# xiaoman vs CactusVPN

The clearest difference is rating: CactusVPN at 3.0 against xiaoman's 1.0. CactusVPN also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ratings volume (6 vs 1). xiaoman's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. xiaoman sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. CactusVPN asks for nothing beyond the download.

CactusVPN holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CactusVPN has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

xiaoman ships an update every 3 weeks, CactusVPN every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | xiaoman | CactusVPN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xiaoman-dns/id6615085523/reviews) | **[3.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cactusvpn-smart-dns/id6743163048/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **6** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 34 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DE EASTRISE BPO SDN. BHD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761596315) | [CactusVPN, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801726617) |

## What reviewers say

### xiaoman

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xiaoman-dns/id6615085523)

This DNS client tool allows developers to customize and manage DNS functionalities. It supports multiple transmission protocols, a hosts whitelist, and manual DNS server settings. The app also includes DNS request caching for faster access and IPv6 support.

**Highlights:** Multiple transmission protocols (TCP, UDP, TLS, HTTP), Hosts whitelist support, Manual DNS server settings, DNS request caching, IPv6 DNS protocol support, List of common DNS servers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| com.id3.month_price | $5.99 | one-time |
| com.id4.month_price | $7.99 | one-time |
| com.id2.quarter_price | $9.99 | one-time |
| com.id3.quarter_price | $12.99 | one-time |
| id4quarter_price | $14.99 | one-time |
| com.id2.half_year_price | $19.99 | one-time |
| com.id2.year_price | $29.99 | one-time |
| com.id4.half_year_price | $29.99 | one-time |
| com.id3.year_price | $39.99 | one-time |
| com.id4.year_price | $44.99 | one-time |


### CactusVPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cactusvpn-smart-dns/id6743163048)

This app provides a secure VPN and Smart DNS service to protect your online privacy and prevent tracking. It offers high-speed servers, end-to-end encryption, and unlimited bandwidth for a seamless browsing experience across multiple devices.

**Highlights:** High-Speed VPN Servers, End-to-End Encryption, 7 VPN Protocols, No Logs Guaranteed, Unlimited Bandwidth, Unlimited Devices, Smart DNS Service

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is xiaoman free?

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

### Is CactusVPN free?

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

### Which has better reviews, xiaoman or CactusVPN?

CactusVPN is rated higher. xiaoman averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while CactusVPN averages 3.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do xiaoman or CactusVPN have ads?

Neither xiaoman nor CactusVPN shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, xiaoman or CactusVPN?

xiaoman ships an update every 3 weeks, and CactusVPN every 6 months. Most recently, xiaoman was updated on October 25, 2026 and CactusVPN on October 30, 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.*