Comparison

DarkPDF vs Dark Reader

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

Head to head
About

DarkPDF

This app allows you to read PDF documents in dark mode, inverting text and background colors to reduce eye strain. It also offers the ability to compress margins and blank spaces for a larger text display.

Highlights
  • Dark mode PDF reading
  • Invert text and background
  • Larger text display
  • Margin compression
  • Cross-platform compatibility (macOS & iOS)
Features
Read full description

macOS and iOS 13 bring us this marvellous Dark Mode. Dark Mode has many benefits. But there is a problem for PDF readers. Most PDF files are black text on a white background, resembling a printed form of documents. For eyes that get used to Dark Mode, such pages put a strain on them. DarkPDF can help. It is available on both macOS (Catalina) and iOS. Buy it once, and use it on both platforms. By altering the background from white to black, text from black to white, you can read PDFs in Dark Mode. Even better, DarkPDF can also compress margins around the page, as well as blank spaces in the page so that more space can be used to render meaningful text.

About

Dark Reader

Easily read PDF documents in a comfortable dark mode to reduce eye strain and save battery. This app automatically converts any PDF into a dark theme for a better reading experience on your devices.

Highlights
  • PDF dark mode conversion
  • Automatic dark mode application
  • All-in-one PDF viewer
  • Eye comfort focus
  • Supports iPhone, iPad, macOS
Features
Read full description

Dark Reader: PDF Viewer is the best way to read and manage PDF files in dark mode or night mode. Reduce eye strain, save battery, and enjoy a more comfortable reading experience by instantly converting your PDF documents into dark mode. Why choose DarkPDF? ► PDF Dark Mode & Night Mode – Instantly switch any PDF into dark mode for easier reading at night. ► Works Automatically – Open any PDF and DarkPDF applies dark mode right away. ► All-in-One PDF Viewer – A clean and simple PDF viewer with dark mode support for iPad, iPhone and macOS. ► Convert PDF into Dark Mode – Turn your documents into a dark theme view with one tap. ► Perfect for Eye Comfort – Ideal for students, professionals, and night readers who want to protect their eyes. DarkPDF is the best PDF viewer with dark mode extension for iOS. Whether it’s reports, eBooks, contracts, lecture notes, or presentations, DarkPDF adds a dark reading experience to every PDF. Download DarkPDF: PDF Night Mode Viewer today and enjoy a smarter, more comfortable way to read PDFs on your iPhone, iPad and macOS. Privacy Policy: https://www.freeprivacypolicy.com/live/17cd28ef-f6e3-42ae-b053-1a317183d906 Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

Screenshots

DarkPDF1 screens
Dark Reader3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Dark Reader at Free against DarkPDF's $0.99. DarkPDF's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). On rating, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Dark Reader is free to download; DarkPDF costs $0.99 up front. Dark Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. DarkPDF asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for DarkPDF against 4.4 for Dark Reader. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27 and 7 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 47% of DarkPDF's written reviews are positive against 30% of Dark Reader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DarkPDF ships an update every 4 days, Dark Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
DarkPDF versus Dark Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDarkPDFDark Reader
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.3 (27 ratings)4.4 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews47.1% of reviews — better30.0% of reviews
Number of ratings27 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB67 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNumathicUtsav Mangla

Customer experience

DarkPDF

All ratings27 ratings
Positive81.5%
Neutral7.4%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews34 reviews
Positive47.1%
Neutral8.8%
Negative44.1%

Dark Reader

All ratings7 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive30.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative60.0%

In-app purchases

None

DarkPDF

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Dark Reader

Subscriptions1
  • Annual$4.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime: Buy once Use forever$5.99

Questions

Is DarkPDF free?
DarkPDF costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dark Reader free?
Dark Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, DarkPDF or Dark Reader?
Dark Reader is rated higher. DarkPDF averages 4.3 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while Dark Reader averages 4.4 from 7 ratings.
Do DarkPDF or Dark Reader have ads?
Neither DarkPDF nor Dark Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DarkPDF or Dark Reader?
DarkPDF ships an update every 4 days, and Dark Reader every 2 months. Most recently, DarkPDF was updated on September 21, 2026 and Dark Reader on September 28, 2026.

Other comparisons