Verdict
Startpage gets strong marks for privacy focus and a clean, simple interface, but a meaningful slice of reviewers report freezing, slowness, and weak ad blocking compared to alternatives.
Best for
Someone who wants a straightforward, privacy-oriented browser for everyday searching and isn't relying on it to block ads aggressively.
Dealbreaker
Multiple reviewers report the app freezing or slowing down, needing cache clears to keep working, and it doesn't block ads well, so people prioritizing ad-blocking or rock-solid stability will be frustrated.
The facts.
Pulled from the App Store, not written by hand. unverified
Price
Free
In-app purchases
Unknown
Ads
Unknown
Platforms
iPhone, iPad
Rating
4.8★ (7,112)
Version
153.0.5
Last updated
Aug 24, 2026
Released
May 15, 2024
Attributes
Native app
Category
Utilities
What reviews consistently say.
Themes grouped from 156 App Store reviews. Source feed ›
Praised for
Privacy and data handling29 reviews
Ease of use and design7 reviews
Import and export3 reviews
Works offline2 reviews
Complained about
Crashes and stability7 reviews
Privacy and data handling7 reviews
Misses some ads3 reviews
Where this comes from
29 of 156 recent reviews raised: Privacy and data handlingApp Store reviews ›
7 of 156 recent reviews raised: Ease of use and designApp Store reviews ›
7 of 156 recent reviews raised: Crashes and stabilityApp Store reviews ›
3 of 156 recent reviews raised: Misses some adsApp Store reviews ›
Listed at Free on the App StoreApp Store listing ›
Where we recommend it
The best private browsers and tracker blockers ›Browsers and blockers that cut tracking, each with the thing it does not do.
Alternatives with the same rule.
Every app here is rated 4.2 or better by at least 5,000 people, has been updated in the last eighteen months, and has no significant number of reviewers reporting it broken. Price is not the rule on this list — most cost nothing to download, though the App Store price alone does not tell you whether an app later asks for a subscription. Also with a catch.
Free · 4.8★ (2,395,971) · Updated Sep 7, 2026
Verdict. DuckDuckGo's core privacy pitch — tracker blocking, no data retained across reinstalls — comes through clearly in reviews, but a meaningful chunk of users report crashes, freezing, and sluggish page loads, especially after updates.
Best for. Someone switching from Chrome or Safari mainly to stop being tracked, who can tolerate an occasional freeze in exchange for not being profiled.
Dealbreaker. Multiple reviewers report the browser crashing or freezing mid-use and losing their work, plus complaints that deleted AI chat data reappeared and support didn't resolve it.
Free · 4.8★ (651,211) · Updated Sep 8, 2026
Verdict. Brave's reviewers consistently praise its built-in ad and tracker blocking and the privacy angle, which is what sets it apart from a generic mobile browser. But a real slice of recent reviews report crashes on iPhone and Mac, and sync between devices is flaky or broken for some users.
Best for. Someone who wants ads and trackers blocked by default on their iPhone without installing separate extensions, and who mostly uses one device so sync issues won't bite them.
Dealbreaker. Multiple recent reviewers report the app crashing or becoming unusable, and sync/bookmark import across devices is described as broken by others, so anyone relying on a seamless multi-device setup should be cautious.
Free · 4.7★ (82,301) · Updated Aug 30, 2026
Verdict. Firefox Focus is built around a one-tap erase-everything model rather than tabs and bookmarks, which is why reviewers praise its privacy and simplicity but also note its ad-blocking is inconsistent.
Best for. Someone who wants a throwaway browser for a quick, private search or link click, then wipes the session with one tap, not someone looking for a full-time daily driver.
Dealbreaker. Multiple reviewers report it doesn't block ads on specific sites like Reddit and lets popups and redirects through, so it isn't a reliable ad-blocking browser despite the privacy framing.