# Smart PDF Editor vs PDF Editor

The clearest difference is rating: PDF Editor at 4.6 against Smart PDF Editor's 3.8. PDF Editor also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 7 months). Smart PDF Editor's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14). On price, review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Editor sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Smart PDF Editor asks for nothing beyond the download.

PDF Editor holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 109 and 331 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 21% of Smart PDF Editor's written reviews are positive against 23% of PDF Editor's.

Smart PDF Editor ships an update every 7 months, PDF Editor every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smart PDF Editor | PDF Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (109 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-pdf-editor/id1184081486/reviews) | **[4.6 (331 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-edit-everything/id1356865117/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 109 | **331** |
| Positive reviews | 20.9% of reviews | **22.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 228 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Qrayon, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/354980265) | [Desygner Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1121127855) |

## What reviewers say

### Smart PDF Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-pdf-editor/id1184081486)

This app is a PDF editor designed for efficient ink annotations, especially with a stylus. It helps professionals sign and share documents, and students take notes on study materials. Organize your files with a built-in manager.

**Highlights:** Ink annotation optimized, Digital signature tool, Document review and sharing, Note-taking on documents, Built-in file manager, Color-coded categories

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### PDF Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-edit-everything/id1356865117)

Edit text, images, and layout in PDF files without altering formatting. Convert PDFs to various formats, merge documents, and secure them with passwords. Offers cloud integration and user-friendly navigation for efficient document management.

**Highlights:** Edit text and images, Convert to multiple formats (Word, PPT, JPG, PNG), Resize PDFs, Merge PDF files, Secure with password encryption, Add watermarks, headers, footers, Cloud integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Starter — Weekly | $3.95 | per 7 days |
| Pro+ Weekly Subscription 2 | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro+ Weekly Subscription | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro+ Monthly Subscription | $9.95 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro+ Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro+ Annual Subscription 2 | $83.99 | per year |
| Annual | $89.99 | per year |
| Pro+ Annual Subscription | $99.99 | per year |
| Credit pack: 5 credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| Credit pack: 10 credits | $7.99 | one-time |
| Special credit pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Credit pack: 30 credits | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✏️ Comprehensive PDF editing capabilities
- 🎨 Advanced image editing features (logos, backgrounds, signatures)
- ⚡ Fast processing speed for document editing
- 👍 User-friendly interface for most users
- 🔧 Multiple editing tools and options available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription pricing ($7-99/month)
- 🚫 Limited free trial (3 days, not 7 as advertised)
- 📏 Output files are extremely small and illegible after export
- 🐢 Very slow file uploads and processing
- ❌ Text editing features unavailable in trial version

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when importing PDFs
- Exported PDFs render at extremely small, unreadable sizes
- Text editing causes font changes and formatting loss
- Duplicate function creates multiple unwanted copies or deletes originals
- App won't open or gets stuck on logo screen

**Requested features**

- Better zoom functionality without distorting document sections
- Ability to edit files across multiple devices with same account
- Improved text editing capabilities
- Document rotation (not just flip) functionality
- Better font compatibility and handling


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smart PDF Editor free?

Smart PDF Editor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PDF Editor free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Smart PDF Editor or PDF Editor?

PDF Editor is rated higher. Smart PDF Editor averages 3.8 out of 5 from 109 ratings, while PDF Editor averages 4.6 from 331 ratings.

### Do Smart PDF Editor or PDF Editor have ads?

Smart PDF Editor shows ads; PDF Editor does not.

### Which is updated more often, Smart PDF Editor or PDF Editor?

Smart PDF Editor ships an update every 7 months, and PDF Editor every 3 days. Most recently, Smart PDF Editor was updated on October 12, 2026 and PDF Editor on October 16, 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.*