# DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai vs Orbot

The clearest difference is rating: DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai at 4.8 against Orbot's 3.0. DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai also leads on review sentiment (65% vs 25%) and ratings volume (2.4M vs 973). Orbot's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Orbot asks for nothing beyond the download.

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai has 2.4M ratings behind it against 973, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai's written reviews are positive against 25% of Orbot's.

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai ships an update weekly, Orbot monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai | Orbot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2.4M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/duckduckgo-optional-duckai/id663592361/reviews)** | [3.0 (973 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbot/id1609461599/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.4M** | 973 |
| Positive reviews | **64.8% of reviews** | 25.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#18** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DuckDuckGo, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/479988139) | [The Tor Project](https://appshunter.io/developer/1199566365) |

## What reviewers say

### DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/duckduckgo-optional-duckai/id663592361)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Free · Utilities, #22 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

This app offers a private search engine and browser that blocks trackers and cookies by default. It includes AI chat features and optional tools like a VPN and email protection to safeguard your online activity and personal information.

**Highlights:** Private search engine, Tracker and cookie blocking, Private AI chat, Optional VPN, Email protection, Encryption enforcement, Fingerprinting escape

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DuckDuckGo (Plus, Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| DuckDuckGo monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| DuckDuckGo (Pro, Monthly) | $19.99 | per month |
| DuckDuckGo (Pro, Monthly) | $19.99 | per month |
| DuckDuckGo (Plus, Yearly) | $99.99 | per year |
| DuckDuckGo annual | $99.99 | per year |
| DuckDuckGo (Pro, Yearly) | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### Orbot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbot/id1609461599)

This app provides a free and open-source Tor-powered VPN for enhanced internet safety and privacy. It allows users to browse the web over Tor, secure their traffic, and access .onion sites. While it offers increased privacy, users should be aware that browsing speeds may be slower than a standard VPN.

**Highlights:** Browse internet over Tor, Secure traffic from insecure networks, Access .onion sites, Free and open-source

**Features:** Safari Extension, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and reliable connection
- 🔒 Secure and private browsing
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 🌐 Bypasses censorship and internet restrictions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections and unstable connection
- 🔋 High battery drain
- ⚠️ Incompatible with some iOS versions and devices
- 🕰️ Slow connection speeds

**Reported bugs**

- Fails to connect at 50% or gets stuck in a connection loop
- Causes Wi-Fi or mobile data connection issues
- Randomly disconnects without warning
- Onion Browser integration is unreliable

**Requested features**

- Add manual bridge configuration options
- Implement a kill switch to block internet access when VPN disconnects
- Improve compatibility with other iOS apps and services
- Provide more detailed connection logs and diagnostics


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai free?

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Orbot free?

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

### Which has better reviews, DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai or Orbot?

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai is rated higher. DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.4M ratings, while Orbot averages 3.0 from 973 ratings.

### Do DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai or Orbot have ads?

Neither DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai nor Orbot shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai or Orbot?

DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai ships an update weekly, and Orbot monthly. Most recently, DuckDuckGo, optional Duck.ai was updated on November 1, 2026 and Orbot 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.*