LinkEdit vs PDFCrab
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
LinkEdit
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LinkEdit is a local-first personal knowledge manager (PKM) for Markdown notes. Point it to any folder in the Files app and work directly with your existing filesβno lock-in, no proprietary database. Create permanent, auto-updating links between notes. Links work in both directions, so your knowledge stays connected as files move or are renamed. Free Features β’ Built-in file manager and plain-text Markdown editor β’ Industry-leading privacy: zero tracking, zero third-party analytics β’ Sync with iCloud Drive or any storage provider supported by Files β’ Markdown preview β’ Open notes from anywhere using the linkedit://open URL scheme β’ Inspect note metadata, including backlinks, with Links Inspector LinkEdit Pro (one-time purchase) β’ Automated Daily Journal β’ Unlimited Permanent Links β’ Editor customisation
PDFCrab
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PDFCrab lets you edit PDF files directly on your iPhone β no cloud, no subscriptions, no sign-in required. All processing happens locally on your device. -Forms Fill interactive PDF form fields directly in the app, then export the completed form. -Search in your PDF Search for any word or phrase across your document and replace it in place β the surrounding text keeps its layout. -Highlight text Highlight any passage of text to make it stand out. Choose the highlight color and opacity, then move or remove a highlight at any time. -Smarter text editing Related text now groups into sections, so you can select and edit a whole block at once instead of line by line. -OCR Scan a photo or PDF of a document and PDFCrab recognizes the text on-device, turning it into real, selectable, editable PDF text instead of a flat image. Review and correct recognized text, then save as separate files or merged into one PDF. -Cyrillic, Chinese, Japanese & Korean support Editing text and recognizing text via OCR now correctly handles Cyrillic and CJK scripts, not just Latin β the right font is embedded automatically based on what the text actually contains. -Edit text Tap any text in your PDF to select it, then drag it to a new position or update its content. Choose from 9 bundled fonts or keep the original. Preview font and size live before saving. -Edit images Move, resize, or remove images embedded in your PDF. Drag any corner or edge handle to resize precisely, or pick a quick percentage preset. -Page Tools Add page numbers in the position you choose, rotate any page, and switch between Standard and Letter page sizes β with a one-tap way back to the original size. -Manage Pages Browse a thumbnail grid of all pages to delete the ones you don't need β now extended with Reorder: drag pages into a new order and save when you're ready. -Export Turn any PDF into a TXT file, an audio narration, page images, a Word document, or a PowerPoint β directly on your device. -Password-protected PDFs Open, edit, and save encrypted PDFs. Add, remove, or change passwords. View encryption algorithm, key length, and per-flag permissions. Your password never leaves your device. -Annotate Draw, highlight, and add freehand annotations using Apple Pencil or your finger. -Privacy first PDFCrab never uploads your files. Everything stays on your device.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PDFCrab at none against LinkEdit's 1. PDFCrab also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. LinkEdit sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PDFCrab asks for nothing beyond the download.
LinkEdit ships an update every 2 months, PDFCrab every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | LinkEdit | PDFCrab |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 9 days β better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No β better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro β better | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 132 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cocoa Productions | Illia Abielientsev |
In-app purchases
LinkEdit
- Lifetime Unlock$14.99
PDFCrab
No in-app purchases









