# Norton Private Browser vs Phone Security

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Norton Private Browser at none against Phone Security's 10. Norton Private Browser also leads on ads (none vs shown). Phone Security's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and review sentiment (64% vs 38%). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Phone Security sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Norton Private Browser asks for nothing beyond the download.

Phone Security holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phone Security has 3.3K ratings behind it against 163, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Norton Private Browser's written reviews are positive against 64% of Phone Security's.

Norton Private Browser ships an update every 5 weeks, Phone Security every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 8, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Norton Private Browser | Phone Security |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (163 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/norton-private-browser/id6670603868/reviews) | **[4.6 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phone-security-privacy-shield/id6737263668/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 163 | **3.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 38.5% of reviews | **63.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 87 MB | 153 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gen Digital Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/355033599) | [Magic Snail](https://appshunter.io/developer/1758662275) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Phone Security

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phone-security-privacy-shield/id6737263668)

This app helps keep your phone secure, organized, and optimized. It offers features to clean up storage by removing duplicate photos and large files, scans for security vulnerabilities, and provides detailed device information. It also includes guides for clearing app caches and offloading unused applications.

**Highlights:** Duplicate photo and large file removal, System security and update checks, Detailed device performance monitoring, Step-by-step app cache cleaning guides, Unused app offloading, One-tap cleanup scans

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Security Premium 1 Week | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Security Premium 1 Week | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Security Premium 1 Week | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Security Premium 1 Week | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Security Premium 1 Week | $12.99 | per 7 days |
| Security Premium 1 Week | $12.99 | per 7 days |
| Security Premium 1 Week | $19.99 | per 7 days |
| Security Premium 1 Week | $19.99 | per 7 days |
| Security Premium 1 Year | $34.99 | per year |
| Security Premium 1 Year | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast performance
- 💡 Helpful in cleaning up phone
- 🔒 Protects privacy

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💰 Misleading about free trial

**Reported bugs**

- App gets stuck at 68% during scan
- Repeated pop-ups that can't be closed

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- More detailed analytics


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Norton Private Browser free?

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

### Is Phone Security free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Norton Private Browser or Phone Security?

Phone Security is rated higher. Norton Private Browser averages 4.2 out of 5 from 163 ratings, while Phone Security averages 4.6 from 3.3K ratings.

### Do Norton Private Browser or Phone Security have ads?

Phone Security shows ads; Norton Private Browser does not.

### Which is updated more often, Norton Private Browser or Phone Security?

Norton Private Browser ships an update every 5 weeks, and Phone Security every 3 weeks. Most recently, Norton Private Browser was updated on November 8, 2026 and Phone Security on November 8, 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.*