# Desktop Browser vs Brave Browser & Search Engine

The clearest difference is ads: Brave Browser & Search Engine at none against Desktop Browser's shown. Brave Browser & Search Engine also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (73% vs 52%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Desktop Browser sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per 7 days and Brave Browser & Search Engine sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Brave Browser & Search Engine holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brave Browser & Search Engine has 655K ratings behind it against 16K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Desktop Browser's written reviews are positive against 73% of Brave Browser & Search Engine's.

Desktop Browser ships an update fortnightly, Brave Browser & Search Engine every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Desktop Browser | Brave Browser & Search Engine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desktop-browser/id940076212/reviews) | **[4.8 (655K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brave-browser-and-search-engine/id1052879175/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 16K | **655K** |
| Positive reviews | 52.3% of reviews | **73.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#20** |
| Size | 18 MB | 361 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Spicy Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/299136020) | [Brave Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/1052874328) |

## What reviewers say

### Desktop Browser

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desktop-browser/id940076212)

Access full desktop versions of websites on your mobile device, overcoming content limitations and enhancing productivity. Enjoy a customizable browsing experience with tabbed browsing and bookmarks, seamlessly integrated with other apps.

**Highlights:** View desktop website versions, Tabbed browsing, Bookmarks, Customizable settings, Seamless app integration, Enhanced productivity

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| weekly | $1.49 | per 7 days |
| monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| yearly | $7.49 | per year |
| remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| browse plus | $1.99 | one-time |
| all features pack | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Useful for desktop browsing on mobile
- 🚀 Reliable in forcing desktop mode
- 💡 Helpful for accessing desktop-only features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent performance on some websites
- 💸 Aggressive monetization with ads and in-app purchases
- 🔍 Cluttered interface with too many toolbars

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when trying to upload images
- Reloads pages unexpectedly when interacting with text fields
- Fails to properly display desktop versions of certain websites

**Requested features**

- Add PDF export/download functionality
- Improve tab management and background browsing
- Provide more customization options


### Brave Browser & Search Engine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brave-browser-and-search-engine/id1052879175)

**Currently charting:** #20 Top Free · Utilities, #128 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

A fast, private web browser with built-in ad blocking and a VPN. It offers an AI assistant, a crypto wallet, and a privacy-focused search engine. Enjoy offline media playback and enhanced security features.

**Highlights:** Built-in Adblock and Pop-up Blocker, Firewall + VPN, AI Assistant (Brave Leo), Secure Crypto Wallet (Brave Wallet), Privacy-Focused Search Engine (Brave Search), Offline Media Playback (Brave Playlist), Voice Search

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Firewall + VPN | $9.99 | per month |
| Brave Leo AI (monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| Annual Firewall + VPN | $99.99 | per year |
| Brave Leo AI (annual) | $149.99 | per year |
| Brave Origin | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient browsing
- 🔒 Strong privacy and security features
- 👍 Customizable settings and options
- 💰 Earning potential with Brave Rewards

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🤔 Confusing or unintuitive UI changes
- 🚫 Lack of full sync capabilities across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing tabs and lost browsing data
- Compatibility issues with certain websites
- Problems with the Brave Playlist feature

**Requested features**

- Ability to clear browsing history and data in bulk
- More customization options for the home screen and UI
- Improved integration with other apps and services
- Expanded Brave Rewards program and payouts


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Desktop Browser free?

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

### Is Brave Browser & Search Engine free?

Brave Browser & Search Engine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Desktop Browser or Brave Browser & Search Engine?

Brave Browser & Search Engine is rated higher. Desktop Browser averages 4.4 out of 5 from 16K ratings, while Brave Browser & Search Engine averages 4.8 from 655K ratings.

### Do Desktop Browser or Brave Browser & Search Engine have ads?

Desktop Browser shows ads; Brave Browser & Search Engine does not.

### Which is updated more often, Desktop Browser or Brave Browser & Search Engine?

Desktop Browser ships an update fortnightly, and Brave Browser & Search Engine every 3 weeks. Most recently, Desktop Browser was updated on September 24, 2026 and Brave Browser & Search Engine on September 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*