# Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup vs PDF Maker & Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup at 64% against PDF Maker & Reader's 20%. Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.2) and ads (none vs shown). PDF Maker & Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and PDF Maker & Reader sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup has 2K ratings behind it against 25, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup's written reviews are positive against 20% of PDF Maker & Reader's.

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup ships an update weekly, PDF Maker & Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup | PDF Maker & Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawboard-pdf-annotate-markup/id1086503728/reviews)** | [4.2 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-maker-and-reader/id1293534601/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2K** | 25 |
| Positive reviews | **64.2% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 98 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Drawboard Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1081203672) | [NAOAKI SEKIGUCHI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1146328819) |

## What reviewers say

### Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawboard-pdf-annotate-markup/id1086503728)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Lite | $5.99 | per month |
| Pro Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro Unlimited | $18.99 | per month |
| Pro Lite | $49.99 | per year |
| Pro Plus | $83.90 | per year |
| Pro Unlimited | $159.99 | per year |
| Pro Plus | $10.00 | one-time |
| Pro Unlimited | $20.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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 Maker & Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-maker-and-reader/id1293534601)

Create and read PDF documents on your iPhone and iPad. Easily add text, photos, maps, and diagrams to new or existing PDFs. Share your creations via iCloud Drive, email, and other compatible applications.

**Highlights:** Create new PDF documents, Read PDF documents from various sources, Add text manually or via keyboard, Insert photos, maps, and diagrams, Export PDFs to other applications, Compatible with App Extensions and Apple Pencil

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Maker & Reader Pro | $1.99 | one-time |
| License | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup free?

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PDF Maker & Reader free?

PDF Maker & Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup or PDF Maker & Reader?

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup is rated higher. Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while PDF Maker & Reader averages 4.2 from 25 ratings.

### Do Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup or PDF Maker & Reader have ads?

PDF Maker & Reader shows ads; Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup does not.

### Which is updated more often, Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup or PDF Maker & Reader?

Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup ships an update weekly, and PDF Maker & Reader every 2 months. Most recently, Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup was updated on October 24, 2026 and PDF Maker & Reader on October 23, 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.*