Comparison

Highlights vs Read+ PDF Reader

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

Head to head
About

Highlights

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
Read full description

"... an app that students, academics, and anyone who does substantial amounts of PDF-based research should try" - Macstories.net "It’s the novel approach to PDF annotation that makes this app a cut above the rest"- TapSmart.com *** "App of the Day" - App Store, US *** USE HIGHLIGHTS FOR FREE Highlights is a fast and lightweight PDF reader (under 10MB) packed with features to help you do your best research. Free users have access to standard PDF reader features including document browsing, reading and annotating. There are NO ADS, time limits or tracking. READ PDF DOCUMENTS • Open PDF documents from anywhere • Browse files using the familiar document browser • Open PDFs in Single Page or Two Page scroll mode • Double tap to Smart Zoom in on a paragraph or figure • Scrub smoothly to the desired page • Search the entire document in an instant • Navigate using any connected keyboard or mouse STORE YOUR FILES WHERE YOU WANT • Full support for "Open In Place" lets you make edits to the file where it is • Access your files from iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive or Box using the document browser • Or keep them privately on device only HIGHLIGHT AND ANNOTATE FASTER • Select text with your finger, Apple Pencil or mouse pointer • Highlight, underline, strikethrough text and make image selections • Add comments to annotations or as individual sticky notes • Annotate with fewer taps using context aware popovers • Default annotation colors prevents you from having to repeatedly setting the color for the same type of annotation every time TURN ANNOTATIONS INTO NOTES • As you markup text and images the contents are extracted and sorted into notes • Customize the formatting and contents of your notes • Sort the annotations chronologically or create your own color coding EXTRACT TABLE DATA AND RECOGNIZE TEXT • Convert images containing text or tables to actual text and tables using machine learning - letting you get to the underlying data with a single tap SMART COPY Copy annotations to the desired format with one tap: • Text markup as text • Image selections as images • Tables as CSV • Citations as BibTex LOOKUP CITATIONS • Highlights will fetch DOI-links and metadata • Markup any reference and tap the link icon to look it up • If you have read the work already or have it in your reference manager library, Highlights will link you to it EXPORT ANYWHERE • Save or share your notes as portable files: Markdown, TextBundle, HTML, WebArchive or PDF • Share them to your favorite notes app: Apple Notes, Bear, Craft, Evernote, DEVONThink, Keep It, MindNode, Notion, Obsidian, Roam Research or Ulysses • Or send them to a colleague via mail. It's your notes, you decide where they go MUCH MORE • Dark mode • Multi-window support on iPadOS • Keyboard shortcuts and navigation • Support for system Copy and Undo gestures • Alternative app icons • Custom accent colors • Apple Pencil double-tap gestures • Power annotation tools For a full list of features see: highlightsapp.net/features HIGHLIGHTS PRO The Highlights Pro subscription unlocks advanced features on your iPhone, iPad and Mac: • Export options for other apps and easily editable formats • Extract information using table and text recognition • Customize accent colors and alternative app icons • Power annotation tools • Citation lookups • Smart Copy Highlights Pro includes a 14-day free trial. You can cancel your subscription at any time. The subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off within 24-hour prior to the end of of the current period. Payments will be charged to your iTunes account and your account will be charged within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. For more information about Highlights Pro: highlightsapp.net/pro Privacy Policy: highlightsapp.net/privacy Terms of Use: highlightsapp.net/terms

About

Read+ PDF Reader

This application allows users to read, manage, and annotate PDF files on their iOS devices. It offers features like text search, OCR extraction, file merging, and integration with cloud storage services. Users can also share and print their documents.

Highlights
  • Read PDF books naturally
  • Bookmark and annotate PDFs
  • Search text within files
  • Extract text with OCR
  • Merge and rearrange PDF pages
  • Cloud storage integration
  • Share and print PDFs
Features
Read full description

Read PDF files naturally by iRead PDF Reader. iRead PDF Reader is the best app to read, manage and annotate PDF files and it works beautifully on iOS 14. The most powerful PDF reader, carefully designed and optimized specially for the iPhone & iPad. [ KEY FEATURES ] • Naturally read PDF books • Bookmark PDF e-Books • Annotate PDF e-Books • Search texts in entire PDF files • Extract texts by using OCR • Merge PDF files • Rearrange PDF pages by drag & drop • Connect with Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, Photos • Import files from Files, Photos, Google Drive, Dropbox • Automatically and securely save PDF files in Files app • Share PDF files via email, text (sms), cloud solutions • Print PDF files [ Upgrade to subscription version ] Upgrading to subscription version requires auto-renewal subscription. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your App Store account settings after purchase. Links to Your Privacy Policy and Terms of Use: http://www.btoj.com.au/privacy.html http://www.btoj.com.au/terms.html Please feel free to contact us for anything.

Screenshots

Highlights4 screens
Read+ PDF Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Highlights at none against Read+ PDF Reader's shown. Highlights also leads on ratings volume (1.6K vs 7). Read+ PDF Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly) and review sentiment (67% vs 53%). On price, rating, in-app purchases 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. Highlights sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Read+ PDF Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Highlights against 4.4 for Read+ PDF Reader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Highlights has 1.6K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 53% of Highlights's written reviews are positive against 67% of Read+ PDF Reader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Highlights ships an update fortnightly, Read+ PDF Reader every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Highlights versus Read+ PDF Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHighlightsRead+ PDF Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (1.6K ratings) — better4.4 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews53.3% of reviews66.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.6K — better7
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJonas Myren RibeB TO J PTY LTD

Customer experience

Highlights

All ratings1,610 ratings
Positive88.2%
Neutral3.7%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews465 reviews
Positive53.3%
Neutral15.3%
Negative31.4%

Read+ PDF Reader

All ratings7 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

Highlights

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

Read+ PDF Reader

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Highlights

Subscriptions3
  • Highlights Pro: Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Highlights Pro14 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Highlights Pro: Legacy Upgrade1 Year trial$29.991 Year
2 purchases

Read+ PDF Reader

Subscriptions2
  • 1 Month Subscription$3.491 Month
  • 1 Year Subscription$28.991 Year

Questions

Is Highlights free?
Highlights is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Read+ PDF Reader free?
Read+ PDF Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Highlights or Read+ PDF Reader?
Highlights is rated higher. Highlights averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Read+ PDF Reader averages 4.4 from 7 ratings.
Do Highlights or Read+ PDF Reader have ads?
Read+ PDF Reader shows ads; Highlights does not.
Which is updated more often, Highlights or Read+ PDF Reader?
Highlights ships an update fortnightly, and Read+ PDF Reader every 3 days. Most recently, Highlights was updated on September 22, 2026 and Read+ PDF Reader on August 31, 2026.

Other comparisons