Comparison

Redact vs PocketVNC

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

Head to head
About

Redact

Easily censor sensitive information in photos, screenshots, and PDFs. Tools include blurring, pixelation, and blackout to protect your privacy before sharing. Offers freehand drawing and signature addition for quick edits.

Highlights
  • Blackout, blur, and pixelate tools
  • Highlight, underline, and strike-through
  • Blend tool to match background
  • Freehand drawing and signature
  • Import from Photos, Files, or Camera
  • Works with images, screenshots, and PDFs
  • Zoom for detailed edits
  • Quick export and local saving
Features
Read full description

Redact helps you quickly block out names, blur faces, pixelate text, or erase anything sensitive. Whether you are sharing screenshots, PDFs, or photos, use simple tools to protect your privacy in seconds. Key Features - Blackout blur pixelate and erase tools - Highlight underline and strike-through - Blend tool that matches background color - Freehand draw or add a signature Import Options - Open from Photos Files or Camera - Works with images screenshots and PDFs Editing Tools - Zoom in for detailed edits - Undo and redo with ease - Customize markup colors Quick Export - Share directly from the app - Save redacted images locally - No internet connection needed Redact gives you full control before you share anything. Simple fast and secure.

About

PocketVNC

Features
Read full description

PocketVNC turns your iPhone or iPad into a remote control for any computer running a VNC server — your Mac, a Windows PC, a Linux box, or a Raspberry Pi. Connect over your home network or the internet and see your desktop live, with smooth pinch-to-zoom, precise touch, and a proper keyboard with modifier and function keys. Secure by default. PocketVNC supports encrypted connections (VeNCrypt/TLS), including certificate-based servers with trust-on-first-use verification — so you can see exactly which machine you're connecting to. Saved server passwords are stored in the iOS Keychain, never on our servers. Built for real use: • Live remote desktop with pinch-to-zoom and pan • Tap to click, long-press to right-click, two-finger scroll • Full on-screen keyboard — Ctrl, Alt, Shift, Cmd, Esc, Tab, arrows, F1–F12 • Auto-reconnect if the network drops (Pro) • ZRLE compression and quality presets for responsive control over slower links • Light, dark, and system appearance • Works with standard VNC servers: macOS Screen Sharing, TigerVNC, RealVNC, TightVNC, x11vnc, and more • VNC password and Apple Remote Desktop (ARD) authentication Free includes one saved server and up to 30 minutes of connection time every 6 hours — plenty for a quick check-in. The free tier is ad-supported: a small banner appears in the app, and an occasional full-screen ad is shown while a connection is starting — never during an active session. PocketVNC Pro (subscription) unlocks the full toolkit: • Unlimited connection time and unlimited saved servers • No ads • Saved passwords for one-tap connect • Server groups to organize your machines • Reusable saved credentials — apply one login to a server or a whole group • Wake-on-LAN — power on a sleeping computer before you connect • Auto-reconnect after a dropped connection • App Lock with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode • Colour accents and per-server quality presets • Trackpad mode — relative, laptop-style pointer control • Clipboard sync between devices Free to download. Subscribe any time (7-day free trial) for unlimited access and every Pro feature. App Subscriptions and In-App Purchases bound by Apple's Standard End User License Agreement (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Redact3 screens
PocketVNC4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Redact at none against PocketVNC's 2. Redact also leads on iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.2). PocketVNC's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, ads and device support 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. PocketVNC sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Redact asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Redact ships an update every 6 weeks, PocketVNC every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Redact versus PocketVNC: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRedactPocketVNC
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 6 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.6 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKok KeongBrett Chaborek

In-app purchases

None

Redact

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

PocketVNC

Subscriptions2
  • PocketVNC Pro (Monthly)7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • PocketVNC Pro (Annual)7 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Redact free?
Redact is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PocketVNC free?
PocketVNC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Redact or PocketVNC have ads?
Both Redact and PocketVNC show ads.
Which is updated more often, Redact or PocketVNC?
Redact ships an update every 6 weeks, and PocketVNC every 6 days. Most recently, Redact was updated on October 14, 2026 and PocketVNC on October 6, 2026.

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