Smart PDF Editor vs PDF Hero
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Smart PDF Editor
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.
- Ink annotation optimized
- Digital signature tool
- Document review and sharing
- Note-taking on documents
- Built-in file manager
- Color-coded categories
Read full descriptionHide full description
Smart PDF is a PDF editor specially optimized for ink annotations. Use it with an Apple Pencil for the ultimate ease in note taking. Great for professionals Quickly sign and send documents. Review, annotate and share files with your colleagues. Great for students If you spend a lot of time reading and studying documents on your iPad, then Smart PDF is an indispensable tool for getting the most out of your study time. Take notes on documents in class, or while studying at home. Keep all your files organized with the built-in file manager, with color-coded categories. We hope you enjoy Smart PDF! -- The App Makers @ Qrayon
PDF Hero
Edit, create, and manage PDF documents on your mobile device. Annotate, fill forms, sign, and share files with ease. Offers advanced features like OCR and compression for enhanced document control.
- Create PDFs from scratch
- Edit text and annotate documents
- Fill and sign PDF forms
- Convert images/documents to PDF
- OCR for editable text
- Compress and merge PDFs
- Password-protect sensitive data
Read full descriptionHide full description
Looking for a convenient and easy-to-use PDF editor? View and edit PDF files on the go with PDF Hero! The app works on iPhone and iPad. PDF Hero helps you take control of your papers and run your business in the ever-changing digital world. Create and read PDFs, then annotate, edit, fill and sign forms, or share files. Manage paperwork hassle-free from anywhere – the office, remotely, or from home. There’s no need for printed copies when you can access and edit the docs you need, on the go – all in an app. Stay one step ahead when it comes to document management. CREATE & VIEW - Create PDFs from scratch. - Open and view any PDF file. - Zoom in and out while reading. - Search to find the necessary information using text search. - Read PDFs easier with Read Mode by creating bookmarks and navigating conveniently. EDIT & ANNOTATE - Edit text in your PDF files, fix typos, and correct paragraphs. - Add comments and annotations using text notes. - Write on PDFs with your finger or stylus. - Fill PDF forms. - Highlight key ideas and add shapes. - Insert images, crop, resize, or change the angle if necessary. MANAGE & STORE - Import files from your device or online storage services like iCloud and Dropbox. - Delete pages from a multi-page PDF document. - Share PDF files with or without annotations for further reading and commenting. - Print files right from your device. Level up with Premium features! PRO EDITING - Convert images and documents to PDF files. - Sign docs right on the screen of your device. - Add stamps to PDF documents. - Transform PDF files into editable text with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology. PRO MANAGEMENT - Compress PDFs and share them as ZIP files. - Manage PDF pages: add pages, rotate, and reorder them. - Share selected pages of a multi-page PDF file. - Merge two or more PDF pages into a single document. - Password-protect sensitive data. *To digitize printed copies and transform them into editable PDF scans, try our Scan Hero app! Subscription payments will be charged to your App Store account at confirmation of your purchase. Subscriptions will automatically renew and you will be charged unless auto-renew is turned off or unless you cancel at least 24 hours prior to the end of the current subscription or trial period. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a premium subscription during the free trial period. The cost of renewal depends on the Subscription Plan you choose. Subscriptions and auto-renewal may be managed by going to Account Settings after purchase or by contacting Customer Support. Privacy Policy: https://support.bendingspoons.com/privacy.html?app=1512973255 Terms of Service: https://support.bendingspoons.com/tos.html?app=1512973255 Got questions or suggestions? Please don’t hesitate to email us at pdfhero@bendingspoons.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: PDF Hero at 4.6 against Smart PDF Editor's 3.8. PDF Hero also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks 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.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. PDF Hero sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Smart PDF Editor asks for nothing beyond the download.
PDF Hero holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Hero has 10K ratings behind it against 109, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 21% of Smart PDF Editor's written reviews are positive against 18% of PDF Hero's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Smart PDF Editor ships an update every 7 months, PDF Hero every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Smart PDF Editor | PDF Hero |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (109 ratings) | 4.6 (10K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 20.9% of reviews — better | 17.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 109 | 10K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #200 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 11 MB | 536 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Qrayon, LLC | Mosaic S.r.l. |
Customer experience
Smart PDF Editor
PDF Hero
Bugs and requests
Smart PDF Editor
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
PDF Hero
Reported bugs
4 issues- Text disappearing or jumping around during editing
- Inability to save or transfer edited documents
- App crashing or freezing during use
- Incorrect rendering of PDF content
Requested features
4 requests- Improved text editing and manipulation
- Better file management and organization
- Seamless integration with other apps
- Clearer subscription and cancellation policies
In-app purchases
Smart PDF Editor
No in-app purchases
PDF Hero
- Weekly with free trial7 Days trial$3.997 Days
- Weekly Subscription$3.997 Days
- Weekly Premium$5.997 Days
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Weekly Premium with Free Trial7 Days trial$5.997 Days
- PDF Hero Premium 1 Month$9.991 Month
- PDF Hero Premium 1 Month3 Days trial$10.991 Month
- PDF Hero Premium 1 Month3 Days trial2 variants$11.991 Month
- Convert & Merge PDF Documents3 Days trial$14.991 Month
- PDF Hero Premium 3 Months3 Days trial$19.993 Months
- PDF Hero Premium 1 Year3 Days trial$34.991 Year
- PDF Hero Premium 1 Year3 Days trial$89.991 Year
- PDF Hero Premium 1 Year3 Days trial$99.991 Year








