# PDF Reader vs Polaris Viewer

The clearest difference is rating: Polaris Viewer at 4.6 against PDF Reader's 3.5. Polaris Viewer also leads on review sentiment (56% vs 33%) and ratings volume (74 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Polaris Viewer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Polaris Viewer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Polaris Viewer has 74 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 56% of Polaris Viewer's.

PDF Reader ships an update every 9 months, Polaris Viewer every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | Polaris Viewer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-docs-viewer/id1240773558/reviews) | **[4.6 (74 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polaris-viewer-pdf-document/id1361508774/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **74** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **56.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 177 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [小玲 白](https://appshunter.io/developer/1166875754) | [Polaris Office Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/380275428) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-docs-viewer/id1240773558)

Easily view PDF documents on your mobile device or tablet. Upload files via WiFi, open encrypted PDFs with a password, and enjoy adaptive screen sizing for comfortable reading. Protect your documents with app lock and gesture passwords.

**Highlights:** View PDF documents, WiFi file upload, Encrypted PDF support, Adaptive screen size, Read Word, Excel, PPT, App lock and gesture password

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Permanently remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |


### Polaris Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polaris-viewer-pdf-document/id1361508774)

This app offers a mobile-optimized experience for viewing various document types, including Microsoft Office files, PDFs, and TXT. It provides smart document management features and supports cloud integration for easy access to your files.

**Highlights:** Mobile optimized document viewer, Supports Microsoft Office, PDF, TXT, Zip, CSV, Cloud storage integration (iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.), Smart document management, App lock with fingerprint, face, or password, Night mode and paper texture background options

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $10.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is Polaris Viewer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PDF Reader or Polaris Viewer?

Polaris Viewer is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 3.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Polaris Viewer averages 4.6 from 74 ratings.

### Do PDF Reader or Polaris Viewer have ads?

Both PDF Reader and Polaris Viewer show ads.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Reader or Polaris Viewer?

PDF Reader ships an update every 9 months, and Polaris Viewer every 3 months. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on October 2, 2026 and Polaris Viewer on October 14, 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.*