Comparison

Cumbersome vs Redact PDF

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

Head to head
About

Cumbersome

Connect directly to AI provider APIs for greater control over model selection and parameters. Compare different AI models, pay per use, and customize responses with advanced features. Supports multiple providers and custom endpoints.

Highlights
  • Direct API connections
  • Multi-provider support
  • Full parameter control
  • Face/Off Mode with AI judge
  • Concurrent chats
  • Edit messages
  • Rich content support
Features
Read full description

IMPORTANT: Requires your own provider API keys or an OpenAI-compatible endpoint. I built Cumbersome because consumer AI apps kept dumbing things down. Cumbersome is the manual transmission of AI apps: more complex, but with far greater control. WHY I BUILT THIS Consumer AI apps hide the controls I want and lock me into one provider. I wanted direct API access, the freedom to pick and compare models, and to pay providers for what I use. This is the app I use every day, so I pay attention and try to get it right. SUPPORTED PROVIDERS - ChatGPT / OpenAI - Claude / Anthropic - Gemini / Google AI Studio - OpenRouter multi-provider - Vercel AI Gateway multi-provider - Z.ai - OpenAI-compatible custom endpoints, including Ollama, Azure, LM Studio, Groq, Together, and self-hosted backends WHAT YOU GET - A versatile API client. One app, every major provider and model. - Total control. Pick your model, tune the parameters, switch providers mid-conversation. - Compare models head to head. Stream multiple chats in parallel and let an AI judge pick the best. - Bring your own tools. Local browser use, reasoning, web search, image generation. - Rich, editable conversations. Markdown, LaTeX, code blocks, attachments, edit and export anything. - Private by design. iCloud sync across devices. Nothing saved to our servers. - Native and accessible on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. MAJOR FEATURES ADDED IN 2026 Highlights only. New in 1.74.0: Incognito chats. Search Project documents and conversations with Pro. 2026-09-21: Independent iPad chat windows. 2026-09-14: Read replies aloud as they arrive. Save and Restart after editing. 2026-08-29: Select multiple chats. Mac export/import of all chats. 2026-08-21: Background replies on iOS 26. Question Cards for clarification. 2026-08-18: Web Agent: a shared, interactive browser. 2026-08-06: Highlight passages and attach notes for your next reply. 2026-08-03: Local Python analysis, charts, Mermaid, Markdown export. 2026-07-31: Gemini video. Responses API for custom providers. 2026-07-28: Parallel browser and MCP tools. 2026-07-23: Mind/Meld combines three AI responses into one. 2026-07-18: Full Simplified Chinese support. 2026-07-12: Ghost/Write drafts your next turn. 2026-07-09: Remote MCP servers and tools. 2026-07-02: Chat themes and reading fonts (Serif, Rounded, Mono). 2026-06-28: Folder system message presets. 2026-06-24: Prompt caching, with usage across providers. 2026-06-17: Reusable system presets per conversation. 2026-06-16: Offload long system messages to iCloud Drive. 2026-06-15: Toggle custom API parameters. 2026-06-11: Compact chats to lower API costs. 2026-06-07: Run JavaScript and HTML. 2026-06-04: OpenRouter PDF parsing and search engine options. 2026-05-12: Quick Prompt shortcut and App Visibility on Mac. 2026-05-09: Folders to group and organize chats. 2026-05-03: Collapsible sidebar sections, synced across devices. 2026-04-22: Image generation with OpenAI and Gemini. 2026-04-18: Local browser search and browsing. 2026-04-11: Headless browser mode. 2026-04-03: Searchable model picker. 2026-03-15: Extended thinking and reasoning across providers. 2026-03-09: Auto-delete chats after a set number of days. 2026-02-28: Custom OpenAI-compatible providers. 2026-02-25: Only Search When Requested. 2026-02-24: Image paste, attachment previews, PDF thumbnails. 2026-02-21: Siri and Shortcuts. 2026-02-20: Vercel AI Gateway and model filters. 2026-02-06: Voice Control, Larger Text, higher contrast. 2026-01-11: VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, keyboard navigation. 2026-01-06: OpenRouter integration. THE DEAL Core features are free. An optional Cumbersome Pro subscription adds advanced Project tools and supports ongoing development. You pay providers directly for API usage. I'm Peter, an indie developer in Reno, Nevada, out among the high desert tumbleweed. No VC money. No growth hacking. Just a tool I wanted to exist.

About

Redact PDF

Features
Read full description

A black box that can be moved, or text you can copy from underneath, is not real redaction. Redact PDF helps you create a new PDF where sensitive content is removed from the exported copy, not merely covered. Hide a balance on a bank statement, an SSN on a form, a client’s name in a contract, or account numbers before you forward a file. Mark what should disappear, and Document Redactor rebuilds a clean copy with black redaction bars burned into the page image. HOW IT WORKS • Choose a PDF from Files or the iOS file picker • Select text to redact when the PDF has selectable text • Draw boxes over anything text selection cannot catch • Add straight redaction bars where you need them • Preview the generated redacted copy before you share • Export a new image-only PDF — your original is never changed THE TEXT IS GONE, NOT HIDDEN Some tools place black boxes on top of the original page while leaving the original text underneath. Redact PDF uses a safer approach for the first version: it renders each page as an image, burns the black redaction bars into that image, and rebuilds a new image-only PDF. The exported copy does not preserve the original text layer, annotations, links, forms, attachments, or original PDF object structure. LOCAL REDACTION CHECK After export, Redact PDF re-opens the generated PDF locally and checks for selectable text, captured redacted text strings, remaining annotations, and document metadata reported by Apple’s PDF framework. If the check fails, the app warns you not to share the file. You should still review the visible exported PDF before sending it. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your documents never leave your device for redaction. No account. No cloud upload. No analytics. No ads. No tracking. Redaction happens locally on your iPhone or iPad. MADE FOR ONE JOB Redact PDF is intentionally focused. It is not a cloud workspace, a document manager, an AI assistant, or a full PDF editor. It does one thing: helps turn a sensitive PDF into a safer, shareable redacted copy. ONE-TIME PURCHASE Redact PDF is a one-time paid App Store download. No subscription, no in-app purchase gate, and no account. A NOTE ON TRUST Redact PDF is a practical privacy tool, not legal advice, compliance software, or a forensic guarantee. Always review your exported PDF before you share it. Terms: https://www.myworkingmemory.ai/redactor-terms.html Privacy: https://www.myworkingmemory.ai/redactor-privacy.html

Screenshots

Cumbersome4 screens
Redact PDF3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Cumbersome at Free against Redact PDF's $1.99. Cumbersome also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

Cumbersome is free to download; Redact PDF costs $1.99 up front. Cumbersome sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Redact PDF sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $8.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cumbersome ships an update every 3 days, Redact PDF every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Cumbersome versus Redact PDF: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCumbersomeRedact PDF
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.9 (95 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings95 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size78 MB2 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperFolding Sky CoMyworkingmemory LLC

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Cumbersome

Subscriptions2
  • Cumbersome Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Cumbersome Pro Annual$39.991 Year
1 purchases

Redact PDF

Subscriptions1
  • Annual Access$8.991 Year

Questions

Is Cumbersome free?
Cumbersome is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Redact PDF free?
Redact PDF costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Do Cumbersome or Redact PDF have ads?
Neither Cumbersome nor Redact PDF shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cumbersome or Redact PDF?
Cumbersome ships an update every 3 days, and Redact PDF every 2 months. Most recently, Cumbersome was updated on October 22, 2026 and Redact PDF on October 17, 2026.

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