# iLovePDF vs PDF Maker & Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: iLovePDF at 77% against PDF Maker & Reader's 20%. iLovePDF also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.2) and ads (none vs shown). PDF Maker & Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iLovePDF sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.49 per month and PDF Maker & Reader sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

iLovePDF holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iLovePDF has 51K ratings behind it against 25, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of iLovePDF's written reviews are positive against 20% of PDF Maker & Reader's.

iLovePDF ships an update every 6 weeks, PDF Maker & Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and August 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iLovePDF | PDF Maker & Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (51K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ilovepdf-pdf-editor-and-scan/id1207332399/reviews)** | [4.2 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-maker-and-reader/id1293534601/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **51K** | 25 |
| Positive reviews | **77.4% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 247 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iLovePDF](https://appshunter.io/developer/1207332398) | [NAOAKI SEKIGUCHI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1146328819) |

## What reviewers say

### iLovePDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ilovepdf-pdf-editor-and-scan/id1207332399)

Edit, convert, annotate, and sign PDF documents on the go. This app offers tools to scan, merge, split, compress, and protect your files, enhancing productivity for work and study.

**Highlights:** Scan documents to PDF, Convert JPG/Office to PDF, Edit and annotate PDFs, Fill and e-sign forms, Compress and merge PDFs, Split and rotate PDFs, Protect PDFs with passwords

**Features:** Vision Pro support, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| iLovePDF Premium Monthly | $5.49 | per month |
| iLovePDF Premium Monthly | $5.49 | per month |
| iLovePDF Premium Yearly | $44.99 | per year |
| iLovePDF Premium | $44.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔒 Unlocks password-protected PDFs
- 🎨 Good compression quality
- 💰 Free with useful features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paywall for advanced features
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance
- 🔒 Limited free usage
- 🐛 Buggy PDF editing
- 🔒 Mandatory account signup

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when processing large files
- Lost annotations and highlights
- Incorrect text output from OCR
- Inability to print zoomed PDFs

**Requested features**

- More PDF editing tools
- Improved OCR accuracy
- Ability to save custom stamps
- Native file integration on iOS
- Smoother pen/annotation tools


### PDF Maker & Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-maker-and-reader/id1293534601)

Create and read PDF documents on your iPhone and iPad. Easily add text, photos, maps, and diagrams to new or existing PDFs. Share your creations via iCloud Drive, email, and other compatible applications.

**Highlights:** Create new PDF documents, Read PDF documents from various sources, Add text manually or via keyboard, Insert photos, maps, and diagrams, Export PDFs to other applications, Compatible with App Extensions and Apple Pencil

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Maker & Reader Pro | $1.99 | one-time |
| License | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iLovePDF free?

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

### Is PDF Maker & Reader free?

PDF Maker & Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, iLovePDF or PDF Maker & Reader?

iLovePDF is rated higher. iLovePDF averages 4.8 out of 5 from 51K ratings, while PDF Maker & Reader averages 4.2 from 25 ratings.

### Do iLovePDF or PDF Maker & Reader have ads?

PDF Maker & Reader shows ads; iLovePDF does not.

### Which is updated more often, iLovePDF or PDF Maker & Reader?

iLovePDF ships an update every 6 weeks, and PDF Maker & Reader every 2 months. Most recently, iLovePDF was updated on September 26, 2026 and PDF Maker & Reader on August 13, 2026.

---

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