# Preview mini vs Metabind

The clearest difference is rating: Metabind at 5.0 against Preview mini's 4.3. Metabind also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). Preview mini's advantage is ratings volume (212 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Preview mini sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Metabind asks for nothing beyond the download.

Metabind holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Preview mini has 212 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Preview mini | Metabind |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (212 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/preview-mini-image-and-pdf-tool/id1593078015/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metabind/id6754395501/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **212** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 63.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 103 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Marian Koenig](https://appshunter.io/developer/1394020504) | [Yap Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/848630020) |

## What reviewers say

### Preview mini

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/preview-mini-image-and-pdf-tool/id1593078015)

Edit and annotate images and PDFs with a desktop-like experience on your iPhone and iPad. Offers advanced features for viewing, converting, and managing files, inspired by macOS.

**Highlights:** Image editing and cropping, PDF annotation and editing, File conversion, Drag and drop support, Keyboard shortcuts, Password protection for PDFs

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Preview mini PRO | $4.99 | one-time |
| Fullversion | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Useful application, replaces MS Paint
- 💡 Video tutorials are helpful
- 🚀 Makes life easier
- 👍 Wonderful and powerful iPad app
- 👍 Great replacement for Preview (almost)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Changes not saved on iPad
- 🐛 Does not export PDF as picture
- 🐛 Difficult to use on iPad
- 🐛 Crashing the app on large PDFs
- 🐛 Only allows acting on one page at a time

**Reported bugs**

- Changes not saved when attaching to email
- App errors out on large PDFs and crashes
- App shuts down during photo editing, unsaved work lost
- Cannot type the letter 'y' in documents
- Payment issues with Apple, requires new credit card data

**Requested features**

- Split-screen or slide-over capability
- Export PDF as picture (JPG, etc.)
- Ability to paste one image on top of another
- Ctrl-Z for quick undo
- Straight line option for markup


### Metabind

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metabind/id6754395501)

Instantly preview your designs with pixel-perfect native rendering on your device. Collaborate with teams, share experiences easily, and test all variations before launch. Access your entire design system and published content.

**Highlights:** Instant native rendering, Real-time updates, Easy sharing via QR codes/links, Full fidelity testing (light/dark mode, orientation), Design system access, Cross-platform testing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Preview mini free?

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

### Is Metabind free?

Metabind is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Preview mini or Metabind?

Metabind is rated higher. Preview mini averages 4.3 out of 5 from 212 ratings, while Metabind averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Preview mini or Metabind have ads?

Neither Preview mini nor Metabind shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Preview mini or Metabind?

Preview mini ships an update every 10 days, and Metabind every 10 days. Most recently, Preview mini was updated on October 20, 2026 and Metabind on October 16, 2026.

---

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