Comparison

PDF Document Editor & Reader vs Highlights

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

Head to head
About

PDF Document Editor & Reader

Easily create, edit, and manage PDF documents. Transfer files via USB, Wi-Fi, or email, and integrate with cloud storage like Dropbox and Google Drive. Supports various file formats for seamless document handling.

Highlights
  • Create PDFs from maps, websites, and text files
  • Transfer documents via USB, Wi-Fi, and email
  • Integrate with Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud
  • Support for MS Office and iWork file formats
  • Open documents in other applications
Features
Read full description

The intuitive design makes it easy for anyone no matter the technical background to use this app. Here are few of the features that this app is jam-packed with: - Transfer PDF & other documents to USB, Wi-Fi, or E-mail - Use Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud or Wi-Fi to download or upload files and documents - Create PDF from maps, websites or any other kind of text file. - Supports various file formats such as MS Office & iWork’s files as well - Ability to open documents in other apps such as numbers or pages. Plus much more! Give this app a chance and test it, you won’t regret it!

About

Highlights

This app is a fast and lightweight PDF reader designed for research. It allows users to read, highlight, and annotate documents, and then extract this information into organized notes. Advanced features include table data extraction, text recognition, and smart copying of annotations into various formats.

Highlights
  • Read and browse PDF documents
  • Highlight, underline, and strikethrough text
  • Add comments and sticky notes
  • Extract annotations into organized notes
  • Convert table data and recognize text
  • Smart copy annotations to various formats (CSV, BibTex)
  • Lookup citation metadata and DOI links
Features
Read full description

"... an app that students, academics, and anyone who does substantial amounts of PDF-based research should try" - Macstories.net "It’s the novel approach to PDF annotation that makes this app a cut above the rest"- TapSmart.com *** "App of the Day" - App Store, US *** USE HIGHLIGHTS FOR FREE Highlights is a fast and lightweight PDF reader (under 10MB) packed with features to help you do your best research. Free users have access to standard PDF reader features including document browsing, reading and annotating. There are NO ADS, time limits or tracking. READ PDF DOCUMENTS • Open PDF documents from anywhere • Browse files using the familiar document browser • Open PDFs in Single Page or Two Page scroll mode • Double tap to Smart Zoom in on a paragraph or figure • Scrub smoothly to the desired page • Search the entire document in an instant • Navigate using any connected keyboard or mouse STORE YOUR FILES WHERE YOU WANT • Full support for "Open In Place" lets you make edits to the file where it is • Access your files from iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive or Box using the document browser • Or keep them privately on device only HIGHLIGHT AND ANNOTATE FASTER • Select text with your finger, Apple Pencil or mouse pointer • Highlight, underline, strikethrough text and make image selections • Add comments to annotations or as individual sticky notes • Annotate with fewer taps using context aware popovers • Default annotation colors prevents you from having to repeatedly setting the color for the same type of annotation every time TURN ANNOTATIONS INTO NOTES • As you markup text and images the contents are extracted and sorted into notes • Customize the formatting and contents of your notes • Sort the annotations chronologically or create your own color coding EXTRACT TABLE DATA AND RECOGNIZE TEXT • Convert images containing text or tables to actual text and tables using machine learning - letting you get to the underlying data with a single tap SMART COPY Copy annotations to the desired format with one tap: • Text markup as text • Image selections as images • Tables as CSV • Citations as BibTex LOOKUP CITATIONS • Highlights will fetch DOI-links and metadata • Markup any reference and tap the link icon to look it up • If you have read the work already or have it in your reference manager library, Highlights will link you to it EXPORT ANYWHERE • Save or share your notes as portable files: Markdown, TextBundle, HTML, WebArchive or PDF • Share them to your favorite notes app: Apple Notes, Bear, Craft, Evernote, DEVONThink, Keep It, MindNode, Notion, Obsidian, Roam Research or Ulysses • Or send them to a colleague via mail. It's your notes, you decide where they go MUCH MORE • Dark mode • Multi-window support on iPadOS • Keyboard shortcuts and navigation • Support for system Copy and Undo gestures • Alternative app icons • Custom accent colors • Apple Pencil double-tap gestures • Power annotation tools For a full list of features see: highlightsapp.net/features HIGHLIGHTS PRO The Highlights Pro subscription unlocks advanced features on your iPhone, iPad and Mac: • Export options for other apps and easily editable formats • Extract information using table and text recognition • Customize accent colors and alternative app icons • Power annotation tools • Citation lookups • Smart Copy Highlights Pro includes a 14-day free trial. You can cancel your subscription at any time. The subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off within 24-hour prior to the end of of the current period. Payments will be charged to your iTunes account and your account will be charged within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. For more information about Highlights Pro: highlightsapp.net/pro Privacy Policy: highlightsapp.net/privacy Terms of Use: highlightsapp.net/terms

