Comparison

PDF Edit Reader vs File Reader

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PDF Edit Reader

This app allows you to view, edit, and create PDF documents. It offers features for scanning, commenting, organizing files, and sharing PDFs across various platforms. Manage your documents efficiently with this comprehensive PDF tool.

Highlights
  • PDF document editing
  • PDF creation from photos/images
  • Text and image annotation
  • File management and organization
  • PDF sharing and uploading
  • Document scanning
Features
Read full description

PDF document viewer and generation tool. PDF document editing, reading, creating, commenting, scanning, sending, sharing, uploading, PDF file management, etc. PDF creation: cell phone photographing, batch import of images to generate PDF, single addition of PDF pages; PDF reading: change text color, modify text size, browse PDF, bookmark, send document; PDF Editing: Text, Scribing, Adding Graphics PDF management: move files, delete files in batch, sort files, rename files, PDF Sharing: Download files to a computer, upload to mobile phones, send to WeChat, QQ, etc. If you have any questions in use, please contact us. 7chicks@sina.com

About

File Reader

Easily open and view various document and archive formats, including PDFs, ZIPs, RARs, and image files. Enjoy fast, smooth reading of large files and browse archives directly within the app. It works offline, making your documents accessible anywhere.

Highlights
  • Supports PDF, ZIP, RAR, CBZ, CBR
  • Image file support (JPG, PNG, HEIC, TIFF)
  • Fast and smooth large file viewing
  • Built-in archive browsing
  • Offline functionality
  • Clean reading interface
Features
Read full description

Use ZIP, RAR, CBZ, CBR, and more—19 file extensions in all. Bring PDFs, image archives, and images into one on-device library, then always pick up where you left off. File Reader is made for people who want to read the files they already have on their iPhone. Turn downloaded comics, self-scanned books, course handouts, work documents, and image collections into a calm, organized reading shelf. Import from Files or the Share menu, open, read, and come back later—without creating an account and without ads getting in the way. READ ZIP, RAR, CBZ, AND CBR IMAGE ARCHIVES • Open image-based ZIP/CBZ and RAR/CBR archives directly in the reader • Read pages in natural filename order, so 2 comes before 10 • Choose left-to-right or right-to-left page direction for comics and manga • Switch between fit-to-page and fit-to-width views • Choose Paper, Ink, or Dusk tones to suit the room and the material • Save reading progress automatically and resume from the same page • Enter a password when opening supported password-protected RAR archives The archive reader displays images inside your collection as pages in filename order. SEARCH, READ, AND MARK UP PDFs • Use continuous vertical scrolling or turn pages with horizontal swipes • Zoom in on diagrams, fine print, and scanned pages • Search the text layer of a PDF and move through matching results • Find imported PDFs from the library by title, filename, or indexed body text • See a short text snippet around each library search result • Write with the pencil, add marker strokes, erase your own marks, and undo or redo changes • Keep your current page and reading progress for the next session • Adjust the reading tone without changing the original document Text search works when the PDF contains selectable text. The app does not perform OCR on image-only scans, and its markup tools are for reading notes—not advanced PDF editing, conversion, forms, or digital signatures. ONE LOCAL LIBRARY FOR THE FILES YOU READ Instead of hunting through folders every time, keep reading material together in a simple on-device library. • Search by title and filename, plus body text for indexed PDFs • Filter the shelf by file type • Sort by recently opened, title, date added, or progress • Pin important items so they stay easy to reach • Rename imported items, remove them from the app, and see progress at a glance • Reopen a file and continue from your saved position When you import a file, the app keeps its own local copy so it remains available offline. That makes it useful on a commute, on a flight, while traveling, or anywhere you do not want reading to depend on a connection. 19 FILE EXTENSIONS AVAILABLE File Reader supports PDF, ZIP, CBZ, RAR, CBR, JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, HEIF, TIF, TIFF, WebP, GIF, BMP, AVIF, JP2, J2K, and ICO. JPG/JPEG and TIF/TIFF are counted separately because they are distinct filename extensions. “19 extensions” does not mean 19 separate rendering engines. Some other files may open through the iOS Quick Look preview when the system supports them; availability and behavior can vary by file and iOS version. PRIVATE, QUIET, AND OFFLINE • No account registration • No advertising • Your imported reading library stays on the device • Core reading works without an internet connection • No cloud library, NAS, WebDAV, or cross-device sync to configure Because imported files are copied into the app, they use additional device storage. Keep the originals or a backup of anything important. TRY IT FREE, THEN EXPAND YOUR LIBRARY The free version lets you import and read up to 3 files, so you can test the readers with your own PDFs, comics, and images. Reader Pro removes the file-count limit. Current availability and purchase details are shown in the app. Import a file, settle into a focused reader, and let your iPhone remember the page for next time.

Screenshots

PDF Edit Reader4 screens
File Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PDF Edit Reader at none against File Reader's 1. PDF Edit Reader also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). File Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. File Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PDF Edit Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Edit Reader ships an update every 2 months, File Reader every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
PDF Edit Reader versus File Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF Edit ReaderFile Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews—66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS9.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB99 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer练 黎Ryota Kando

Customer experience

PDF Edit Reader

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

File Reader

Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

PDF Edit Reader

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

File Reader

One-time1
  • Reader Pro$1.99

Questions

Is PDF Edit Reader free?
PDF Edit Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is File Reader free?
File Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PDF Edit Reader or File Reader have ads?
Neither PDF Edit Reader nor File Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Edit Reader or File Reader?
PDF Edit Reader ships an update every 2 months, and File Reader every 4 days. Most recently, PDF Edit Reader was updated on September 23, 2026 and File Reader on October 2, 2026.

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