Comparison

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup vs PDF Viewer by Nutrient

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

Head to head
About

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup

Enhance your PDF workflow with powerful annotation and markup tools. This app offers a dynamic and intuitive experience for editing, drawing, and adding text to your documents. Access your work across multiple devices and collaborate in real-time.

Highlights
  • Dynamic PDF annotation tools
  • Cross-platform access and cloud sync
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Insert text, images, lines, and shapes
  • Convert images to PDF
  • Redact sensitive information (Pro)
  • Measurement tools (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Powerful PDF tools at your fingertips. The latest PDF technology and software for a better experience. With an intuitive UI designed for delight – there’s a better way to PDF! Do your best work with Drawboard. - Dynamic PDF tools that feel good to use - Multi-platform access and storage. Where you are, your work is. - Paperless. A way of working for a sustainable future TOOLS FOR EVERY JOB Fast, responsive, and accurate markup tools. Draw with best-in-class ink for flawless Apple Pencil hand-feel and finally replace pen and paper. CROSS-PLATFORM ACCESS ON ANY DEVICE Upload your annotated PDFs to the cloud and mark up with others in real time with instant sync. Go Pro in-app for additional storage capacity and advanced features. WORK YOUR WAY Customize your workspace by docking your favorite tools and build a toolbar that works for you! MORE - Text review markup - freehand highlighter, text highlighter, underline, strikeout, squiggly on PDF. - Insert lines and shapes - cloud tool, rectangle, ellipse, line, arrow, polygon and polyline on PDF. - Add text with a range of fonts and text styling options - Insert images and camera photos onto PDFs. - Convert JPG and PNG image files to PDF. - Write, annotate, ink and draw on PDFs. - Customize and edit annotation colors, stroke widths, and opacities. - Create new blank PDF documents of different size, color, orientation and page count. - Insert, rotate and delete PDF pages. - Open, read, mark up and save large and complex PDF documents. GET MORE WITH PRO - Redact text and sections of your PDF documents - Measure elements on your page with length and area measurement tools and smart page calibration - Add callouts, hyperlinks and audio notes to your documents - On-page ruler - measure objects on your page with the ease of using a tape measure

About

PDF Viewer by Nutrient

Easily view, search, and annotate PDF documents on your iPhone and iPad. Import files from cloud services, fill out forms, add signatures, and organize your documents. Advanced features like redaction and combining documents are available with a Pro subscription.

Highlights
  • View and search PDFs
  • Annotate with highlights and notes
  • Sign documents digitally
  • Fill out PDF forms
  • Organize and share documents
  • Import from cloud services
Features
Read full description

PDF Viewer is a fast and beautiful app, allowing you to view, search, and annotate PDF documents with ease on your iPhone and iPad. Access your files from iCloud, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, Google Drive or any other cloud solution via Apple's familiar Document Browser interface. +++ Listed as “Productivity lifesaver” on the App Store +++ "A streamlined interface packed with powerful features - it’s like having a desktop-quality PDF toolkit wherever we go" – App Store Editor Notes “I'm impressed by how the folks at PSPDFKit have been able to fine-tune the document browser to the app's needs.” – MacStories.net "If you want a PDF viewer that is designed for reading PDF books, this is it." – App Review VIEW DOCUMENTS ON THE GO • Easily import a PDF from your favorite cloud service provider, email, or directly off a website. • Supports Open In Place, Drag & Drop and features the familiar Apple Document Browser interface from the Files app. • Search for the exact text you are looking for within the document. • Double tap on the screen to Smart Zoom directly to the text you want to read. • Annotate images (JPEG, PNG) non-destructive, just like PDF documents. (PRO) ANNOTATE WITH EASE • While reviewing a document, use your finger or Apple Pencil to highlight and markup text. • Leave comments by adding a note, text, or drawing directly on the PDF. • Add images or audio. • Reply to notes. (PRO) SIGN DOCUMENTS ANYWHERE • Add your signature to any document using your finger or Apple Pencil. • Move and resize your signature as needed. • Flatten a document to ensure the signature doesn’t change. CREATE AND EDIT PDFs • Create new documents from existing documents by moving, rotating, deleting, or adding new pages. • Combine multiple documents into a single one. (PRO) • Add bookmarks to easily return to certain pages in large documents. FILL OUT FORMS • Quickly fill out PDF Forms by adding text to the fields. • Flatten and secure the form once you’re done to ensure the document doesn’t change. • Add a signature to any Form. STORE, ORGANIZE AND SHARE • Store documents, create folders and organize your documents. • Share documents by printing, emailing or saving your edits back any cloud service. PASSWORD PROTECT DOCUMENTS • Read document metadata, title and keywords. • Protect documents with user and owner passwords and limit permissions. (PRO) AND SO MUCH MORE • Conveniently switch to night mode when viewing your documents at night. • Present on external screens without the distraction of toolbars. (PRO) • Have the text from a PDF read out loud to you with text-to-speech. • PDF Viewer remembers where you were down to the page/position where you left off - even across devices. PRICING PDF Viewer comes with a large feature set, completely free. Some advanced features require the purchase of PDF Viewer Pro, available as a subscription. We offer 3-monthly and yearly subscription plans. There’s also a fully functional 7-day trial, so you can test PDF Viewer Pro (including document merging and password editing) before you commit. All plans unlock the app on iPhone and iPad. TRUSTED BY COMPANIES YOU KNOW PDF Viewer is built on top of and powered by PSPDFKit, the same PDF engine trusted around the world by companies like Dropbox, Box, IBM, Atlassian, SAP, and Lufthansa. BE PART OF THE PDF VIEWER COMMUNITY pdfviewer.io twitter.com/pdfviewerapp LEGAL Duration and price of each subscription are displayed in PDF Viewers’ storefront, updated at the time of purchase. Payment will be charged to iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off no later than 24 hours before the end of the current period. Subscriptions and auto-renewal can be managed/turned off in the iTunes account settings. Any unused portion of a free trial period is forfeited as soon as a subscription is purchased. Terms of Use: https://pdfviewer.io/terms Privacy Policy: https://pdfviewer.io/privacy

