# Forge vs ShieldNode

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: ShieldNode at 15.1 against Forge's 18.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Forge sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and ShieldNode sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Forge ships an update every 9 days, ShieldNode every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Forge | ShieldNode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forge-developer-toolkit/id6761248635/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 9 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ZIma Logistics LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883563240) | [DoruNaitsu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895277950) |

## What reviewers say

### Forge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forge-developer-toolkit/id6761248635)

This app offers a comprehensive suite of 24 developer tools, including text and data manipulation, encoding, hashing, and web utilities. It operates entirely offline, prioritizing user privacy by not collecting personal data. Access generators, converters, and cheat sheets conveniently on your mobile device.

**Highlights:** 24+ offline developer tools, Text & data manipulation, Encoding & hashing utilities, Web & API tools, Generators & converters, Cheat sheets & playgrounds, Privacy-focused, no data collection

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Forge: Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Forge: Medium Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Forge: Large Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Forge Pro | $5.99 | one-time |


### ShieldNode

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shieldnode-api-keys-for-ai/id6763352321)

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro Annual | $69.99 | per year |
| 5,000 Requests | $2.99 | one-time |
| 25,000 Requests | $9.99 | one-time |
| 100,000 Requests | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Forge free?

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

### Is ShieldNode free?

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

### Do Forge or ShieldNode have ads?

Neither Forge nor ShieldNode shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Forge or ShieldNode?

Forge ships an update every 9 days, and ShieldNode every 5 days. Most recently, Forge was updated on October 3, 2026 and ShieldNode on October 4, 2026.

---

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