Swift Paperless vs GardenLib
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Swift Paperless
This app allows users to manage documents directly from their iOS device. It seamlessly integrates with a self-hosted document management system, ensuring data privacy and control. Easily find, categorize, and add new documents on the go.
- Native iOS integration
- Paperless-ngx compatibility
- Document finding
- Document categorization
- Add documents from phone
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Swift Paperless is a native iOS app that interacts with the popular Paperless-ngx document management software. Paperless-ngx is self-hosted, and therefore fully privacy preserving: you control your data! With Swift Paperless, it's easy to find, categorize and also add documents from your phone!
GardenLib
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Build Your Plant Library * Easily add and catalog every plant you own with detailed profiles. * NFC Scanning for Instant Access * Use NFC plant markers (compatible with standard NFC tags/stickers) to quickly identify and pull up your plant's profile. Just tap your iPhone on the marker in the pot or bed—no typing required! Perfect for labeling and tracking multiple plants without confusion. Personalized Reminders & Care Schedules * Never forget to water again! Set custom reminders for watering, fertilizing, pruning, repotting, and other tasks based on each plant's needs. Get gentle notifications tailored to your schedule and plant types. In-the-Garden Tracking * See exactly what's growing right now in your garden. View real-time overviews of your outdoor or indoor spaces, track growth progress, log seasonal changes, and monitor what's blooming, fruiting, or ready for harvest. Visualize your collection by location for easy outdoor management. * Store rich details for each plant: species info. More features are in process. Download GardenLib today and turn your space into a flourishing paradise. Happy planting! https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: GardenLib at every 8 days against Swift Paperless's monthly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Both are free to download. Swift Paperless sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and GardenLib sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Swift Paperless ships an update monthly, GardenLib every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Swift Paperless | GardenLib |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (75 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 97.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 75 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 8 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 30 MB | 14 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Paul Gessinger | Carlos Flynn |
Bugs and requests
Swift Paperless
Reported bugs
7 issues- Metadata box not resizable on iPhone 13 Mini
- Document upload screen sometimes exits unexpectedly
- Extra step to access iOS share sheet
- Cannot scroll multi-page PDFs on iPad
- Server removal from list upon logout
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- Editing area only half screen after update
- App crying about certificate issue with HTTPS
Requested features
12 requests- Ability to quickly open next document in current view (like 'save & next')
- Option to hide preview side bar for full-screen document view
- Smarter server management in multi-instance setup
- Ability to search within a document
- Support for Title view only without thumbnails
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- Siri Shortcuts support for adding documents
- Option to add from a network scanner
- Support for SSO
- Ability to copy file content from the app
- Option to send documents from archive via share menu (e.g., email)
- Grid view with thumbnails on iPad
- Direct donation link in the app
GardenLib
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Swift Paperless
- Coffee money$3.99
- Proper thank-you$8.99
- Above and beyond$17.99
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- Legendary generosity$44.99
GardenLib
- GardenLib Pro$3.991 Month
- GardenLib Pro$34.991 Year









