Comparison

Surge Browser vs Private Browser

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

Head to head
About

Surge Browser

Features
Read full description

People capitalize tech companies with their online activity. We at User Cooperative believe it’s time for a tech company to return all its value to its users in proportion to their use, and that’s what we do. User Cooperative is a 100% user-owned and -governed tech company, and by extension, all tech we build belongs to our users. We therefore consider ourselves the people’s tech company. Our mission is as bold as we are unique, and that’s to put all meaningful tech power and profits into the people’s hands. We start with Surge, a web browser. State-of-the-art in its design. Revolutionary in how it counts your activity so we can share our profits with you. When you create an account on Surge, you become a User Cooperative owner. While you're signed in, Surge counts the sites you visit, which you can see in-browser, and that count is how we share our profits with you. Indeed, each click builds your equity in User Cooperative, and the value of your browsing activity flows back to you as patronage dividends, the way cooperatives have shared their profits for centuries. Not interested in equity for your clicks? You can browse without signing in or go incognito, and Surge won’t count your activity. SURGE HIGHLIGHTS - Equity page to view your stake in User Cooperative - Import tool so you can bring your data from Safari and Chrome and get equity for it - Search engine selector so you can ditch the default - Tab switcher for easy toggling; tabs and their history survive restart - Autofill for your passwords, addresses, and IDs that only live on your device and are secured by Face ID - Bookmarks and Reading List - On-device page translation and voice search - No analytics and no third-party trackers in the app - Delete your browsing data or your whole account at any time right in the app - Incognito mode - Dark mode

About

Private Browser

This browser prioritizes your privacy with features like session data deletion and Face ID protection. Enjoy a clean, distraction-free browsing experience with customizable search engines and a choice of dark or light modes.

Highlights
  • Private browsing sessions
  • Burn individual tabs
  • Burn all browsing data
  • Face ID protection
  • Search engine choice
  • Clean interface
  • Dark mode support
Features
Read full description

Incog is a simple, privacy-focused browser designed to give you more control over your browsing sessions. Browse the web with a clean, distraction-free interface and quickly remove tabs and browsing data when you no longer need them. Key Features: • Private Browsing — Browse with privacy-focused session handling. • Burn Individual Tabs — Remove specific tabs and their associated browsing data. • Burn All — Quickly clear your entire browsing session. • Face ID Protection — Add an extra layer of protection when accessing your tabs. • Search Engine Choice — Choose your preferred search engine. • Clean Interface — A minimal browsing experience without unnecessary clutter. • Dark Mode — Designed to look great in both light and dark environments. Incog is built around a simple idea: your browsing session should stay under your control.

Screenshots

Surge Browser4 screens
Private Browser4 screens

Verdict

The call

Surge Browser and Private Browser are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Surge Browser ships an update every 6 days, Private Browser weekly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Surge Browser versus Private Browser: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurge BrowserPrivate Browser
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB2 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperUser Cooperative延平 陈

In-app purchases

None

Surge Browser

No in-app purchases

None

Private Browser

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Surge Browser free?
Surge Browser is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Private Browser free?
Private Browser is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Surge Browser or Private Browser have ads?
Neither Surge Browser nor Private Browser shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Surge Browser or Private Browser?
Surge Browser ships an update every 6 days, and Private Browser weekly. Most recently, Surge Browser was updated on October 24, 2026 and Private Browser on October 24, 2026.

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