# SurfLab vs Surf Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Surf Reader at none against SurfLab's 4. Surf Reader also leads on ads (none vs shown). SurfLab's advantage is device support (4 vs 1). On price, update cadence and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SurfLab sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Surf Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

SurfLab ships an update weekly, Surf Reader every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and August 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SurfLab | Surf Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Size | 58 MB | 85 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vincent Ramseyer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885873677) | [Ashley Martin Dunn](https://appshunter.io/developer/6790261909) |

## What reviewers say

### SurfLab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surflab/id6760716610)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SurfLab Premium Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| SurfLab Premium Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Month free | $1.99 | one-time |
| SurfLAbApp | $12.99 | one-time |


### Surf Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-reader/id6790261907)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SurfLab free?

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

### Is Surf Reader free?

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

### Do SurfLab or Surf Reader have ads?

SurfLab shows ads; Surf Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, SurfLab or Surf Reader?

SurfLab ships an update weekly, and Surf Reader every 2 weeks. Most recently, SurfLab was updated on September 8, 2026 and Surf Reader on August 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.*