Comparison

PDFelement vs CS PDF Editor

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PDFelement

This application offers comprehensive PDF management, including advanced editing, AI-powered summarization and translation, and efficient scanning with OCR. It helps organize, convert, and secure documents for work, study, and personal use.

Highlights
  • AI Chat with PDF
  • Scan and OCR
  • PDF to Office Conversion
  • Edit PDF like Word
  • Password Protection
  • Compress PDF
Features
Read full description

PDFelement is optimized for the latest Liquid Glass experience, with a more refined interface, clearer navigation, and smoother interactions for your PDF workflow. AI PDF Editor, PDF Reader, PDF Scanner, PDF Converter, PDF Signer. One app for work, study, and everyday life. Customize Your Toolbar Arrange your PDF tools the way you work. Reorder, show, or hide toolbar items to keep your favorite actions within easy reach and create a cleaner, faster, and more efficient workspace. AI PDF • Chat with PDF: Ask questions and get instant, accurate answers from your PDFs. • AI Summarize PDF: Turn lengthy contracts, reports, and documents into concise key points. • AI Translate: Translate selected text instantly across 60+ languages. • Generate Mind Map: Transform PDF content into clear visual mind maps. • AI Record: Record, transcribe, and convert voice notes into editable text for efficient note-taking. Edit PDF Like Word • Edit PDF: Edit PDF text, images, links, and watermarks with ease. • Font Editing: Keep the original font, erase content, and adjust font size, spacing, and formatting effortlessly. Professional PDF Reader • Liquid Mode: Optimize PDFs for comfortable reading on any screen. • Bookmarks: Save and jump to important pages instantly. • Read Aloud: Listen to PDFs with your preferred voice and playback speed. Scan & OCR • PDF Scanner: Scan receipts, invoices, contracts, IDs, and certificates into high-quality PDFs. • OCR: Extract editable text from scanned documents and images. • Multi-Page Scan: Combine multiple scans into a single PDF. PDF Converter • PDF to Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Images: Convert PDFs into editable Office files or JPG, PNG, and more. • Create PDF: Convert Microsoft Office documents and images into PDFs. Annotate PDF • Markup & Notes: Highlight, underline, draw, and add sticky notes. • Comments: Review documents with professional commenting tools. • Measure: Measure distance, perimeter, and area directly inside PDFs. Create PDF • Blank PDF: Start with customizable paper templates. • Image to PDF: Create PDFs from photos or camera scans. Manage PDF • Compress PDF: Reduce file size while maintaining quality. • Merge PDF: Combine multiple PDFs into one document. • Organize Pages: Add, delete, rotate, extract, split, and rearrange PDF pages. Fill & Sign • Fill PDF Forms: Complete interactive PDF forms quickly and accurately. • E-Sign PDF: Add typed or handwritten signatures. • Custom Stamps: Create reusable stamps with text, drawings, or images. Store & Share PDF • PDFelement Cloud: Access your PDFs anytime, anywhere across your devices. • Protect PDF: Secure sensitive files with passwords and encryption. • Share PDF: Share documents via links, email, AirDrop, or social apps. PDF Templates • Professional Templates: Browse resumes, invoices, planners, contracts, invitations, and more. • Easy Customization: Personalize colors, fonts, and layouts in seconds. • Business & Education Ready: Create polished documents for work, school, and everyday use. MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account upon confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.wondershare.com/company/terms_conditions.html Privacy Policy: https://www.wondershare.com/privacy.html

About

CS PDF Editor

This app offers a comprehensive suite of tools for managing documents on iOS devices. It allows users to view, edit, and scan PDFs, convert Word documents to PDF, and add digital signatures. The app aims to enhance productivity and streamline document workflows for professionals and students.

