# PDF Viewer by Nutrient vs PDF Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PDF Viewer by Nutrient at 74% against PDF Reader's 20%. PDF Viewer by Nutrient also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). PDF Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Viewer by Nutrient sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 3 months and PDF Reader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Viewer by Nutrient holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Viewer by Nutrient has 9.1K ratings behind it against 408, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of PDF Viewer by Nutrient's written reviews are positive against 20% of PDF Reader's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Viewer by Nutrient | PDF Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (9.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-viewer-by-nutrient/id1120099014/reviews)** | [4.3 (408 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-document-reader/id6450378658/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **9.1K** | 408 |
| Positive reviews | **73.6% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 112 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PSPDFKit GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/966931428) | [Rajanibhai Sheladiya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1693041623) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Viewer by Nutrient

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-viewer-by-nutrient/id1120099014)

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:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Viewer Pro 3 Months | $6.99 | per 3 months |
| PDF Viewer Pro Yearly | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-document-reader/id6450378658)

This app allows users to easily find, open, read, and manage all PDF and Office files stored on their mobile device. It offers features for annotating, signing, and organizing documents, with options for offline viewing and sharing.

**Highlights:** Auto scan and find all files, Offline PDF viewer, Read and annotate PDFs, File management and organization, Share files easily, Favorite PDF pages

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly ( 1 Week ) | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly ( 1 Month ) | $6.99 | per month |
| Yearly ( 1 Year ) | $24.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Very useful for processing files
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Brilliant application
- 👍 Helped with work progression

**What reviewers complain about**

-  anúncios Excessivos
- 👎 Cannot open PDFs
- 👎 App is useless
- 👎 Forced vertical orientation
- 👎 Constant ads

**Reported bugs**

- App crashed and locked PDF
- Photos not appearing in PDF conversion
- Ads cannot be closed
- App tries to load scanning software instead of reading PDF
- App does not appear in preferred app list

**Requested features**

- Save page number for resuming reading
- Respect user time before asking for payment


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Viewer by Nutrient free?

PDF Viewer by Nutrient is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PDF Viewer by Nutrient or PDF Reader?

PDF Viewer by Nutrient is rated higher. PDF Viewer by Nutrient averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9.1K ratings, while PDF Reader averages 4.3 from 408 ratings.

### Do PDF Viewer by Nutrient or PDF Reader have ads?

PDF Reader shows ads; PDF Viewer by Nutrient does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Viewer by Nutrient or PDF Reader?

PDF Viewer by Nutrient ships an update monthly, and PDF Reader monthly. Most recently, PDF Viewer by Nutrient was updated on October 11, 2026 and PDF Reader on October 8, 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.*