# GoodReader Pro PDF Editor vs References

The clearest difference is price: References at $4.99 against GoodReader Pro PDF Editor's $79.99. References also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 68%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). GoodReader Pro PDF Editor's advantage is ratings volume (269 vs 25) and chart position (#185 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

GoodReader Pro PDF Editor costs $79.99 and References $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

References holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GoodReader Pro PDF Editor has 269 ratings behind it against 25, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of GoodReader Pro PDF Editor's written reviews are positive against 88% of References's.

GoodReader Pro PDF Editor ships an update every 3 weeks, References monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GoodReader Pro PDF Editor | References |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $79.99 | **$4.99** |
| Rating | [4.7 (269 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodreader-pro-pdf-editor/id1451012117/reviews) | **[4.9 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/references/id1481843213/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **269** | 25 |
| Positive reviews | 68.1% of reviews | **87.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#185** | — |
| Size | 53 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Good.iWare, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/289191291) | [Benjamin Burton](https://appshunter.io/developer/687735578) |

## What reviewers say

### GoodReader Pro PDF Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodreader-pro-pdf-editor/id1451012117)

**Currently charting:** #185 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

This app offers robust PDF editing and annotation capabilities, alongside comprehensive file management for various document types. It allows users to securely store, organize, and access files from cloud services, enhancing productivity on mobile devices.

**Highlights:** PDF annotation and editing, File management for various formats, Cloud service integration (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.), Military-grade AES-256 encryption, Split-screen viewing for iPad, PDF Reflow feature

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📂 Excellent file management
- 📚 Great for PDF organization
- ✍️ Powerful annotation tools
- 🚀 Fast loading and performance
- 🔄 Reliable syncing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Expensive for some
- 🔄 Tedious data transfer to Pro
- ❓ Little difference between regular and Pro
- 🔌 Sync issues with cloud services
- 🚫 No PC version available

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot move bookmarks from old to Pro version
- Dropbox/OneDrive sync not working
- iCloud integration issues
- App crashes when adding photos
- App freezes after annotation

**Requested features**

- Proper night mode (inverted colors)
- Bookmark sharing feature
- PC version of the app
- Profile switching for open tabs
- Editable text feature


### References

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/references/id1481843213)

Browse and interact with your BibTeX libraries on your mobile device. View references, follow links, and access file attachments like PDFs. Supports both classic BibTeX and BibLaTeX formats.

**Highlights:** Browse BibTeX libraries, Search references, Follow links (DOIs, URLs), View file attachments (PDFs), Supports BibLaTeX, Group by keywords

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GoodReader Pro PDF Editor free?

GoodReader Pro PDF Editor costs $79.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is References free?

References costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, GoodReader Pro PDF Editor or References?

References is rated higher. GoodReader Pro PDF Editor averages 4.7 out of 5 from 269 ratings, while References averages 4.9 from 25 ratings.

### Do GoodReader Pro PDF Editor or References have ads?

Neither GoodReader Pro PDF Editor nor References shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, GoodReader Pro PDF Editor or References?

GoodReader Pro PDF Editor ships an update every 3 weeks, and References monthly. Most recently, GoodReader Pro PDF Editor was updated on September 24, 2026 and References on September 23, 2026.

---

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