# PDF Reader vs Simple PDF Editor

The clearest difference is ads: PDF Reader at none against Simple PDF Editor's shown. Simple PDF Editor's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months) and review sentiment (8% vs 0%). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Reader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Simple PDF Editor sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simple PDF Editor holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 18 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 8% of Simple PDF Editor's.

PDF Reader ships an update every 5 months, Simple PDF Editor every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | Simple PDF Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-converter/id1547414913/reviews) | **[4.6 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-pdf-editor/id1560227399/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **18** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **8.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 79 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Laxay Gajera](https://appshunter.io/developer/1534406445) | [Kei Suefuji](https://appshunter.io/developer/1388335881) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-converter/id1547414913)

This application allows users to read, edit, annotate, and convert PDF documents. It supports cloud syncing, form filling, and password protection for files. Users can also scan documents and convert images to PDF.

**Highlights:** Read and edit PDFs, Annotate and highlight text, Convert documents to PDF, Fill and sign PDF forms, Sync with cloud storage, Scan documents to PDF, Password protect PDFs

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Editor Pro - Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Editor Pro - Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| PDF Editor Pro - Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| PDF Reader - Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |


### Simple PDF Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-pdf-editor/id1560227399)

Easily edit PDF documents by deleting, rotating, sorting, extracting, or combining pages. Secure your files with password protection and unlock them. The free version lets you preview edits before purchasing tools or the professional version for full access.

**Highlights:** Delete PDF pages, Rotate PDF pages, Sort PDF pages, Extract PDF pages, Combine PDF pages, Password protect PDFs, Unlock password-protected PDFs

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Delete Pages | $4.99 | one-time |
| Rotate Pages | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sort Pages | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Password | $4.99 | one-time |
| Extract Pages | $4.99 | one-time |
| Password Protect | $4.99 | one-time |
| Combine PDF | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pro (All Tools) | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is Simple PDF Editor free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PDF Reader or Simple PDF Editor?

Simple PDF Editor is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.4 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while Simple PDF Editor averages 4.6 from 16 ratings.

### Do PDF Reader or Simple PDF Editor have ads?

Simple PDF Editor shows ads; PDF Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Reader or Simple PDF Editor?

PDF Reader ships an update every 5 months, and Simple PDF Editor every 2 weeks. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on October 8, 2026 and Simple PDF Editor on October 10, 2026.

---

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