# Desktop Browser vs Kiwi

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Desktop Browser at 16K against Kiwi's 326. Kiwi's advantage is iOS requirement (15 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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 Kiwi sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Kiwi holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Desktop Browser has 16K ratings behind it against 326, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 52% and 52% positive.

Desktop Browser ships an update fortnightly, Kiwi every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Desktop Browser | Kiwi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desktop-browser/id940076212/reviews) | **[4.6 (326 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kiwi-browser-document-vpn/id6453991209/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **16K** | 326 |
| Positive reviews | **52.2% of reviews** | 51.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Spicy Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/299136020) | [TIMON SOFTWARE CO., LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1483965968) |

## 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


### Kiwi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kiwi-browser-document-vpn/id6453991209)

This private browser offers ad blocking and VPN capabilities for a secure online experience. It includes tools like a dictionary, calendar, QR scanner, PDF maker, and a customizable RSS reader for news.

**Highlights:** Private browsing, Ad blocking, Built-in VPN, Dictionary with bubble function, Calendar with lunar support, QR/BAR code scanner, PDF maker from photos, Customizable RSS reader

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| 1 Year Subscription | $24.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast browsing experience
- 🚫 Excellent ad blocking
- 📺 Blocks YouTube ads
- 🎵 Background YouTube Music playback
- 🖼️ YouTube Picture-in-Picture

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Lacks tabs on mobile
- 🐛 YouTube ads still present for some
- 🐛 Pornhub ad is annoying
- 👎 iPhone version is useless for ad blocking
- 👎 Difficult to add extensions

**Reported bugs**

- YouTube ads not blocked for some users
- Annoying ad on Pornhub
- Music stops playing when screen is off
- Cannot delete YouTube Shorts shortcut

**Requested features**

- Add tab button/list for mobile
- Add dark mode
- Add paid option to remove Kiwi's ads
- Add 'Add to Home Screen' option
- Add repeat/loop button for videos


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Desktop Browser free?

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

### Is Kiwi free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Desktop Browser or Kiwi?

Kiwi is rated higher. Desktop Browser averages 4.4 out of 5 from 16K ratings, while Kiwi averages 4.6 from 326 ratings.

### Do Desktop Browser or Kiwi have ads?

Both Desktop Browser and Kiwi show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Desktop Browser or Kiwi?

Desktop Browser ships an update fortnightly, and Kiwi every 8 days. Most recently, Desktop Browser was updated on October 15, 2026 and Kiwi on October 6, 2026.

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