PatchDoc vs OpenDisplay
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PatchDoc
A versatile document editor and viewer for iPhone and iPad. Quickly edit text, code, and CSV files, preview PDFs and Office documents, and extract archives. Streamline your mobile file management.
- Text and code editing with syntax highlighting
- CSV table browsing and editing
- HTML source editing with live preview
- PDF viewing with annotations
- Preview for Office documents and images
- Archive browsing and extraction
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Patchdoc is a local file tool for iPhone and iPad, designed to open, edit, preview, save and organize all common documents. Core Features - Edit TXT, Markdown, JSON, YAML, CSV, XML, HTML, SVG, LaTeX, source code and configuration files - Create new files including TXT, Markdown, Python, C++ and other code documents - Markdown: toggle between source code and preview modes; export as HTML or PDF - HTML: toggle between source code and preview modes; export to PDF - PDF tools: reading, annotation, signature, image/text stickers, page management, cropping, compression and format conversion - Archive support: preview directories and inner files inside ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR archives, plus decompression - Image editor: crop, rotate, color adjustment, text overlay, brush drawing and mosaic blur - Video toolkit: playback, frame capture, rotation, mute audio, compressed export and SRT subtitle preview - Built-in local storage: create folders, import files, search, move, rename, delete, compress, pin items, add notes, and transfer files over LAN - WebDAV / FTP access: read-only browsing with file import; mount external folders or single files - Home screen widgets for quick shortcuts
OpenDisplay
Transform your iPhone or iPad into a genuine second display for your Mac. This open-source solution allows you to extend your screen space, keeping essential apps visible. Connect via USB for minimal latency or Wi-Fi for easy setup.
- Use iPhone/iPad as a second Mac display
- Connect via USB or Wi-Fi
- Retina-sharp rendering
- Touch and scroll support
- Portrait or landscape orientation
- Private by design, no tracking
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OpenDisplay turns your iPhone or iPad into a second display for your Mac. It's the open-source way to put your spare Apple device to work as a real extended monitor — drag windows onto it, keep chat, notes, or logs in view, and gain screen space anywhere you go. It's not a mirror: it's a genuine additional display your Mac treats like any other monitor. • Real extended display — arrange it in your Mac's Display settings and drag windows across • Connect over USB for the lowest latency, or over Wi-Fi with zero setup • Retina-sharp, pixel-for-pixel rendering • Touch and scroll — tap, drag, and two-finger scroll to control your Mac • Works in portrait or landscape • Private by design — a direct connection between your own devices, with no accounts, no servers, and no tracking IMPORTANT: OpenDisplay requires the companion OpenDisplay app for Mac, running on your computer on the same cable or Wi-Fi network. Get it at https://peetzweg.github.io/opendisplay — without it, this app has nothing to connect to. OpenDisplay is open source under the GPL-3.0 license. Read the code, report issues, or contribute at https://github.com/peetzweg/opendisplay
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenDisplay at none against PatchDoc's 1. OpenDisplay also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). PatchDoc's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 8 days). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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
Both are free to download. PatchDoc sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. OpenDisplay asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for PatchDoc against 4.9 for OpenDisplay. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 8 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
PatchDoc ships an update every 3 days, OpenDisplay every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 1, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PatchDoc | OpenDisplay |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better | 4.9 (8 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 6 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Every 8 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 35 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 夏骏 倪 | Philip Poloczek |
Customer experience
PatchDoc
OpenDisplay
In-app purchases
PatchDoc
- 终身会员$0.99
OpenDisplay
No in-app purchases





