# Slug vs TabForge

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Slug | TabForge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/slug-link-manager/id6743663098/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tabforge-code-keyboard/id6824056795/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 52 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 27.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicholas Dapolito](https://appshunter.io/developer/1637452829) | [Jeremy Collins](https://appshunter.io/developer/1324741658) |

## What reviewers say

### Slug

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/slug-link-manager/id6743663098)

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:** Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Quick.Link+ | $3.99 | one-time |


### TabForge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tabforge-code-keyboard/id6824056795)

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:** iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Thoughtful Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Wonderful Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Incredible Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Extraordinary Tip | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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.

---

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