# Merlin AI vs Threshld

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Threshld at 100% against Merlin AI's 43%. Threshld also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5). Merlin AI's advantage is ratings volume (790 vs 1) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Merlin AI sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days and Threshld sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Threshld holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merlin AI has 790 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of Merlin AI's written reviews are positive against 100% of Threshld's.

Merlin AI ships an update every 10 days, Threshld every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Merlin AI | Threshld |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (790 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merlin-ai-ai-chat-assistant/id6453692447/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/threshld-lock-apps/id6795767007/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **790** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 42.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 102 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Foyer Tech, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1726728196) | [robert gonzales](https://appshunter.io/developer/6795767009) |

## What reviewers say

### Merlin AI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merlin-ai-ai-chat-assistant/id6453692447)

Access multiple advanced AI models for text, image, and video generation, research with sources, and chat with your files. Organize conversations into projects and collaborate with others. Offers a free tier with daily queries and paid upgrades for higher limits.

**Highlights:** Multiple AI models in one app, Web research with sources, Chat with files and photos, Image and video creation, Code and app generation (Crafts), Project organization and collaboration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Merlin Pro Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Merlin Unlimited | $10.00 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Merlin Unlimited | $15.00 | per month |
| Merlin Pro Monthly | $20.00 | per month |
| Yearly Black Friday | $89.99 | per year |
| Yearly Merlin Unlimited | $100.00 | per year |
| Yearly Merlin Unlimited | $150.00 | per year |
| TopUp - 1500 Queries, 7 Days | $3.49 | one-time |
| TopUp - 3000 Queries, 30 Days | $4.99 | one-time |
| TopUp - 10000 Queries, 30 Days | $14.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 💡 Variety of AI models
- 🔥 Powerful and versatile
- 😊 Helpful and convenient

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- ⏱️ Slow response times
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔍 Misleading advertising
- 🤔 Inconsistent performance

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Overlapping UI elements
- Incorrect model selection
- Inability to cancel subscriptions
- Censorship of user inputs

**Requested features**

- Shortcut integration for iOS
- Improved iPad compatibility
- Ability to save and reuse prompts
- Enhanced security and privacy features
- Seamless integration with other apps


### Threshld

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/threshld-lock-apps/id6795767007)

This app helps you break free from distracting applications by locking them until you achieve a personal goal. Goals can be set using Apple Health data like steps or calories, or by completing a simple task. It offers scheduled locking and tracks your progress without uploading any personal information.

**Highlights:** Lock distracting apps until goals are met, Integrates with Apple Health for goal tracking, Set custom task-based goals, Scheduled daily app locking, Tracks progress and accountability, Private by default, no account needed

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Threshld Pro | $6.99 | per month |
| Threshld Pro | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Merlin AI free?

Merlin AI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Threshld free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Merlin AI or Threshld?

Threshld is rated higher. Merlin AI averages 4.5 out of 5 from 790 ratings, while Threshld averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Merlin AI or Threshld have ads?

Neither Merlin AI nor Threshld shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Merlin AI or Threshld?

Merlin AI ships an update every 10 days, and Threshld every 2 months. Most recently, Merlin AI was updated on November 4, 2026 and Threshld on November 6, 2026.

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