Comparison

FastBack vs Lurker Reader

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

Head to head
About

FastBack

This browser offers a unique "back" function that instantly displays the previous page without reloading. It's designed for a smoother news browsing experience, allowing users to navigate between articles and main pages seamlessly.

Highlights
  • Instant page recall on back
  • No reloads when navigating back
  • Smooth news browsing experience
  • Remembers frequently visited sites
Features
Read full description

"FastBack - the browser that doesn't reload when you go back." The name says it all. Amazingly, this is in contrast to all other iOS browsers. - When tapping "back", the previous page displays instantly. It does NOT reload, scroll, jump, redraw or update in any annoying way (as every other browser does), making the back step fast. - This is great for browsing news sites: You scroll down a long main page, tap a link, read, tap back, tap another link, tap back etc – and everything is just smooth. News browsing the way it was meant to be. - There are almost NO other features. OK, your frequently visited sites are remembered but that's it. Less is more. - I wrote this app so I could browse my morning news sites without going crazy. Enjoy!

About

Lurker Reader

A fast and clean Reddit client designed with a distraction-free interface. Browse your home feed, explore communities, and manage your inbox efficiently. Built with privacy as a priority, it offers a clutter-free experience without ads or tracking.

Highlights
  • Distraction-free home feed
  • Organized community list
  • Rich subreddit post previews
  • Streamlined inbox view
  • Privacy-focused design
  • No ads or tracking
Features
Read full description

Lurker is a clean, fast Reddit client built natively with SwiftUI. Browse your home feed, explore any subreddit, manage your communities, and stay on top of your inbox, all without the clutter. • Home Feed: Scroll through posts from your subscribed communities with a clean, distraction-free interface • Communities: Access all your subreddits in one organized list, with quick search to jump to any sub • Subreddit Browsing: Dive into any subreddit and browse posts with rich previews including images, links, and YouTube videos • Inbox: Keep up with replies, mentions, and messages in a streamlined conversation view Built with privacy in mind. No ads, no tracking, just Reddit.

Screenshots

FastBack2 screens
Lurker Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lurker Reader at 100% against FastBack's 0%. Lurker Reader also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.0) and update cadence (weekly vs every 16 months). FastBack's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. FastBack sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Lurker Reader sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lurker Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of FastBack's written reviews are positive against 100% of Lurker Reader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FastBack ships an update every 16 months, Lurker Reader weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
FastBack versus Lurker Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFastBackLurker Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)4.4 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings27 — better
Update frequencyEvery 16 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS11.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB8 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperStudio MeeZabir Raihan

Customer experience

FastBack

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Lurker Reader

All ratings7 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

FastBack

One-time1
  • Unlock$1.99
2 purchases

Lurker Reader

One-time2
  • Small Tip$1.99
  • Generous Tip$4.99

Questions

Is FastBack free?
FastBack is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Lurker Reader free?
Lurker Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, FastBack or Lurker Reader?
Lurker Reader is rated higher. FastBack averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Lurker Reader averages 4.4 from 7 ratings.
Do FastBack or Lurker Reader have ads?
Neither FastBack nor Lurker Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FastBack or Lurker Reader?
FastBack ships an update every 16 months, and Lurker Reader weekly. Most recently, FastBack was updated on October 29, 2026 and Lurker Reader on October 28, 2026.

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