# PDF Reader vs PDF Converter

The clearest difference is ads: PDF Reader at none against PDF Converter's shown. PDF Reader also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 54%) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). PDF Converter's advantage is ratings volume (18K vs 3.5K). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Reader sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and PDF Converter sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for PDF Reader against 4.5 for PDF Converter. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.5K and 18K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 54% of PDF Converter's.

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, PDF Converter every 4 months. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | PDF Converter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690/reviews) | [4.5 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-converter-reader-for-pdf/id1124926465/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3.5K | **18K** |
| Positive reviews | **80.9% of reviews** | 54.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 190 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Kdan Mobile Software LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/318936474) | [Anh Duong](https://appshunter.io/developer/1114463239) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690)

Edit, convert, and manage PDF documents on your mobile device. This app allows you to directly edit text, scan documents, fill out forms, and secure your files with passwords and watermarks. It also supports OCR to extract text from scans and convert PDFs to various formats.

**Highlights:** Edit PDF text directly, Convert PDF to Word, Excel, PPT, images, OCR for text extraction from scans, Fill and sign PDF forms, Secure PDFs with passwords and watermarks, Annotate PDFs with highlights and notes, Merge and split PDF files

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| KDAN Cloud | $2.99 | per month |
| Deluxe Business Pack | $5.99 | per month |
| Creativity 365 | $9.99 | per month |
| Document 365 (Month) | $9.99 | per month |
| Deluxe PDF Pack for iPhone | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| Creativity 365 - 3 Months | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Document 365 (Quarter) | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Deluxe PDF Pack for iPhone | $39.99 | per year |
| Document 365 | $59.99 | per year |
| Upgrade to Premium | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 📚 Useful for reading PDFs
- 🔒 Secure file storage
- 💡 Helpful features like highlighting and annotation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔐 Locked files behind paywall
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 📢 Intrusive ads
- 🤯 Confusing and unintuitive UI

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to open or access saved files
- Syncing and backup issues
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Improved file management and organization
- Better integration with cloud storage services
- More customization options
- Enhanced accessibility features


### PDF Converter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-converter-reader-for-pdf/id1124926465)

Easily find, create, convert, and edit PDF documents. Search for PDFs online, convert various file types to PDF, and download multiple files simultaneously. Annotate and highlight text within your documents.

**Highlights:** Search PDFs online, Create PDFs from websites, Convert documents to PDF, Download multiple PDFs, Edit and annotate PDFs, File management

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Version | $2.99 | one-time |
| PDF Converter - Pro Lifetime | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Helpful for converting files to PDF

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 💰 Expensive with in-app purchases
- 🤔 Confusing interface
- 🔍 Difficulty finding and selecting files

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to convert photos/files to PDF
- Purchased upgrades not working as expected
- App crashing on launch or during use

**Requested features**

- Allow importing from device storage, not just web
- Add sorting/organization options for photos
- Improve stability and reliability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is PDF Converter free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PDF Reader or PDF Converter?

PDF Reader and PDF Converter are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3.5K and 18K ratings respectively.

### Do PDF Reader or PDF Converter have ads?

PDF Converter shows ads; PDF Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Reader or PDF Converter?

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, and PDF Converter every 4 months. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDF Converter on September 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.*