Comparison

Private Browser vs VanBrowser

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

Head to head
About

Private Browser

A minimalist web browser designed for simplicity and a unique user experience. It offers essential features like tabs and bookmarks with an interface that adapts to your needs.

Highlights
  • Minimalist interface
  • Adaptive UI elements
  • Tabbed browsing
  • Bookmark management
  • Search suggestions
Features
Read full description

Loopius is an extremely simple browser with nothing superfluous. Interface elements can seamlessly transform into one another depending on the context, creating a unique user experience. The browser supports basic features such as tabs, bookmarks, and search suggestions.

About

VanBrowser

A fast, private web browser designed for Apple devices. It prioritizes user control and transparency by avoiding AI features and data collection. Offers advanced tools for inspecting web activity and managing online identities.

Highlights
  • No AI features
  • Advanced web inspection tools
  • Persona-based identity separation
  • Tracker and ad blocking
  • Local data storage
  • Optional iCloud sync
  • Native Apple device design
Features
Read full description

Fast, private, and built natively for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, VanBrowser puts you in control of your browsing experience instead of collecting data about it. Many browsers racing to add AI assistants, cloud services, and increasingly complicated and hidden interfaces. VanBrowser takes a different approach. It is a browser first, designed to help you browse the web with more transparency. NO AI. NONE. VanBrowser includes no AI features. No chatbot. No page summaries. No assistant watching what you browse. No prompts asking you to generate content. What you do in VanBrowser never becomes training data for us because we don't collect it in the first place. We don't collect data: You're not the product. Instead of monetizing your browsing activity, we rely on Pro subscriptions and optional tips to support continued development. SEE WHAT THE WEB IS DOING Most browsers hide what happens behind the scenes. VanBrowser puts that information in front of you. A live status bar shows page load times, transferred data, and resource counts as pages load. Open the Cookies, Network, and Page Info panels to inspect what a site sets, requests, and loads. Advanced users can also send and inspect raw web requests directly. PERSONAS: SEPARATE YOUR ONLINE IDENTITIES Keep work and personal accounts separate without juggling multiple browsers. Personas provide isolated browsing environments with their own cookies and device identities, making it easy to: • Stay logged into multiple accounts at the same time • Keep work and personal browsing separate • Open websites as a clean device • Automatically send specific websites to the correct Persona PRIVACY BY DEFAULT VanBrowser blocks many trackers and ads using maintained blocklists and is designed to give you greater control over your browsing data. History, bookmarks, passwords, and settings are stored locally on your Mac by default. If you use multiple devices, you can optionally enable iCloud sync to share supported data through your own iCloud account. VanBrowser is designed to minimize the collection of user data. We do not operate a cloud service for storing your browsing history, bookmarks, passwords, or synced data. BUILT NATIVELY FOR MAC, IPHONE, AND IPAD VanBrowser is designed specifically for macOS, iPhone, and iPad and feels at home here. Features include: • Tabbed browsing • Bookmarks and bookmarks bar • History and downloads • Reader View • Find in Page • Zoom controls • Built-in password vault • Built-in payment card vault • Per-site controls • Accessibility-focused design ACCESSIBILITY FIRST VanBrowser includes support for VoiceOver, Voice Control, and accessibility-focused customization throughout the app. FREE AND PRO VanBrowser is free to use. Upgrade to Pro to unlock iCloud sync, additional Personas, and other advanced features. A browser should work for you, not advertisers, data brokers, or AI companies. VanBrowser is a browser. That's the point. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Private Browser3 screens
VanBrowser4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: VanBrowser at 5.0 against Private Browser's 3.8. VanBrowser also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly). Private Browser's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6). On price, ratings volume, ads 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. VanBrowser sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Private Browser asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

VanBrowser holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Private Browser's written reviews are positive against 100% of VanBrowser's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Private Browser ships an update monthly, VanBrowser every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Private Browser versus VanBrowser: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrivate BrowserVanBrowser
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (6 ratings)5.0 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings67 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB28 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperMaxim FrolovVertolini

Customer experience

Private Browser

All ratings6 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

VanBrowser

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Private Browser

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

VanBrowser

Subscriptions2
  • VanBrowser (Monthly)$1.991 Month
  • VanBrowser Pro (Yearly)$19.991 Year
One-time4
  • Small Tip$2.99
  • Medium Tip$6.99
  • Large Tip$12.99
Show 1 more
  • VanBrowser Pro (Lifetime)$49.99

Questions

Is Private Browser free?
Private Browser is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is VanBrowser free?
VanBrowser is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Private Browser or VanBrowser?
VanBrowser is rated higher. Private Browser averages 3.8 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while VanBrowser averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.
Do Private Browser or VanBrowser have ads?
Neither Private Browser nor VanBrowser shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Private Browser or VanBrowser?
Private Browser ships an update monthly, and VanBrowser every 3 days. Most recently, Private Browser was updated on October 30, 2026 and VanBrowser on October 31, 2026.

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