PDF Merger vs TapFocus
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
PDF Merger
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PDF Merger 2.0 is the fastest, most private way to combine, split, compress, scan, OCR, and sign PDFs on iPhone and iPad ā now with built-in AI Chat powered by Gemini. ā NEW IN 2.0 ā ⢠AI Chat (Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite) ā Ask any PDF anything. Summaries, lookups, totals, translations. Opt-in, with no chat history stored on our servers. 5 free questions/week. ⢠OCR (on-device) ā Recognise text on scanned PDFs in 30+ languages. Searchable, copyable, exportable. ⢠Page Extraction ā Pull any page into its own PDF in one tap. ⢠Page Numbering ā Add numbers to every page with custom format & position. ⢠E-Signature ā Stamp a saved signature image with date. ⢠Cover Page Bundler ā Auto-generate a cover with title + table of contents. ⢠Insert Blank Page ā Perfect for chapter breaks. ⢠40+ Languages ā Fully localized UI and App Store keywords. ⢠iPad Polished ā Sidebar layout, drag-and-drop, Apple Pencil ready. ā CORE FEATURES ā ⢠Merge PDFs ā Drag, drop, and reorder unlimited files into one PDF. ⢠Split PDFs ā Extract page ranges or single pages with one tap. ⢠Compress PDFs ā Shrink size up to 80% while preserving readability. ⢠Rotate Pages ā Fix sideways scans, per-page or in batch. ⢠Add Watermark ā Text or image, adjustable opacity and position. ⢠Password Lock ā AES-128 encrypted PDFs. ⢠Document Scanner ā Camera-to-PDF with auto-crop and perspective correction. ⢠JPG to PDF ā Photos to PDF with auto-cropping. ⢠PDF to Images ā Each page as JPG or PNG. ⢠Apple Intelligence ā Smart Summary + Auto-Rename, fully on-device. ā PRIVACY-FIRST ā ⢠PDF processing stays 100% on your device. ⢠AI Chat is opt-in. When enabled, only the text of the PDF you're asking about is sent to Gemini, cached for 1 hour, and never stored beyond that. ⢠No tracking, no analytics, no advertising. ⢠Files live in your private app sandbox; deleted when you delete them. ā PRO TIER (optional) ā Unlock unlimited merges, larger batches, watermark removal, password protection, document scanner, OCR, e-signature, AI Chat, Apple Intelligence Smart Summary, and every new feature with a single subscription or one-time Lifetime purchase. ⢠Weekly ā try Pro for less than a coffee ⢠Yearly ā save 70% ⢠Lifetime ā pay once, own forever Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the renewal date. Payment is charged to your Apple ID. Manage in Settings ā Apple ID ā Subscriptions. ā DESIGNED FOR iOS ā ⢠Built natively with SwiftUI + PDFKit for iOS 17+. ⢠Optimized for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Pencil. ⢠Full Dark Mode support. ⢠Dynamic Type accessibility throughout. ⢠VoiceOver labels on every interactive control. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.freeprivacypolicy.com/live/dca821a0-9b8b-48a6-9565-d1c64344a313
TapFocus
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Block distracting apps, then unlock them with a real-world key. TapFocus makes focus physical. Instead of relying on willpower alone, you can turn an NFC tag, QR code, or barcode into a Focus Key ā a small real-world step between you and your most distracting apps. Place a Focus Key on your desk, by your bed, across the room, or anywhere you want to create intentional friction. Start a focus session, block the apps you choose, and unlock again when you scan your key. Use an NFC tag for a simple tap-to-unlock ritual, print a QR code for a low-cost setup, or scan a barcode on an object you already own. No special hardware required. Build your own focus system ⢠Block distracting apps during focus sessions ⢠Unlock with NFC tags, QR codes, or barcodes ⢠Create Focus Keys for different routines ⢠Put your unlock key across the room, at your desk, or away from your bed ⢠Build simple rituals for work, studying, sleep, reading, or deep focus ⢠Add intentional friction before you open distracting apps Useful for ⢠Staying off social media while working ⢠Keeping your phone away from bed ⢠Reducing impulsive app checking ⢠Creating a DIY focus setup with NFC tags ⢠Printing QR keys for rooms, notebooks, or desks TapFocus is not another focus timer. It is a physical ritual that makes focus easier to start ā and harder to break. Tap. Scan. Focus.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: TapFocus at every 2 days against PDF Merger's every 9 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. PDF Merger sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and TapFocus sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
PDF Merger ships an update every 9 months, TapFocus every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PDF Merger | TapFocus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 2 days ā better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad ā better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ahmet Bostancklioglu | Matthew Davies |
In-app purchases
PDF Merger
- Pro ā Weekly3 Days trial$1.997 Days
- Pro ā Yearly$29.991 Year
- PDF Merger Lifetime$59.99
TapFocus
- Lifetime Access$9.99







