Comparison

Private Browser vs Lens

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

Head to head
About

Private Browser

Features
Read full description

Private Browser is a fast, ad-free way to use the web on iPhone. It blocks ads and trackers before they load, keeps your browsing to yourself, and puts a lock on the whole app. No account. No profile. Nothing sold. BLOCK ADS AND TRACKERS • Over 135,000 filter rules from EasyList and EasyPrivacy, applied before a page starts loading • Pages load faster and use less data, because the ads never arrive • Cookie banners hidden automatically • A live counter shows exactly what was blocked on the page you are reading • Turn protection off for one site you trust, without turning it off everywhere PRIVATE TABS THAT REALLY ARE PRIVATE • Private tabs use a separate, temporary store — nothing is written to disk • Close the last private tab and the whole session is destroyed, not just hidden • Normal tabs keep history only for as long as you want it; clear any part of it in one tap LOCK THE APP, NOT JUST THE SCREEN • Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode to open the app • The page is covered the moment you switch apps, so nothing shows in the app switcher • Files you download are stored with iOS file protection and stay unreadable while the device is locked BUILT FOR READING, NOT FOR ADS • Reader mode strips a page down to the article • Dark mode for any website, not just the ones that support it • Toolbars get out of the way as you scroll and come straight back • Tabs, bookmarks, reading list and downloads, all where you expect them SEARCH THE WAY YOU PREFER • Choose from DuckDuckGo, Google, Bing, Brave, Startpage, Ecosia, Yahoo or Baidu • HTTPS-Only mode, so an insecure page never loads by accident • Encrypted DNS guidance built in • QR scanner, downloads manager and full backup SPEAKS YOUR LANGUAGE Every screen is translated into 36 languages, including Arabic and Hebrew with full right-to-left layout. PRIVATE BROWSER PRO Private Browser Pro removes every upgrade prompt, includes each new feature as it arrives, and comes with priority email support. Choose a weekly or yearly subscription, or buy Lifetime once and own it outright with no subscription at all. The price for your country, the renewal date, and the length of any free trial offered are always shown in the app before you confirm. Nothing is charged until you do, and a free trial is free. A subscription renews automatically unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your Apple Account is charged for renewal within 24 hours of the end of that period. You can manage or cancel a subscription at any time in Settings on your device. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/privacy-policy-004/home Support: https://sites.google.com/view/eteamhelp

About

Lens

A private web browser focused on speed and simplicity. It blocks ads and trackers by default, offers customizable search engine options, and features automatic tab archiving. Enhanced privacy controls include Face ID protection for private tabs.

Highlights
  • Search-first interface
  • Ad and tracker blocking
  • Customizable search engines
  • Automatic tab archiving
  • Face ID protected private tabs
  • Link preview and translation
Features
Read full description

Lens is a web browser that stays out of your way. Open it and type: search comes first, your favourite sites are one tap away, and there's nothing else to learn. No ads, no trackers, no account, and nothing collected about you. Free. SEARCH FIRST • Lens opens straight to search, with your pinned sites one tap away. • Pick your search engine: DuckDuckGo, Brave, Kagi, Ecosia, Google or Bing. THE WEB, WITHOUT THE NOISE • Ads, trackers and most cookie pop-ups don't load. • Hide anything that bothers you on a page, and it stays hidden next time. PRIVATE ON ITS OWN • No account, no analytics, no tracking. Lens doesn't know who you are. • Lock private tabs with Face ID. • Forget This Website clears everything a site saved. • Secure connections everywhere, and tracking codes are cleaned from links. TABS THAT TIDY THEMSELVES • Tabs you haven't opened in a day move to the Archive. Nothing is lost. • A tab with a half-filled form stays open until you send it. • Pinch a page to see your tabs, swipe along the bar to switch, flick a tab up to close it. SMALL THINGS THAT HELP • Mini Player: keep listening while you browse, with Picture in Picture. • Downloads that keep going in the background. • Reader, in seven soft colours. • Translate pages right on your iPhone. • Press and hold a link to preview it, and scroll it, before you open it. • Buttons for Reader, Translate, video and Downloads show up only when you need them. • Zoom, fullscreen, desktop site and blocking, set for each site. • Swipe anywhere on a page to go back or forward. • Copy an article as clean Markdown. MADE FOR iPHONE DUO • Open, the page gets the whole big screen, with the bar down the side. • Half-fold it in landscape, and Reader becomes a book you turn page by page. • Closed, it's the same Lens you know from iPhone. WORKS WITH YOUR iPHONE • Make Lens your default browser. • iCloud Passwords, passkeys, one-time codes, Apple Pay and Wallet passes. • iCloud sync for pins, history and tabs, end-to-end encrypted. • Buttons for Control Center and the Lock Screen, and Siri and Shortcuts. FOR DESIGNERS AND DEVELOPERS Select any text to see which font draws it. Tap anything to see its box, colours and contrast, measure the gap between two elements, or pause the page to look at a menu. Turn on Developer Tools in Settings. LENS FOR MAC A free menu bar app with your pins, your iPhone's tabs and the pages you send from your iPhone. No feeds, no clutter, no AI you didn't ask for. If you like Lens, you can leave a tip and unlock extra app icons.

Screenshots

Private Browser4 screens
Lens4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Lens at 4.9 against Private Browser's 1.0. Lens also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks) and ratings volume (54 vs 1). Private Browser's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Both are free to download. Private Browser sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days and Lens sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lens holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lens has 54 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Private Browser ships an update every 2 weeks, Lens every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Private Browser versus Lens: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrivate BrowserLens
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (1 ratings)4.9 (54 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings154 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB67 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperMD. NASAR UDDIN REDOYMaximos Angelakis

Customer experience

Private Browser

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Lens

All ratings54 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Private Browser

Subscriptions2
  • Private Browser Pro (Weekly)$9.997 Days
  • Private Browser Pro (Yearly)3 Days trial$59.991 Year
One-time2
  • Lifetime Special Offer$49.99
  • Private Browser Pro Lifetime$79.99
4 purchases

Lens

One-time4
  • Coffee$3.99
  • Coffee & Snack$6.99
  • Lunch$14.99
Show 1 more
  • Big Thank-You$29.99

Questions

Is Private Browser free?
Private Browser is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Lens free?
Lens is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Private Browser or Lens?
Lens is rated higher. Private Browser averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Lens averages 4.9 from 54 ratings.
Do Private Browser or Lens have ads?
Neither Private Browser nor Lens shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Private Browser or Lens?
Private Browser ships an update every 2 weeks, and Lens every 2 days. Most recently, Private Browser was updated on November 11, 2026 and Lens on November 12, 2026.

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