# LightPDF vs PDF Chef

The clearest difference is update cadence: PDF Chef at every 4 days against LightPDF's every 2 weeks. LightPDF's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LightPDF sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $13.99 per 7 days and PDF Chef sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

LightPDF ships an update every 2 weeks, PDF Chef every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LightPDF | PDF Chef |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (54 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightpdf-ai-chat-pdf-scanner/id1622949837/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **54** | — |
| Positive reviews | 88.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 113 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wangxu Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1254320291) | [DHANANJAY BABASAHEB BHOSALE](https://appshunter.io/developer/6806303066) |

## What reviewers say

### LightPDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightpdf-ai-chat-pdf-scanner/id1622949837)

This app offers a comprehensive suite of tools for managing PDF documents on your mobile device. It leverages AI to summarize, chat with, and convert PDFs, along with scanning capabilities, text extraction, and editing features. It also includes an ID photo maker and watermark removal.

**Highlights:** AI Chat with PDFs, Phone Scanner to PDF, PDF to Word/JPG/Excel Converter, OCR Text Extraction, PDF Editing and Annotation, ID Photo Maker, Watermark Removal

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| LightPDF Weekly Subscription | $13.99 | per 7 days |
| LightPDF Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| LightPDF Yearly Subscription | $47.99 | per year |
| LightPDF Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| LightPDF Yearly Subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| iOS LightPDF - 1 Week | $9.99 | one-time |
| 買一年送一年 | $79.99 | one-time |
| 1年購入で1年おまけ | $84.99 | one-time |
| 2 zum Preis von 1 | $99.99 | one-time |
| 3-Year Subscription | $99.99 | one-time |
| Mac LightPDF Lifetime Plan | $109.99 | one-time |
| Buy 3 yrs Get 3 yrs Free | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Efficient PDF tools
- ✨ High-quality PDF to Word conversion
- 💡 Impressive OCR functionality
- 💬 Helpful AI chatbot

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 High price
- ❌ App doesn't work
- 💳 Unexpected charges
- 🚫 Watermark removal issues
- 📉 Blurry pictures

**Reported bugs**

- App requests more money after payment
- Paid subscription not unlocking features
- Trial period charged despite cancellation
- Scans cut off PDF to 3 pages or under
- Performance issues

**Requested features**

- iPad support
- Edit text in the exact same font
- More advanced editing features


### PDF Chef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-chef/id6811619417)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Chef Pro Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| PDF Chef Pro Lifetime | $49.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LightPDF free?

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

### Is PDF Chef free?

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

### Do LightPDF or PDF Chef have ads?

Neither LightPDF nor PDF Chef shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LightPDF or PDF Chef?

LightPDF ships an update every 2 weeks, and PDF Chef every 4 days. Most recently, LightPDF was updated on October 23, 2026 and PDF Chef on October 24, 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.*