# Smart PDF Editor vs PDF Hero

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smart PDF Editor | PDF Hero |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (109 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-pdf-editor/id1184081486/reviews) | **[4.6 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-hero-pdf-editor-and-reader/id1512973255/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 109 | **10K** |
| Positive reviews | **20.9% of reviews** | 17.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#196** |
| Size | 11 MB | 536 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Qrayon, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/354980265) | [Mosaic S.r.l.](https://appshunter.io/developer/570748343) |

## 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 Hero

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-hero-pdf-editor-and-reader/id1512973255)

**Currently charting:** #196 Top Grossing · Business (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly with free trial | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium with Free Trial | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Month | $9.99 | per month |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Month | $10.99 | per month |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Month | $11.99 | per month |
| Convert & Merge PDF Documents | $14.99 | per month |
| PDF Hero Premium 3 Months | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Year | $34.99 | per year |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Year | $89.99 | per year |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Year | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Useful PDF editing features
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Signature functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and malfunctions
- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior and glitches
- 🔋 High subscription cost
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 👎 Poor text editing capabilities

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- Improved text editing and manipulation
- Better file management and organization
- Seamless integration with other apps
- Clearer subscription and cancellation policies


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smart PDF Editor free?

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

### Is PDF Hero free?

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

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

PDF Hero is rated higher. Smart PDF Editor averages 3.8 out of 5 from 109 ratings, while PDF Hero averages 4.6 from 10K ratings.

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

Smart PDF Editor shows ads; PDF Hero does not.

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

Smart PDF Editor ships an update every 7 months, and PDF Hero every 3 weeks. Most recently, Smart PDF Editor was updated on September 15, 2026 and PDF Hero on September 25, 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.*