# Local PDF vs Emerald

The clearest difference is price: Emerald at Free against Local PDF's $9.99. Emerald also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). Local PDF's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Emerald is free to download; Local PDF costs $9.99 up front. Emerald sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Local PDF asks for nothing beyond the download.

Local PDF ships an update every 4 months, Emerald every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Local PDF | Emerald |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 1 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Marco Tini](https://appshunter.io/developer/544232459) | [Yeseul Hwang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1871872047) |

## What reviewers say

### Local PDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/local-pdf/id6740003063)

Manage and edit PDF documents securely on your device without needing an internet connection. Features include page manipulation, metadata editing, password protection, and file compression, all within an intuitive interface.

**Highlights:** Offline PDF management, Page rotation, splitting, and merging, Metadata viewing and editing, Password protection and removal, PDF file compression, Advanced page preview, Dark Mode support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Emerald

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emerald-screen-time-control/id6759439382)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Emerald Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Emerald Pro Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Local PDF free?

Local PDF costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Emerald free?

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

### Do Local PDF or Emerald have ads?

Neither Local PDF nor Emerald shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Local PDF or Emerald?

Local PDF ships an update every 4 months, and Emerald every 2 weeks. Most recently, Local PDF was updated on September 9, 2026 and Emerald on September 18, 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.*