# PDF Hero vs PDF Reader

The clearest difference is rating: PDF Hero at 4.6 against PDF Reader's 4.1. PDF Hero also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (10K vs 11). On price, update cadence, 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 Reader sells 6 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 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Hero has 10K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PDF Hero ships an update every 3 weeks, PDF Reader monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Hero | PDF Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-hero-pdf-editor-and-reader/id1512973255/reviews)** | [4.1 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-pdf-editor/id1666456462/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 17.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#197** | — |
| Size | 536 MB | 142 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mosaic S.r.l.](https://appshunter.io/developer/570748343) | [Games Wing](https://appshunter.io/developer/1453004090) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Hero

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

**Currently charting:** #197 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 Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-pdf-editor/id1666456462)

This app provides a comprehensive suite of tools for managing PDF documents. It allows users to view, edit text and images, fill and sign forms, convert images to PDF, and scan physical documents. The application aims to simplify all your PDF-related tasks.

**Highlights:** View and annotate PDFs, Edit text and images, Convert images to PDF, Fill and sign forms, Scan documents, Organize and manage files

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Partial Remove Ads -Weekly Sub | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Remove Ads Weekly Subscription | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Partial Remove Ads -Month Sub | $6.99 | per month |
| Remove Ads Monthly Sub | $7.99 | per month |
| Partial Remove Ads -Annual Sub | $24.99 | per year |
| Remove Ads | $17.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Hero free?

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

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PDF Hero or PDF Reader?

PDF Hero is rated higher. PDF Hero averages 4.6 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while PDF Reader averages 4.1 from 11 ratings.

### Do PDF Hero or PDF Reader have ads?

PDF Reader shows ads; PDF Hero does not.

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

PDF Hero ships an update every 3 weeks, and PDF Reader monthly. Most recently, PDF Hero was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDF Reader on September 14, 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.*