# PDF Tools vs Simple PDF Editor

The clearest difference is rating: Simple PDF Editor at 4.6 against PDF Tools's 4.0. Simple PDF Editor also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 7 months). PDF Tools's advantage is review sentiment (47% vs 8%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Tools sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Simple PDF Editor sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simple PDF Editor holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27 and 16 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 47% of PDF Tools's written reviews are positive against 8% of Simple PDF Editor's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PDF Tools ships an update every 7 months, Simple PDF Editor every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Tools | Simple PDF Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-tools-merge-rotate-and-split/id1499239855/reviews) | **[4.6 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-pdf-editor/id1560227399/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **27** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **46.7% of reviews** | 8.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 50 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nalin Savaliya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1248252947) | [Kei Suefuji](https://appshunter.io/developer/1388335881) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-tools-merge-rotate-and-split/id1499239855)

Easily manipulate PDF files with a comprehensive suite of tools. Split, merge, delete, extract, lock, unlock, rotate pages, and add text watermarks to your documents.

**Highlights:** Split PDF into multiple documents, Merge multiple PDFs into one, Delete specific pages, Extract specific pages, Add password protection, Remove password protection, Rotate pages (90°, 180°, 270°), Add text watermarks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Tools One Week | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Tools-Merge One Year | $17.99 | per year |
| PDF Tools Pro Version | $4.99 | one-time |


### Simple PDF Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-pdf-editor/id1560227399)

Easily edit PDF documents by deleting, rotating, sorting, extracting, or combining pages. Secure your files with password protection and unlock them. The free version lets you preview edits before purchasing tools or the professional version for full access.

**Highlights:** Delete PDF pages, Rotate PDF pages, Sort PDF pages, Extract PDF pages, Combine PDF pages, Password protect PDFs, Unlock password-protected PDFs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Delete Pages | $4.99 | one-time |
| Rotate Pages | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sort Pages | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Password | $4.99 | one-time |
| Extract Pages | $4.99 | one-time |
| Password Protect | $4.99 | one-time |
| Combine PDF | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pro (All Tools) | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Tools free?

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

### Is Simple PDF Editor free?

Simple PDF Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PDF Tools or Simple PDF Editor?

Simple PDF Editor is rated higher. PDF Tools averages 4.0 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while Simple PDF Editor averages 4.6 from 16 ratings.

### Do PDF Tools or Simple PDF Editor have ads?

Both PDF Tools and Simple PDF Editor show ads.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Tools or Simple PDF Editor?

PDF Tools ships an update every 7 months, and Simple PDF Editor every 2 weeks. Most recently, PDF Tools was updated on October 8, 2026 and Simple PDF Editor on October 10, 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.*