Screenshots

PDF Document Editor & Reader4 screens
Highlights4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Highlights at 53% against PDF Document Editor & Reader's 0%. Highlights also leads on rating (4.5 vs 1.4) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 7 months). PDF Document Editor & Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. PDF Document Editor & Reader sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Highlights sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Highlights holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Highlights has 1.6K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of PDF Document Editor & Reader's written reviews are positive against 53% of Highlights's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Document Editor & Reader ships an update every 7 months, Highlights fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 1, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
PDF Document Editor & Reader versus Highlights: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF Document Editor & ReaderHighlights
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.4 (17 ratings)4.5 (1.6K ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews53.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings171.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB37 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperCatrnja DevJonas Myren Ribe

Customer experience

PDF Document Editor & Reader

All ratings17 ratings
Positive11.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative88.2%
Written reviews80 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral1.3%
Negative98.8%

Highlights

All ratings1,610 ratings
Positive88.2%
Neutral3.7%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews465 reviews
Positive53.3%
Neutral15.3%
Negative31.4%

User reviews

PDF Document Editor & Reader

From 17 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🆓 Allows reading PDFs for free (with caveats)
  • 💻 Easy file transfer from computer

Room to improve

  • ❌ Overwhelmingly intrusive ads
  • ❌ Unusable due to constant pop-ups
  • ❌ Misleading advertising/functionality
  • ❌ Paid version offers no improvement
  • ❌ Cannot edit PDFs

Highlights

From 1.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great for highlighting and annotating PDFs
  • 🔍 Effective for research and note-taking
  • 📚 Useful for academic and professional work
  • 👍 Clean and intuitive user interface
  • 🔗 Good integration with other apps and cloud storage

Room to improve

  • 💰 Subscription model is too expensive
  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔍 Limited search functionality
  • 🔒 Lack of customization options
  • 🔧 Poor customer support and unresponsive developers

Bugs and requests

PDF Document Editor & Reader

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Ads do not close
  • App crashes after editing
  • Paid version doesn't enable features
  • Cannot exit certain screens
  • Share/menu options don't work
Show 3 more
  • Cannot import PDFs
  • App shuts down after editing
  • Full version crashes

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to edit PDFs
  • Less intrusive advertising
  • Improved functionality in free version
  • Working developer website/support

Highlights

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Highlights and annotations randomly disappearing
  • Text selection issues, especially with footnotes
  • Compatibility problems with certain PDF files
  • Syncing issues across devices
  • Export functionality not working as expected

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add handwriting and freeform annotation support
  • Implement a table of contents or bookmarking feature
  • Allow editing of notes directly in the app
  • Provide a one-time purchase option instead of subscription
  • Improve search capabilities with visual results and navigation

In-app purchases

2 purchases

PDF Document Editor & Reader

One-time2
  • Unlock the full version$9.99
  • Unlock the full version & remove ads.$9.99
3 purchases

Highlights

Subscriptions3
  • Highlights Pro: Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Highlights Pro14 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Highlights Pro: Legacy Upgrade1 Year trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is PDF Document Editor & Reader free?
PDF Document Editor & Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Highlights free?
Highlights is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PDF Document Editor & Reader or Highlights?
Highlights is rated higher. PDF Document Editor & Reader averages 1.4 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Highlights averages 4.5 from 1.6K ratings.
Do PDF Document Editor & Reader or Highlights have ads?
Neither PDF Document Editor & Reader nor Highlights shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Document Editor & Reader or Highlights?
PDF Document Editor & Reader ships an update every 7 months, and Highlights fortnightly. Most recently, PDF Document Editor & Reader was updated on September 1, 2026 and Highlights on September 28, 2026.

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