# Side Search vs SharkZip

The clearest difference is price: Side Search at Free against SharkZip's $1.99. SharkZip's advantage is iOS requirement (18.6 vs 27.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Side Search is free to download; SharkZip costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Side Search ships an update every 6 days, SharkZip every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Side Search | SharkZip |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 36 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 27.0 | **18.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cizzuk Shihu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1674098361) | [Dinesh Gurung](https://appshunter.io/developer/1800008478) |

## What reviewers say

### Side Search

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/side-search/id6756973793)

Launch your preferred AI assistant or search engine using the Side Button or Action Button. Customize assistants with custom URLs or integrate with Apple Foundation Models, Claude API, or Google Gemini API.

**Highlights:** Launch AI assistants via Side/Action Button, Custom URL-based assistants, Apple Foundation Models integration, Claude API support, Google Gemini API support, Side Bridge for custom endpoints

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### SharkZip

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sharkzip-zip-with-password/id6757724383)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Side Search free?

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

### Is SharkZip free?

SharkZip costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Side Search or SharkZip have ads?

Neither Side Search nor SharkZip shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Side Search or SharkZip?

Side Search ships an update every 6 days, and SharkZip every 5 days. Most recently, Side Search was updated on September 16, 2026 and SharkZip on September 12, 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.*