# PDF Hero vs PDF

PDF Hero and PDF both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 60% of PDF's written reviews are positive against 18% of PDF Hero's. PDF Hero's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Hero sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and PDF sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Hero holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Hero has 10K ratings behind it against 1.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 18% of PDF Hero's written reviews are positive against 60% of PDF's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PDF Hero ships an update every 3 weeks, PDF every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Hero | PDF |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-hero-pdf-editor-and-reader/id1512973255/reviews)** | [4.4 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scanner-reader-and-editor/id1536913299/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | 1.4K |
| Positive reviews | 17.8% of reviews | **60.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#194** | — |
| Size | 536 MB | 228 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mosaic S.r.l.](https://appshunter.io/developer/570748343) | [Pravin Gondaliya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1210259494) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Hero

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-hero-pdf-editor-and-reader/id1512973255)

**Currently charting:** #194 Top Grossing · Business (US App Store)

Edit, create, and manage PDF documents on your mobile device. Annotate, fill forms, sign, and share files with ease. Offers advanced features like OCR and compression for enhanced document control.

**Highlights:** Create PDFs from scratch, Edit text and annotate documents, Fill and sign PDF forms, Convert images/documents to PDF, OCR for editable text, Compress and merge PDFs, Password-protect sensitive data

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly with free trial | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium with Free Trial | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Month | $9.99 | per month |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Month | $10.99 | per month |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Month | $11.99 | per month |
| Convert & Merge PDF Documents | $14.99 | per month |
| PDF Hero Premium 3 Months | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Year | $34.99 | per year |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Year | $89.99 | per year |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Year | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Useful PDF editing features
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Signature functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and malfunctions
- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior and glitches
- 🔋 High subscription cost
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 👎 Poor text editing capabilities

**Reported bugs**

- Text disappearing or jumping around during editing
- Inability to save or transfer edited documents
- App crashing or freezing during use
- Incorrect rendering of PDF content

**Requested features**

- Improved text editing and manipulation
- Better file management and organization
- Seamless integration with other apps
- Clearer subscription and cancellation policies


### PDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scanner-reader-and-editor/id1536913299)

This app transforms your device into a comprehensive document management tool. Scan, read, edit, and securely sign PDFs with features like OCR, PIN protection, and cloud integration. Organize all your files effortlessly for work, study, or personal use.

**Highlights:** PIN Protection & Secure File Locking, Electronic Signature, Smart Document Scanner, Accurate OCR (Text Recognition), All-in-One File Manager, Multi-Format Export (PDF, JPG), Page Management Tools

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Camera Scanner Week | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Scanner - 1 Month | $4.99 | per month |
| Camera Scanner Pro | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Camera Scanner Lite | $9.99 | per month |
| Camera Scanner Lite | $9.99 | per month |
| Camera Scanner Pro | $23.99 | per year |
| Camera Scanner Pro | $39.99 | per year |
| PDF Scanner - Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Hero free?

PDF Hero 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 Hero or PDF?

PDF Hero is rated higher. PDF Hero averages 4.6 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while PDF averages 4.4 from 1.4K ratings.

### Do PDF Hero or PDF have ads?

PDF shows ads; PDF Hero does not.

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

PDF Hero ships an update every 3 weeks, and PDF every 6 weeks. Most recently, PDF Hero was updated on September 25, 2026 and PDF on September 22, 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.*