# PDF Tools vs PDF

The clearest difference is rating: PDF at 5.0 against PDF Tools's 4.0. PDF also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 7 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). PDF Tools's advantage is ratings volume (28 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 PDF sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Tools has 28 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PDF Tools ships an update every 7 months, PDF daily. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Tools | PDF |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-tools-merge-rotate-and-split/id1499239855/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scan-convert-and-edit/id1643700397/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **28** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 46.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 50 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nalin Savaliya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1248252947) | [novice2pro Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1635383158) |

## 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 |


### PDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scan-convert-and-edit/id1643700397)

This app offers a comprehensive suite of tools for managing PDF documents. Easily scan, convert, edit, merge, split, compress, and protect your PDFs. It's designed for efficiency and privacy, working offline.

**Highlights:** Scan documents to PDF, Convert photos and text to PDF, Edit and manage PDF pages, Merge and split PDF files, Compress PDF file size, Encrypt and decrypt PDFs, Offline functionality

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Tools free?

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

### Is PDF free?

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

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

PDF is rated higher. PDF Tools averages 4.0 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while PDF averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do PDF Tools or PDF have ads?

Both PDF Tools and PDF show ads.

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

PDF Tools ships an update every 7 months, and PDF daily. Most recently, PDF Tools was updated on November 3, 2026 and PDF on November 3, 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.*