# PDF Viewer by Nutrient vs LAYER

The clearest difference is ads: PDF Viewer by Nutrient at none against LAYER's shown. LAYER's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, 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 LAYER sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Viewer by Nutrient ships an update monthly, LAYER weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Viewer by Nutrient | LAYER |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (9.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-viewer-by-nutrient/id1120099014/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **9.1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 73.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 109 MB | 36 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) | [seokho heo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1732835319) |

## 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


### LAYER

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/layer-to-do-and-habit-tracker/id6811274073)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| LAYER Orbit Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| LAYER Orbit Yearly | $11.99 | per year |
| LAYER Orbit Unlimited Duration | $22.99 | 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 LAYER free?

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

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

LAYER shows ads; PDF Viewer by Nutrient does not.

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

PDF Viewer by Nutrient ships an update monthly, and LAYER weekly. Most recently, PDF Viewer by Nutrient was updated on October 26, 2026 and LAYER on October 17, 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.*