Comparison

PDF Reader vs Simple Pdf

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

Head to head
About

PDF Reader

Features
Read full description

PDF Reader-simple: Your All-in-One Document and File Viewer PDF Reader-simple is the straightforward and essential app for easily opening and viewing all your important files on your iPhone or iPad. Say goodbye to multiple apps—now you can access PDFs, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and images all in one place. Effortless File Access PDFs: Open and read all your PDF documents with a clean, clear interface. Microsoft Office Files: View .doc, .xls, and .ppt files instantly. Images and Web: Easily open .png and .jpg image files, plus .html web pages. Simple, Fast and Reliable PDF Reader-simple is designed for maximum ease of use. Just tap to open your files and view them quickly and reliably. No complicated features, just what you need to get the job done. Download PDF Reader-simple today and simplify how you view all your documents and files!

About

Simple Pdf

Easily view, manage, and create PDF files. This app allows you to open local PDFs, load them from the internet, and even scan documents with your camera. It also supports merging, splitting, converting PDFs to images, and adding signatures.

Highlights
  • View local PDF files
  • Scan documents and convert to PDF
  • Merge and split PDF files
  • Convert PDF to images
  • Add digital signatures
  • Organize and manage files
Features
Read full description

The ultimate all-in-one PDF Reader, Editor & Scanner. View, edit text, sign, read aloud, extract text with OCR, merge, split, compress, and password-protect your documents with blazing speed and complete offline privacy. Whether you are signing contracts, listening to eBooks, extracting text from scanned receipts, or organizing business reports, this is the only PDF toolkit you will ever need on your iPhone and iPad. ◆ KEY FEATURES ◆ ◆ FAST VIEWER & IN-DOCUMENT SEARCH ◆ • Lightning-fast rendering for PDFs of any size. • Real-time in-document text search with highlighted matches. • Smooth scrolling, jump-to-page navigation, and cover thumbnail previews. • Organize your library with list/grid views and one-tap Favorites. ◆ NATURAL READ ALOUD (TTS) ◆ • Listen to any PDF narrated with high-quality system voices. • Story-like pacing: respects commas, periods, headings, and paragraph transitions. • Voice Selector: Choose and preview your favorite voice and language in Settings. • Background audio session configured to play even when the physical silent switch is engaged. ◆ AI TEXT RECOGNITION (OCR) ◆ • Turn scanned documents and photo-based PDFs into clear, editable text. • High-accuracy optical character recognition powered by on-device intelligence. • Copy extracted text to your clipboard or export it instantly. ◆ EDIT PDF TEXT & WHITEOUT ◆ • Insert custom text directly onto any PDF page. • Customize text color, font size, and alignment. • Built-in Whiteout tool to redact, cover, or clean up unwanted text and marks. ◆ DIGITAL SIGNATURES MADE SIMPLE ◆ • Create and store multiple handwritten signatures. • Place, scale, and align your signature on contracts and agreements. • Save and export signed documents without leaving the app. ◆ WATERMARKS & PAGE NUMBERS ◆ • Add confidential, draft, or custom text watermarks with adjustable angle and opacity. • Insert customizable page numbers with multiple format options (1/N, Page X of Y) and flexible positioning. ◆ HD DOCUMENT SCANNER ◆ • Turn your device camera into a high-definition portable scanner. • Automatic edge detection, perspective correction, and contrast enhancement. • Digitize physical receipts, invoices, whiteboards, and IDs into multi-page PDFs. ◆ MERGE & SPLIT PDFS ◆ • Combine multiple PDF files into one clean, consolidated report. • Split large PDFs into individual documents or separate page ranges. ◆ POWERFUL IMAGE CONVERSION ◆ • Photos to PDF: Convert camera shots and gallery photos into crisp PDF files. • PDF to Images: Extract and export any document page directly to your Photos gallery. ◆ SMART PDF COMPRESSION ◆ • Shrink file sizes by up to 85% while preserving crystal-clear text quality. • Free up device storage and easily send files over Email or messaging apps. ◆ REORDER, ROTATE & MANAGE PAGES ◆ • Effortlessly reorder pages using intuitive drag-and-drop. • Rotate individual pages (90°, 180°, 270°) to correct orientation. • Delete unwanted pages before sharing your final document. ◆ FOLDERS & NATIVE FILES SYNC ◆ • Create custom folders to categorize your files. • Automatic sync: PDFs saved in the iOS Files app under "On My iPhone / Simple Pdf-reader" appear automatically. • AI Smart Rename: Analyze document contents and generate smart names instantly. ◆ PASSWORD ENCRYPTION & PRIVACY FIRST ◆ • Lock confidential PDFs with password encryption. • Remove passwords with authorized access. • 100% Offline: Your sensitive files stay private on your device and are never uploaded to remote servers. ◆ EASY FILE SHARING & PRINTING ◆ • Print documents directly via AirPrint. • Instant sharing via AirDrop, Messages, Mail, WhatsApp, and Files. ◆ TERMS OF USE & PRIVACY POLICY ◆ Standard Apple Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/simplepdfreader/privacy-policy

Screenshots

PDF Reader4 screens
Simple Pdf4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PDF Reader at none against Simple Pdf's 3. Simple Pdf's advantage is update cadence (every 4 months vs every 112 months). On price, ads, 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

Both are free to download. Simple Pdf sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. PDF Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Reader ships an update every 112 months, Simple Pdf every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
PDF Reader versus Simple Pdf: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF ReaderSimple Pdf
PriceFreeFree
Rating—3.2 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—28.6% of reviews
Number of ratings—6 — better
Update frequencyEvery 112 monthsEvery 4 months — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB113 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAishvarya SadasivamAMARDEEP DHILLON

In-app purchases

None

PDF Reader

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Simple Pdf

Subscriptions2
  • Unlock all features$3.991 Month
  • Unlock feature yearly$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Remove ads$2.99

Questions

Is PDF Reader free?
PDF Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Simple Pdf free?
Simple Pdf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PDF Reader or Simple Pdf have ads?
Both PDF Reader and Simple Pdf show ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Reader or Simple Pdf?
PDF Reader ships an update every 112 months, and Simple Pdf every 4 months. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on October 10, 2026 and Simple Pdf on October 12, 2026.

Other comparisons