Highlights
  • All Documents and PDF Viewer
  • Signature Pad
  • Word to PDF Conversion
  • PDF Editor and Annotator
  • Text Recognition Scan
  • Document Scanner
Read full description

Introducing All Document PDF Viewer and Document Scanner: Elevate your document management experience with our all-in-one iOS app. Designed for professionals and students alike, our app streamlines your workflow by providing powerful tools right at your fingertips. Key Features: - All Documents and PDF Viewer: Effortlessly read and navigate through PDF documents with our user-friendly interface. - Signature Pad: Securely sign and authenticate documents directly within the app, adding a personal touch to your digital paperwork. - Word to PDF: Seamlessly convert Word documents to PDF format, ensuring compatibility and preserving the integrity of your files. - PDF Editor: Edit and annotate PDFs with ease, making last-minute changes or adding notes for clarity. - Text Recognition Scan text and copy in to your any document. - All document viewer now you can view all documents with our app. - Document Scanner: Transform physical documents into high-quality PDFs using your device's camera, making digitization a breeze. Benefits: - Efficiency at Your Fingertips: Save time with a suite of tools designed to handle a variety of document tasks efficiently. - Eco-Friendly: Reduce paper use by digitizing your workflow, contributing to a greener environment. - Enhanced Productivity: Streamline your document management process, from scanning to signing, all within a single app. - Mobility: Access and manage your documents on the go, ensuring that your work travels with you. Elevate your productivity and document management with PDF Generator Document Scanner. Download now and experience the ultimate convenience in handling your digital documents.

Screenshots

PDFelement4 screens
CS PDF Editor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CS PDF Editor at none against PDFelement's 20. CS PDF Editor also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 76%). PDFelement's advantage is ratings volume (7.6K vs 13) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. PDFelement sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. CS PDF Editor asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for PDFelement against 4.5 for CS PDF Editor. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDFelement has 7.6K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of PDFelement's written reviews are positive against 86% of CS PDF Editor's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDFelement ships an update every 10 days, CS PDF Editor every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and June 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
PDFelement versus CS PDF Editor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDFelementCS PDF Editor
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (7.6K ratings) — better4.5 (13 ratings)
Positive reviews75.9% of reviews85.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7.6K — better13
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size196 MB82 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperWondershare Technology Group Co.,LTDMACROMATRIX (PRIVATE) LIMITED

Customer experience

PDFelement

All ratings7,566 ratings
Positive90.7%
Neutral2.4%
Negative6.9%
Written reviews827 reviews
Positive75.9%
Neutral3.6%
Negative20.4%

CS PDF Editor

All ratings13 ratings
Positive84.6%
Neutral7.7%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%

Bugs and requests

PDFelement

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login issues and inability to restore purchases
  • Corrupted scanned files or loss of progress
  • Inconsistent behavior when editing PDF text
  • Compatibility problems with older devices or OS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add dark mode option
  • Improve cloud integration and file management
  • Enhance OCR accuracy and capabilities
  • Introduce multi-tab support for better workflow
  • Add more customization options for toolbars and UI

CS PDF Editor

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

18 purchases

PDFelement

Subscriptions16
  • Monthly Subscription (AI)$3.991 Month
  • PDF Editor& Converter& Scanner$6.991 Month
  • PDF Editor & Scanner Pro(iOS)$6.991 Month
Show 13 more
  • Weekly Subscription (iOS)$6.997 Days
  • Quarterly Subscription (iOS)$9.993 Months
  • Weekly Subscription (iOS)7 Days trial$9.997 Days
  • Weekly Subscription (iOS)$9.997 Days
  • Monthly Subscription (All)$19.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription (iOS)$24.991 Year
  • PDF Editor & Scanner Pro7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription (iOS)2 variants$29.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription (iOS)3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Quarterly Subscription (All)$39.993 Months
  • Annual Subscription (iOS+Win)$99.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription (iOS+Mac)$99.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription (All)$109.991 Year
One-time2
  • PDF Editor & Scanner Pro$39.99
  • iOS$39.99
None

CS PDF Editor

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PDFelement free?
PDFelement is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CS PDF Editor free?
CS PDF Editor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PDFelement or CS PDF Editor?
PDFelement is rated higher. PDFelement averages 4.6 out of 5 from 7.6K ratings, while CS PDF Editor averages 4.5 from 13 ratings.
Do PDFelement or CS PDF Editor have ads?
Both PDFelement and CS PDF Editor show ads.
Which is updated more often, PDFelement or CS PDF Editor?
PDFelement ships an update every 10 days, and CS PDF Editor every 3 weeks. Most recently, PDFelement was updated on September 27, 2026 and CS PDF Editor on June 4, 2026.

Other comparisons