Comparison

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai vs Private Browser

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai

This app offers a private search engine and browser that blocks trackers and ads. It includes optional AI features for private conversations and email protection. A subscription unlocks a VPN, advanced AI, and personal information removal services.

Highlights
  • Private search engine
  • Ad and tracker blocking browser
  • Private AI chat
  • Email protection
  • Optional VPN
  • Personal information removal
Features
Read full description

At DuckDuckGo, we believe the best way to protect your personal information from hackers, scammers, and privacy-invasive companies is to stop it from being collected at all. That's why millions of people choose DuckDuckGo over Chrome and other browsers to search and browse online. Our built-in search engine is like Google but never tracks your searches. Our browser blocks YouTube ads, invasive web ads, and cookie pop-ups, reducing distractions and helping to stop other companies from collecting your data. While our optional integrated AI features, Search Assist and Duck.ai, are private and never use your data to train AI. Oh, and our browser is free. We make money from privacy-respecting search ads, not by exploiting your data. Take back control of your personal information with the browser designed for data protection, not data collection. FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS Protect Your Searches by Default: DuckDuckGo Search comes built-in, so you can easily search online without being tracked.  Shield Your Browsing History: Our 3rd-Party Tracker Loading Protection blocks most trackers before they load, greatly exceeding what most popular browsers offer by default.  Chat Privately With AI: Duck.ai lets you have private conversations with 3rd-party AI models, anonymized by us and never used to train AI. Secure Your Email (Optional): Use Email Protection to block most email trackers and hide your existing email address with @duck.com addresses.   Block Ads: Our browser blocks YouTube Ads, and stops invasive trackers from loading on sites, effectively eliminating targeted ads. Automatically Enforce Encryption: Shield your data from network and Wi-Fi snoopers by forcing many sites to use an HTTPS connection.  Escape Fingerprinting: Make it harder for companies to create a unique identifier for you by blocking attempts to combine info about your browser and device.  Sync and Back Up Securely (Optional): Sync encrypted bookmarks and passwords across your devices. Clear your tabs and browsing data in a flash with the Fire Button. Banish cookie pop-ups and automatically set your preferences to minimize cookies and maximize privacy. And many more protections not available on most browsers, even in private browsing mode, including protection from link tracking, Global Privacy Control (GPC), and more. DUCKDUCKGO SUBSCRIPTION Subscribers get • Our VPN: Secure your connection on up to 5 devices.     • Access to advanced AI Models in Duck.ai: Chat privately with AI models built for complex tasks. • Personal Information Removal: Find and remove personal info from sites that store and sell it.   • Identity Theft Restoration: If your identity is stolen, we’ll help restore it.   DuckDuckGo Subscription Pricing & Terms   Payment will be charged automatically to your Apple Account until you cancel, which you can do in app settings. You have the option to provide an email address to activate your subscription on other devices, and we will only use that email address to verify your subscription. For terms of service and privacy policy, visit https://duckduckgo.com/pro/privacy-terms Read more about our free Tracking Protections at https://help.duckduckgo.com/privacy/web-tracking-protections Privacy Policy: https://duckduckgo.com/privacy/  Terms of Service: https://duckduckgo.com/terms Note about 3rd-Party Tracker Protection and Search Ads: while there are some limitations following search ad clicks, viewing ads on DuckDuckGo search is anonymous. Learn more here https://help.duckduckgo.com/privacy/web-tracking-protections Privacy. Simplified. ™

About

Private Browser

Browse the internet securely and privately with a fast, free, and stable web browser. It offers a free VPN proxy for enhanced privacy and security, with unlimited traffic and a simple one-tap connection. Access all websites and enjoy multi-window features without registration.

