# Chromium Browser vs Kestrel

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chromium Browser at none against Kestrel's 4. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kestrel sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Chromium Browser asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on August 19, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chromium Browser | Kestrel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chromium-browser/id6756697702/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **10** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 120 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Search.com, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1833165660) | [Michael Wright](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895416865) |

## What reviewers say

### Chromium Browser

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chromium-browser/id6756697702)

A fast and private web browser offering smart search, a customizable homepage, and optional VPN for enhanced security. Browse confidently with private mode and a clean interface.

**Highlights:** Smart search suggestions, Customizable homepage, Optional VPN support, Private browsing mode, Clean, modern interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Kestrel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kestrel-ssh-and-server-manager/id6764020106)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kestrel Pro | $3.99 | per month |
| Kestrel Pro Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Kestrel Suite | $39.99 | per year |
| Kestrel Pro Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chromium Browser free?

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

### Is Kestrel free?

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

### Do Chromium Browser or Kestrel have ads?

Neither Chromium Browser nor Kestrel shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chromium Browser or Kestrel?

Chromium Browser ships an update fortnightly, and Kestrel fortnightly. Most recently, Chromium Browser was updated on August 19, 2026 and Kestrel on September 19, 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.*