# Precursor vs ExplorePDF

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ExplorePDF at none against Precursor's 3. Precursor's advantage is iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Precursor sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. ExplorePDF asks for nothing beyond the download.

Precursor ships an update every 6 days, ExplorePDF weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Precursor | ExplorePDF |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/precursor-hourly-screen-time/id6791403654/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **13** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 17 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Precursor Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/6791403656) | [AvanSaber Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/6811652175) |

## What reviewers say

### Precursor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/precursor-hourly-screen-time/id6791403654)

This app offers a unique approach to screen time management by setting hourly limits for app usage. It aims to break the cycle of daily limit exhaustion and impulsive overrides by providing a sustainable, guilt-free solution that resets limits every hour.

**Highlights:** Set hourly app limits, Automatic hourly limit resets, Customizable limits by day, Friction to prevent impulsive overrides, Private by design, on-device processing, Optional Precursor+ upgrade

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


### ExplorePDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explorepdf-read-fill-and-sign/id6811652173)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Precursor free?

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

### Is ExplorePDF free?

ExplorePDF is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Precursor or ExplorePDF have ads?

Neither Precursor nor ExplorePDF shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Precursor or ExplorePDF?

Precursor ships an update every 6 days, and ExplorePDF weekly. Most recently, Precursor was updated on October 24, 2026 and ExplorePDF on October 14, 2026.

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