense or Norton Private Browser?

Personal Web Defense ships an update every 6 months, and Norton Private Browser every 5 weeks. Most recently, Personal Web Defense was updated on November 8, 2026 and Norton Private Browser on November 10, 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.*