Comparison

Penguin Browser vs Surf

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

Head to head
About

Penguin Browser

A fast and simple mobile web browser offering full control over your browsing experience. Utilize guest mode for temporary sessions or sign in to save and organize pages. Instantly clear browsing data for privacy and organization.

Highlights
  • Fast and responsive browsing
  • Guest Mode for temporary sessions
  • Account support for saving pages
  • Instant data clearing (Avalanche)
  • Clean and simple interface
  • Privacy-focused local-first design
Features
Read full description

(No in-app Ads) Penguin Browser is a fast and simple mobile web browser designed to give you full control over how you browse. Use Guest Mode for quick, temporary sessions, or sign in to keep your pages saved and organized. Whether you want a clean session every time or a place to return to your favorite pages, Penguin adapts to how you browse. With Avalanche, you can instantly clear your browsing data, including open pages, history, and session data, and start fresh in one tap. It’s a simple way to stay organized and maintain your privacy without digging through settings. Features: • Fast and responsive mobile browsing • Guest Mode for temporary sessions • Account support for saving and managing pages • Avalanche to instantly clear browsing data • Clean, simple interface designed for everyday use • Local-first design focused on privacy Penguin Browser is built for users who want a straightforward, flexible, and controlled browsing experience.

About

Surf

Features
Read full description

Browse, read and keep useful pages in one place. Surf Pro brings your bookmarks, history, Reading List and open tabs across iPhone, iPad and Mac. START WITH A COMPLETE BROWSER Browse for free, with no Surf account required. • Multiple tabs and private browsing • Webpage ad and tracker blocking, with per-site exceptions • Bookmarks, folders and history search • Reader with adjustable text and light, sepia or dark appearance • A file library with folders, tags, search and Recently Deleted • Import, rename, move and share ordinary documents, and create or open ZIP archives READ NOW, KEEP FOR LATER Save a readable article from Reader to keep its archived content for offline reading. Open it later from Reading List, even without a connection. Pages saved only as links still need the web. KEEP MORE WITH SURF PRO One subscription covers iPhone, iPad and Mac. • Sync bookmarks, history, Reading List and open tabs through your own iCloud • Keep an unlimited reading list and remember more website sign-ins • Remove the daily file-saving limit and save several files at once • Remember desktop mode and text size for each site Free includes up to five reading-list entries and five remembered sign-ins. Saved articles and sign-ins remain accessible if Pro ends. Browser-data sync requires Pro, iCloud sign-in and iCloud Sync enabled in Surf. File-library iCloud sync is available on every plan when those iCloud settings are enabled. CHOOSE YOUR PLAN Monthly and Yearly subscriptions offer a 3-day free trial for eligible new subscribers. Surf shows your localized price, billing period and applicable trial before you confirm with Apple. Membership shows your current plan and renewal or expiry details when available, with Restore Purchases and Manage Subscription. PRIVACY WITH CLEAR BOUNDARIES Surf includes no advertising or analytics SDK. Websites and your chosen search engine receive the requests needed to browse. Private tabs, cookies and form contents do not participate in browser-data sync. Saved sign-ins use the device keychain, with optional iCloud Keychain sync separately. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. Eligible free trials convert to a paid subscription unless cancelled. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage or cancel in your Apple Account settings. Privacy Policy: https://mwsupplylimited.github.io/surf/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Penguin Browser4 screens
Surf4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Surf at Free against Penguin Browser's $0.99. Penguin Browser's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Surf is free to download; Penguin Browser costs $0.99 up front. Surf sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Penguin Browser asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Penguin Browser ships an update every 2 days, Surf weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Penguin Browser versus Surf: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPenguin BrowserSurf
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB6 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperEZRA MICHAEL GILBERTMatthew Wong

In-app purchases

None

Penguin Browser

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Surf

Subscriptions2
  • Surf Pro (Monthly)3 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Surf Pro (Yearly)3 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Surf Pro (Lifetime)$59.99

Questions

Is Penguin Browser free?
Penguin Browser costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Surf free?
Surf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Penguin Browser or Surf have ads?
Neither Penguin Browser nor Surf shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Penguin Browser or Surf?
Penguin Browser ships an update every 2 days, and Surf weekly. Most recently, Penguin Browser was updated on October 31, 2026 and Surf on November 5, 2026.

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