Comparison

PDF Projector vs StayGray

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

Head to head
About

PDF Projector

Turn your device into a presentation projector. Display PDF slideshows full-screen on external monitors and control navigation from your iPhone or iPad. An Apple Watch can even act as a remote.

Highlights
  • Projects PDFs to external screens
  • Use iPhone/iPad for navigation
  • Apple Watch remote control
  • Thumbnail and page preview
  • Supports iCloud documents
  • Share PDFs from other apps
Features
Read full description

Projects PDF slideshows onto an external screen. If you have an Apple Watch, you can also use it as a remote control. This app is useful if you write presentations using LaTeX Beamer, or LibreOffice Impress, or some other application that exports to PDF. Simply open your PDF in the app and connect an external display (e.g., via VGA, HDMI, USB-C, or AirPlay). Your slides will be displayed full-screen on the external display, while the app provides additional navigation controls on your iPad or iPhone. You can navigate on your iPad or iPhone by tapping and swiping, or using the buttons on the toolbar, or scrolling through the thumbnails, or using an external keyboard. When in landscape mode, you will also see a preview of the next page (which you can turn on/off using the button on the upper toolbar). You can browse and open any of your iCloud documents, or you can share PDFs from your favourite app to open in PDF Projector. WATCH REMOTE: If you have an Apple Watch, you can use this as a remote control. Simply open a PDF document in the iPhone app and connect it to an external display, and then start the Watch app to use the remote control. If you talk a lot between slides, try adding the "Next Page" complication to your clock face (requires watchOS 7). This will let you step through the slides without having to keep reopening the app. You can also configure Settings / General / Wake Screen (on any watchOS version) to keep the app on screen for longer while you present your talk.

About

StayGray

This app helps reduce screen time by automatically switching your device to grayscale. You can customize when color is allowed, set schedules, and track your progress in reducing usage.

Highlights
  • Automatic grayscale switching
  • Customizable color exceptions
  • Scheduled monochrome periods
  • Location-based color activation
  • Progress tracking for screen time
  • Color breaks for temporary color access
Read full description

StayGray automatically switches your iPhone to grayscale, so apps feel less magnetic and you scroll less. Your screen stays black and white by default, and you decide when color is allowed. WHY GRAYSCALE Colorful interfaces are built to grab your attention. Take the color away and the little “reward hit” gets weaker, which makes it easier to stop the endless checking without blocking any apps. CONTROL WHEN COLOR IS ALLOWED • Schedules: set work hours, evenings, or bedtime for monochrome • App exceptions: keep Maps, Camera, Photos, or any app in color • Locations: turn color on automatically at home, at work, or at the gym • Color breaks: switch to full color for a bit, then go back to gray automatically TRACK YOUR PROGRESS See how your habits change over time and estimate how much screen time you save by staying in black and white. PRIVACY FIRST No accounts. No ads. No tracking. StayGray does not collect, store, or transmit personal data. Privacy policy: https://www.staygray.app/privacy/en.html Terms: https://www.staygray.app/terms/en.html

Screenshots

PDF Projector4 screens
StayGray4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: StayGray at Free against PDF Projector's $0.99. StayGray also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). PDF Projector's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 3.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). On ratings volume and ads 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

StayGray is free to download; PDF Projector costs $0.99 up front. StayGray sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. PDF Projector asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PDF Projector holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of PDF Projector's written reviews are positive against 67% of StayGray's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Projector ships an update every 2 months, StayGray fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
PDF Projector versus StayGray: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF ProjectorStayGray
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (3 ratings) — better3.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews83.3% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings33
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB21 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperBenjamin BurtonMATTHIAS NEUWIRTH

Customer experience

PDF Projector

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative0.0%

StayGray

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

None

PDF Projector

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

StayGray

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$1.991 Month
  • StayGray Plus$8.991 Year
One-time1
  • StayGray Plus: Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is PDF Projector free?
PDF Projector costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is StayGray free?
StayGray is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PDF Projector or StayGray?
PDF Projector is rated higher. PDF Projector averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while StayGray averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do PDF Projector or StayGray have ads?
Neither PDF Projector nor StayGray shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Projector or StayGray?
PDF Projector ships an update every 2 months, and StayGray fortnightly. Most recently, PDF Projector was updated on October 25, 2026 and StayGray on October 24, 2026.

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