# GoodReader Pro PDF Editor vs Highlights

The clearest difference is price: Highlights at Free against GoodReader Pro PDF Editor's $79.99. Highlights also leads on ratings volume (1.6K vs 269) and device support (4 vs 2). GoodReader Pro PDF Editor's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (68% vs 53%). On update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Highlights is free to download; GoodReader Pro PDF Editor costs $79.99 up front. Highlights sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. GoodReader Pro PDF Editor asks for nothing beyond the download.

GoodReader Pro PDF Editor holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Highlights has 1.6K ratings behind it against 269, 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 53% of Highlights's.

GoodReader Pro PDF Editor ships an update every 3 weeks, Highlights fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | GoodReader Pro PDF Editor | Highlights |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $79.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (269 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodreader-pro-pdf-editor/id1451012117/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highlights-pdf-reader-and-notes/id1498912833/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 269 | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **68.1% of reviews** | 53.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Size | 53 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Good.iWare, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/289191291) | [Jonas Myren Ribe](https://appshunter.io/developer/794854096) |

## What reviewers say

### GoodReader Pro PDF Editor

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

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


### Highlights

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highlights-pdf-reader-and-notes/id1498912833)

This app is a fast and lightweight PDF reader designed for research. It allows users to read, highlight, and annotate documents, and then extract this information into organized notes. Advanced features include table data extraction, text recognition, and smart copying of annotations into various formats.

**Highlights:** Read and browse PDF documents, Highlight, underline, and strikethrough text, Add comments and sticky notes, Extract annotations into organized notes, Convert table data and recognize text, Smart copy annotations to various formats (CSV, BibTex), Lookup citation metadata and DOI links

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Highlights Pro: Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Highlights Pro | $29.99 | per year |
| Highlights Pro: Legacy Upgrade | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for highlighting and annotating PDFs
- 🔍 Effective for research and note-taking
- 📚 Useful for academic and professional work
- 👍 Clean and intuitive user interface
- 🔗 Good integration with other apps and cloud storage

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model is too expensive
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Limited search functionality
- 🔒 Lack of customization options
- 🔧 Poor customer support and unresponsive developers

**Reported bugs**

- Highlights and annotations randomly disappearing
- Text selection issues, especially with footnotes
- Compatibility problems with certain PDF files
- Syncing issues across devices
- Export functionality not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add handwriting and freeform annotation support
- Implement a table of contents or bookmarking feature
- Allow editing of notes directly in the app
- Provide a one-time purchase option instead of subscription
- Improve search capabilities with visual results and navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GoodReader Pro PDF Editor free?

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

### Is Highlights free?

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

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

GoodReader Pro PDF Editor is rated higher. GoodReader Pro PDF Editor averages 4.7 out of 5 from 269 ratings, while Highlights averages 4.5 from 1.6K ratings.

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

Neither GoodReader Pro PDF Editor nor Highlights shows ads.

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

GoodReader Pro PDF Editor ships an update every 3 weeks, and Highlights fortnightly. Most recently, GoodReader Pro PDF Editor was updated on September 22, 2026 and Highlights on September 22, 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.*