Screenshots

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup4 screens
PDF Viewer by Nutrient4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup at 4.8 against PDF Viewer by Nutrient's 4.6. Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs monthly). PDF Viewer by Nutrient's advantage is review sentiment (74% vs 64%) and ratings volume (9.1K vs 2K). 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. Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and PDF Viewer by Nutrient sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2K and 9.1K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup's written reviews are positive against 74% of PDF Viewer by Nutrient's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup ships an update every 11 days, PDF Viewer by Nutrient monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup versus PDF Viewer by Nutrient: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDrawboard PDF Annotate, MarkupPDF Viewer by Nutrient
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2K ratings) — better4.6 (9.1K ratings)
Positive reviews64.4% of reviews73.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2K9.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 days — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size97 MB112 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDrawboard Pty LtdPSPDFKit GmbH

Customer experience

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup

All ratings1,965 ratings
Positive96.3%
Neutral1.7%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews295 reviews
Positive64.4%
Neutral12.2%
Negative23.4%

PDF Viewer by Nutrient

All ratings9,096 ratings
Positive90.8%
Neutral3.7%
Negative5.4%
Written reviews1,089 reviews
Positive73.6%
Neutral9.7%
Negative16.7%

User reviews

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup

From 2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent PDF annotation tools
  • 👍 Convenient cross-platform sync
  • 🚀 Fast and responsive
  • 👍 Great for students and professionals
  • 🚀 Smooth writing experience with Apple Pencil

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🔒 Cloud storage limitations
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🔍 Missing search and bookmark features
  • 🔧 Inconsistent functionality between platforms

PDF Viewer by Nutrient

From 9.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Seamless integration with iCloud and Files app
  • 👍 Intuitive annotation tools with Apple Pencil
  • 🎨 Versatile highlighting and drawing options
  • 💾 Saves annotations to original PDF files
  • 🔍 Powerful search and navigation features

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and performance issues
  • 🤔 Confusing UI and steep learning curve
  • 🔀 Difficulty managing and organizing PDF files
  • 🔍 Inconsistent text selection and highlighting
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns around data collection

Bugs and requests

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Annotations not syncing properly between devices
  • Unexpected loss of work and unsaved changes
  • Scrolling and page navigation issues
  • Compatibility problems with certain PDF files
  • Text input box disappearing after scrolling

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add page flattening and form filling options
  • Improve eraser tool and precision
  • Implement a dark mode
  • Provide better organization and folder support
  • Add more customization options for tools and UI

PDF Viewer by Nutrient

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Annotations randomly disappearing or not saving
  • Incompatibility issues with certain PDF files
  • Scrolling and panning problems on large PDFs
  • Unexpected crashes after iOS updates

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add a rubber/eraser tool for annotations
  • Implement a side-by-side PDF view mode
  • Improve palm rejection and gesture support
  • Allow customization of toolbar and shortcuts
  • Provide better options for PDF file management

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup

Subscriptions6
  • Pro Lite7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Pro Plus7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Pro Unlimited7 Days trial$18.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Pro Lite7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Pro Plus7 Days trial$83.901 Year
  • Pro Unlimited7 Days trial$159.991 Year
One-time2
  • Pro Plus$10.00
  • Pro Unlimited$20.00
2 purchases

PDF Viewer by Nutrient

Subscriptions2
  • PDF Viewer Pro 3 Months7 Days trial$6.993 Months
  • PDF Viewer Pro Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup free?
Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PDF Viewer by Nutrient free?
PDF Viewer by Nutrient is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup or PDF Viewer by Nutrient?
Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup is rated higher. Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while PDF Viewer by Nutrient averages 4.6 from 9.1K ratings.
Do Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup or PDF Viewer by Nutrient have ads?
Neither Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup nor PDF Viewer by Nutrient shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup or PDF Viewer by Nutrient?
Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup ships an update every 11 days, and PDF Viewer by Nutrient monthly. Most recently, Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup was updated on October 15, 2026 and PDF Viewer by Nutrient on October 17, 2026.

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