Comparison

Slug vs TabForge

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Slug

This app provides a direct connection to your YOURLS server, allowing you to create custom, branded short links. Track link performance and simplify sharing without relying on third-party services or sharing your data.

Highlights
  • Connect to YOURLS server
  • Create custom short links
  • Track link analytics
  • Clipboard URL shortening
  • Share extension integration
Features
Read full description

Slug is a fast, polished client for YOURLS, the self-hosted URL shortener. Connect your own YOURLS server, create custom short links, manage your history, generate QR codes, and keep control of your links without relying on a hosted shortening service. Built for developers, creators, marketers, and teams who want a cleaner way to manage self-hosted short links from iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Key Features: • Connect directly to your YOURLS server • Create custom short links with your own keywords • Generate QR codes for any shortened link • Manage link history across multiple profiles • Shorten links from Safari and other apps with the Share Extension • Quickly shorten URLs from your clipboard • View core YOURLS link stats and history • Import and export your link data • Optional support for Slug YOURLS plugins • Hide plugin-related features when you want a simpler interface Slug+: Unlock advanced customization and power-user features, including expanded profile support, QR code customization, import/export tools, and full-library sync for supported accounts. Your links stay yours. Slug works with the YOURLS server you control, giving you a focused, native app for creating and managing short links without moving your workflow to someone else’s link-shortening platform.

About

TabForge

This open-source keyboard enhances coding on iPhone and iPad with dedicated programming keys, editing controls, and customizable layouts. It offers features like snippet saving, language suggestions, and optional swipe typing for efficient script and command writing.

Highlights
  • Programming and punctuation keys
  • Cursor movement and editing controls
  • Customizable indentations and newlines
  • Save and insert code snippets
  • Language suggestions for popular languages
  • Multiple layout options for phone and iPad
  • Optional swipe typing and voice-to-code
Features
Read full description

TabForge is an open-source programming keyboard for iPhone and iPad. Write code, scripts and terminal commands with punctuation and editing controls beside the letter keys. Indent a line, move the cursor or insert a saved snippet. The keyboard's gear menu gives you access to settings and code tools in the app you're typing in. Programming keys - Type braces, square brackets, angle brackets, parentheses and full ASCII punctuation. - Choose Tab, two spaces or four spaces, with indent, outdent and automatic newline indentation. - Use arrows, Escape and Control, Option and Command keys. Their behavior depends on the input profile and host app. - Hold a key for its digit or related operators, and choose which keys the toolbar shows. - Save snippets for commands, operators and repeated text. - Get language suggestions for Swift, Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Shell and JSON. Layouts for your screen Phone layouts keep familiar letter keys with coding controls close by. Compact landscape layouts leave more room for the app above the keyboard. Larger iPad and supported Duo layouts show more controls. Choose your key size and keyboard height, follow iOS light and dark appearance, or select a code palette. Editing and input profiles Use Code editor for pairing and indentation, Terminal · ANSI for supported control text, or Remote desktop for literal input. Terminal and remote behavior depends on the client: a keyboard extension inserts text and cannot send arbitrary hardware-key events. Line edits need enough context from the host app to verify the change. Optional English prose autocorrect runs on the device in eligible text fields. Apple's spelling service finds misspellings, and TabForge picks the replacement from a bundled word list and the words around the cursor, weighing where you tapped. It is off by default, skips code-like input and stays inactive in Terminal, Remote desktop and the code playground. Space applies a correction; immediate Delete restores your spelling. An optional Learn my tap positions setting keeps average tap offsets for each key on this device to sharpen corrections. Turning it off erases them. The companion playground Edit text with syntax highlighting, line numbers, undo and a share action. The playground does not run code. Its keyboard and layout previews use temporary settings, separate from the installed keyboard. Voice to code lets you dictate, review spoken punctuation and insert the result. It requires microphone and Speech permission plus available on-device English recognition. Voice input runs in the companion app; iOS controls system Dictation availability. Optional swipe typing uses a bundled English word list with word frequencies, programming words and names from the text around the cursor, with alternatives in the gear menu. It works offline, is off by default and remains experimental. Tap typing works better for some identifiers. Optional support TabForge is free. If you would like to support its development, the companion app's Tip Jar offers optional one-time purchases through Apple. Tips unlock no features and are not subscriptions. Open source and privacy TabForge is MIT licensed, with source and privacy details linked in the companion app. The keyboard does not log or transmit keystrokes. There are no ads, analytics or accounts. Keyboard preferences, custom snippets and optional tap learning are saved in the keyboard's own container. Configure them from its gear menu; they are not shared with the companion app. Full Access is not requested. The companion playground saves its draft separately. Apps you type into, Apple system services, device backups and destinations you choose when sharing have their own data practices. Requires iOS or iPadOS 27.0 or later. Duo-specific layouts require 27.1. iOS uses its system keyboard in secure and phone fields, and some apps decline third-party keyboards.

Screenshots

Slug4 screens
TabForge4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: TabForge at every 4 days against Slug's monthly. Slug's advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 27.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Slug sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and TabForge sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Slug against 5.0 for TabForge. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Slug ships an update monthly, TabForge every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Slug versus TabForge: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSlugTabForge
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.0 — better27.0
Further details — not scored
Size52 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNicholas DapolitoJeremy Collins

Customer experience

Slug

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

TabForge

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Slug

One-time1
  • Quick.Link+$3.99
5 purchases

TabForge

One-time5
  • Kind Tip$0.99
  • Thoughtful Tip$1.99
  • Wonderful Tip$2.99
Show 2 more
  • Incredible Tip$3.99
  • Extraordinary Tip$4.99

Questions

Is Slug free?
Slug is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TabForge free?
TabForge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Slug or TabForge?
Slug and TabForge are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Slug or TabForge have ads?
Neither Slug nor TabForge shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Slug or TabForge?
Slug ships an update monthly, and TabForge every 4 days. Most recently, Slug was updated on October 29, 2026 and TabForge on October 31, 2026.

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