# PDF Hero vs PDF Editor

PDF Hero and PDF Editor both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 39% of PDF Editor's written reviews are positive against 18% of PDF Hero's. PDF Editor also leads on chart position (#36 vs #194). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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 Editor sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for PDF Hero against 4.7 for PDF Editor. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10K and 7.8K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 18% of PDF Hero's written reviews are positive against 39% of PDF Editor's.

PDF Hero ships an update every 3 weeks, PDF Editor fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Hero | PDF Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-hero-pdf-editor-and-reader/id1512973255/reviews) | **[4.7 (7.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-read-scan-convert/id6443583054/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | 7.8K |
| Positive reviews | 17.8% of reviews | **39.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #194 | **#36** |
| Size | 536 MB | 217 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) | [Rhophi Analytics LLP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1647365609) |

## 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 Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-read-scan-convert/id6443583054)

**Currently charting:** #36 Top Grossing · Business, #177 Top Free · Business (US App Store)

Edit, read, scan, and convert PDF documents with a comprehensive suite of tools. Annotate, draw, and sign your files with ease. This app offers offline functionality and supports collaboration.

**Highlights:** Edit and annotate PDF documents, Scan physical documents to PDF, Convert various file types to PDF, Convert PDF to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Sign documents electronically, Collaborate by sharing PDF files, Work offline

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

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Weekly Plan | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Weekly Plan | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Weekly Plan | $11.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Pro Weekly Plan | $12.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $16.99 | per month |
| Black Friday Premium Sale | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Pro Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 📚 Comprehensive PDF editing tools
- 🚀 Reliable performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🙄 Intrusive ads and feedback popups
- 📁 Limited functionality in free version

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to save or export PDFs
- Editing tools not working as expected
- Subscription issues and billing problems

**Requested features**

- Add option to delete pages
- Improve save/export functionality
- Introduce a one-time purchase option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Hero free?

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

### Is PDF Editor free?

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

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

PDF Editor is rated higher. PDF Hero averages 4.6 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while PDF Editor averages 4.7 from 7.8K ratings.

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

Neither PDF Hero nor PDF Editor shows ads.

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

PDF Hero ships an update every 3 weeks, and PDF Editor fortnightly. Most recently, PDF Hero was updated on September 25, 2026 and PDF Editor on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, PDF Hero or PDF Editor?

PDF Hero currently peaks at #194 in the App Store charts, and PDF Editor at #36. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*