# PDF Viewer by Nutrient vs PDF Masker

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PDF Viewer by Nutrient at 73% against PDF Masker's 0%. PDF Viewer by Nutrient also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.0) and ads (none vs shown). PDF Masker's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs freemium) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support 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 Masker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Viewer by Nutrient has 9.1K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of PDF Viewer by Nutrient's written reviews are positive against 0% of PDF Masker's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Viewer by Nutrient | PDF Masker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (9.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-viewer-by-nutrient/id1120099014/reviews)** | [2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-masker-secure-redaction/id6748043661/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **9.1K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **73.3% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 109 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PSPDFKit GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/966931428) | [Kazuhisa Kobayashi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1580882000) |

## 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 Masker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-masker-secure-redaction/id6748043661)

Easily mask sensitive keywords in PDF files before sharing. Import PDFs, specify multiple keywords, and customize redaction colors. Export as text or image-based PDFs for secure data sharing.

**Highlights:** Import PDFs via Share menu, Bulk keyword redaction, Export as text or image PDF, Multiple keyword support, Customizable redaction color, Save keyword histories

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Viewer by Nutrient free?

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

### Is PDF Masker free?

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

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

PDF Viewer by Nutrient is rated higher. PDF Viewer by Nutrient averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9.1K ratings, while PDF Masker averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.

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

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

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

PDF Viewer by Nutrient ships an update monthly, and PDF Masker monthly. Most recently, PDF Viewer by Nutrient was updated on October 26, 2026 and PDF Masker on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*