# DarkPDF vs Dark Reader

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | DarkPDF | Dark Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.3 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darkpdf/id1487657766/reviews) | **[4.4 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-reader-pdf-viewer/id6736392716/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **27** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **47.1% of reviews** | 30.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 3 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Numathic](https://appshunter.io/developer/1000499318) | [Utsav Mangla](https://appshunter.io/developer/1729995457) |

## What reviewers say

### DarkPDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darkpdf/id1487657766)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Dark Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-reader-pdf-viewer/id6736392716)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime: Buy once Use forever | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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.

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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.*