# PDF Combiner vs PDF Tools

The clearest difference is ads: PDF Combiner at none against PDF Tools's shown. PDF Combiner also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months). PDF Tools's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Combiner sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and PDF Tools sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Combiner ships an update every 2 weeks, PDF Tools every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Combiner | PDF Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (291 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-combiner-merge-and-split/id1517993393/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **291** | — |
| Positive reviews | 77.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 30 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Evgeniy Konev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1487847911) | [云峰 林](https://appshunter.io/developer/1740866485) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Combiner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-combiner-merge-and-split/id1517993393)

Easily manage PDF files with a user-friendly interface. Merge, split, and extract pages from documents offline. Convert images to PDF and secure your files with passwords.

**Highlights:** Merge PDF documents, Split PDF into pages, Extract specific pages, Document scanner, Set/remove PDF password, Images to PDF converter, Compress and resize images

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Pro Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| 6 Months | $24.99 | per 6 months |
| Pro Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Pro Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Special offer | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pro-version | $6.99 | one-time |
| PRO Forever Special | $19.99 | one-time |
| PRO Forever | $69.99 | one-time |


### PDF Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-tools-merge-split-edit/id6738097501)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Assistant Weekly VIP+Trial | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Assistant Permanent VIP | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Combiner free?

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

### Is PDF Tools free?

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

### Do PDF Combiner or PDF Tools have ads?

PDF Tools shows ads; PDF Combiner does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Combiner or PDF Tools?

PDF Combiner ships an update every 2 weeks, and PDF Tools every 5 months. Most recently, PDF Combiner was updated on September 25, 2026 and PDF Tools on September 12, 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.*