# PDF Hero vs FreePDF

The clearest difference is rating: PDF Hero at 4.6 against FreePDF's 1.8. PDF Hero also leads on ratings volume (10K vs 5) and chart position (#196 vs unranked). FreePDF's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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 FreePDF sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Hero holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Hero has 10K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of PDF Hero's written reviews are positive against 11% of FreePDF's.

PDF Hero ships an update every 3 weeks, FreePDF every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Hero | FreePDF |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-hero-pdf-editor-and-reader/id1512973255/reviews)** | [1.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freepdf-pdf-editor-and-reader/id6502199711/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **17.8% of reviews** | 11.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#196** | — |
| Size | 536 MB | 317 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mosaic S.r.l.](https://appshunter.io/developer/570748343) | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Hero

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

**Currently charting:** #196 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


### FreePDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freepdf-pdf-editor-and-reader/id6502199711)

This app offers a comprehensive suite of tools for managing, scanning, converting, filling, and signing PDF documents. It includes features like scanning to editable PDFs, annotation, form filling, document security, and an AI assistant. It's designed for professionals, students, and anyone needing a versatile PDF solution.

**Highlights:** Scan to editable PDFs, PDF annotation and editing, Advanced signature and form filling, Versatile file conversion, Document security with passcodes, AI Assistant and Writing Helper

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FreePDF Unlock All Features | $2.99 | per month |
| FreePDF Lifetime Pro Unlock | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Hero free?

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

### Is FreePDF free?

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

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

PDF Hero is rated higher. PDF Hero averages 4.6 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while FreePDF averages 1.8 from 5 ratings.

### Do PDF Hero or FreePDF have ads?

Neither PDF Hero nor FreePDF shows ads.

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

PDF Hero ships an update every 3 weeks, and FreePDF every 5 days. Most recently, PDF Hero was updated on September 25, 2026 and FreePDF on August 26, 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.*