# PDF Viewer by Nutrient vs Folia

PDF Viewer by Nutrient and Folia both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 73% of PDF Viewer by Nutrient's written reviews are positive against 0% of Folia's. PDF Viewer by Nutrient also leads on ratings volume (9.1K vs 2). Folia's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Folia asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for PDF Viewer by Nutrient against 4.5 for Folia. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Viewer by Nutrient has 9.1K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of PDF Viewer by Nutrient's written reviews are positive against 0% of Folia's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Viewer by Nutrient | Folia |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (9.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-viewer-by-nutrient/id1120099014/reviews)** | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/folia/id6737592384/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **9.1K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **73.2% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 111 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PSPDFKit GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/966931428) | [Branchfire, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284975584) |

## 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. Access files from cloud services, fill out forms, add signatures, and organize your documents. Advanced features are available through a subscription.

**Highlights:** View, search, and annotate PDFs, Cloud service integration, Fill out forms and add signatures, Create and edit PDF pages, Password protection, Night mode and text-to-speech

**Features:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers, iPhone Duo support

**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


### Folia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/folia/id6737592384)

This app allows users to annotate any document type from any device, organize work into projects, and capture ideas with intuitive tools. It facilitates real-time sharing with collaborators and recording ideas on the go.

**Highlights:** Annotate any document type, Organize work into projects, Capture ideas with intuitive tools, Real-time collaboration, Integrates with cloud storage, Cross-device support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Viewer by Nutrient free?

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

### Is Folia free?

Folia is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

PDF Viewer by Nutrient is rated higher. PDF Viewer by Nutrient averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9.1K ratings, while Folia averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

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

Neither PDF Viewer by Nutrient nor Folia shows ads.

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

PDF Viewer by Nutrient ships an update monthly, and Folia monthly. Most recently, PDF Viewer by Nutrient was updated on November 9, 2026 and Folia on October 30, 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.*
