# PDF Reader vs PDF Editor

The clearest difference is rating: PDF Editor at 4.3 against PDF Reader's 3.5. PDF Editor also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 9 months). PDF Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 14.0). On price, review sentiment, 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 PDF Editor sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Editor holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Editor has 57 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 33% and 33% positive.

PDF Reader ships an update every 9 months, PDF Editor every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | PDF Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-docs-viewer/id1240773558/reviews) | **[4.3 (57 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-pdf-readersigner/id6469578160/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **57** |
| Positive reviews | **33.3% of reviews** | 33.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 7 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [小玲 白](https://appshunter.io/developer/1166875754) | [AppDash LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1795398749) |

## 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 |


### PDF Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-pdf-readersigner/id6469578160)

Edit, sign, and annotate PDF documents with ease. This app allows you to fill forms, add stamps, manage pages, and even chat with your PDFs for content understanding and translation.

**Highlights:** Marking and annotation tools, Signature creation and saving, Stamp insertion and customization, Page editing (merge, split, rotate), Form filling (standard and interactive), PDF chat for content analysis, Bookmark management

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Month Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| PDF Year Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient PDF management
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 💡 Versatile digital companion
- 🚀 Time-saving features
- 👍 Personalized digital workspace

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔒 Subscription-based model
- 👎 Difficult to edit PDFs
- 👎 Limited free features
- 👎 Confusing user experience

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when searching PDFs
- Inability to restore purchases
- Repeated prompts to purchase despite being a paid user
- Locked PDFs after making edits
- Incompatibility with certain devices

**Requested features**

- Improved PDF text editing capabilities
- Seamless integration with cloud storage
- Customizable view settings and defaults
- Ability to disable link highlighting
- Clear save button and auto-save functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is PDF Editor free?

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

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

PDF Editor is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 3.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while PDF Editor averages 4.3 from 57 ratings.

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

PDF Reader shows ads; PDF Editor does not.

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

PDF Reader ships an update every 9 months, and PDF Editor every 6 weeks. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on September 14, 2026 and PDF Editor on September 23, 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.*