Highlights
  • Free VPN proxy
  • Unlimited secure internet
  • One-tap connection
  • Strongest privacy and security
  • High-speed unlimited traffic
  • Multi-window and label support
Features
Read full description

Private browser is a fast, free and stable web browser app with free VPN proxy. It provides the strongest privacy and security. Supports the entire platform without registration, high-speed unlimited traffic, one-click connection! Download now! Choose our advantages: - Interface refreshing. - Easy to use.You just need one tap to connect. - Secure. Private Browser will protect your personal data while you are online. - Free. free unlimited VPN. - Fast. Private Browser enable you to access to all websites. - Convenient. provide multi-window and label. - Multiple servers. We provide you with multiple servers around the world. - Privacy. we don’t log any of your activity and will never share it with anyone. - Support iPhone & iPad. LEGAL: For more information, please visit our "Terms of Use" and "Privacy Policy" Terms of Service: https://vpn-browser.esvpnapp.com/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://vpn-browser.esvpnapp.com/policy.html Contact us: https://vpn-browser.esvpnapp.com/

Screenshots

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai4 screens
Private Browser4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai at none against Private Browser's shown. DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (2.4M vs 4.1K). Private Browser's advantage is review sentiment (82% vs 65%) and iOS requirement (12.1 vs 15.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Private Browser sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai has 2.4M ratings behind it against 4.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 65% of DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai's written reviews are positive against 82% of Private Browser's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai ships an update weekly, Private Browser every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai versus Private Browser: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDuckDuckGo, optional Duck.aiPrivate Browser
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2.4M ratings) — better4.6 (4.1K ratings)
Positive reviews64.8% of reviews81.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.4M — better4.1K
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#18 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size256 MB26 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperDuckDuckGo, Inc.Shanghai Xiangyuan Network Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai

All ratings2,417,546 ratings
Positive97.2%
Neutral1.7%
Negative1.1%
Written reviews3,532 reviews
Positive64.8%
Neutral8.1%
Negative27.1%

Private Browser

All ratings3,997 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral4.4%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews261 reviews
Positive81.6%
Neutral4.2%
Negative14.2%

User reviews

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai

From 2.4M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 🔒 Excellent privacy protection
  • 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
  • 🔥 Effective ad and tracker blocking

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
  • 🔍 Slower page load times compared to other browsers
  • 🔍 Inconsistent search quality compared to Google

Private Browser

From 4.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 🔒 Secure and private browsing
  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 💡 Integrated VPN functionality

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
  • 💰 Aggressive advertising and in-app purchases
  • 📵 Difficulty accessing certain features without 5-star review

Bugs and requests

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Inability to set DuckDuckGo as default browser on iOS
  • Refresh button hidden in menu instead of standalone

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add support for voice search
  • Improve tab management and history navigation
  • Introduce customizable font and theme options

Private Browser

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Downloading issues
  • Compatibility problems on older devices
  • VPN connection instability

Requested features

3 requests
  • Landscape mode support
  • Dark mode option
  • Improved search history and bookmarking

In-app purchases

7 purchases

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai

Subscriptions7
  • DuckDuckGo (Plus, Monthly)7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • DuckDuckGo monthly$9.991 Month
  • DuckDuckGo (Pro, Monthly)$19.991 Month
Show 4 more
  • DuckDuckGo (Pro, Monthly)7 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • DuckDuckGo (Plus, Yearly)7 Days trial$99.991 Year
  • DuckDuckGo annual$99.991 Year
  • DuckDuckGo (Pro, Yearly)7 Days trial$199.991 Year
2 purchases

Private Browser

Subscriptions2
  • VIP$4.991 Month
  • VIP for 1 Yearly$39.991 Year

Questions

Is DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai free?
DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Private Browser free?
Private Browser is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai or Private Browser?
DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai is rated higher. DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.4M ratings, while Private Browser averages 4.6 from 4.1K ratings.
Do DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai or Private Browser have ads?
Private Browser shows ads; DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai does not.
Which is updated more often, DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai or Private Browser?
DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai ships an update weekly, and Private Browser every 2 months. Most recently, DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai was updated on November 7, 2026 and Private Browser on November 3, 2026.

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