Comparison

PDF Reader vs Simple Pdf

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

Head to head
About

PDF Reader

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
Read full description

KDAN PDF, formerly KDAN PDF Reader, is a mobile PDF editor and reader for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Edit text directly on your device. Then scan, organize, convert, sign, and share your PDFs in one simple and powerful app. Trusted by millions, KDAN PDF connects your workflow across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, making it easy to review, annotate, and finalize documents anywhere. Who Recommends Us? - Featured as “10 Essentials” in Utility on iTunes - Featured in “10 Best PDF Reader Apps For iPhone & iPad 2019” by FOSSBYTES - Featured as “Best Utility App” in App Store Rewind KEY FEATURES PDF EDITOR • Edit and correct any typos directly on PDFs • Merge multiple files into one PDF • Split a large PDF into several small PDFs • Rotate, delete, add, and rearrange pages • Extract pages or images from PDFs • Change PDF background color PDF CONVERTER • Online & Offline PDF converter • Convert PDF to Word, Excel, PPT & image conversions (docx, xlsx, pptx, jpg, png, gif & bmp). • Save webpages and images as PDFs OCR (Optical Character Recognition) • Recognize and extract text from scans • Export OCR results as text or searchable PDFs • Support 50+ languages SIGN, FORM FILLING, SHARE • Fill out & edit PDF forms • Sign on PDFs • Customize and manage signatures SHARE FILES • Get files from KDAN Cloud, iCloud Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, Evernote, FTP, or WebDAV client • Compress PDFs • Share flatten PDFs • Send faxes directly from within the app PDF SECURITY • Add passwords to lock PDFs • Remove passwords & restrictions from PDFs • Add & remove PDF watermarks • Validate certificates & signatures in PDF documents VIEW FILES • Supports all mainstream file formats, including Vitrium* PDF format (Like University of Phoenix Ebooks) • Text Reflow & Auto Flow • Present a PDF as a slideshow • View multiple PDFs as tabs • Dark mode supported (only for iOS13 & macOS Mojave and later) • Convert text to spoken audio (text-to-speech) ANNOTATE & REVIEW PDF • Annotate PDFs with highlights, underlines, strikeout text, shapes, sticky notes & text boxes • Add pre-designed stamps, including Approved, Sign Here, Confidential, and more • Add custom stamps with time and date information • Insert hyperlinks to external websites, target pages, and email address • Attach audio notes & insert images to PDFs • Turn handwriting into text with Scribble (Available for iPad) • Add handwritten notes to PDFs MANAGE ANNOTATIONS • Save annotations in XFDF format • Remove all annotations in one tap - Recommended by Techradar, Techworm & Softsonic UPGRADE OPTIONS DOCUMENT 365 • Try for $0.00 for 7 days • Access KDAN PDF on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and other platforms. • Annual plan: billed at USD 59.99/year after the 7-day free trial ends • Quarterly plan: billed at USD 19.99/quarter after 3-day free trial ends • Monthly plan: billed at USD 9.99/month after 3-day free trial ends Subscriptions will be charged to your Apple account upon purchase and will auto-renew 24 hours before the current period ends at the same price and duration. Cancellation during the active period is not allowed. Manage your trial and subscription in your Apple account. Terms of service: https://pdf-reader.kdandoc.com/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://pdf-reader.kdandoc.com/privacy-policy Got a question? Contact us at helpdesk@kdanmobile.com or check out https://support.kdanmobile.com

About

Simple Pdf

Easily view, manage, and create PDF files. This app allows you to open local PDFs, load them from the internet, and even scan documents with your camera. It also supports merging, splitting, converting PDFs to images, and adding signatures.

Highlights
  • View local PDF files
  • Scan documents and convert to PDF
  • Merge and split PDF files
  • Convert PDF to images
  • Add digital signatures
  • Organize and manage files
Features
Read full description

The ultimate all-in-one PDF Reader, Editor & Scanner. View, edit text, sign, read aloud, extract text with OCR, merge, split, compress, and password-protect your documents with blazing speed and complete offline privacy. Whether you are signing contracts, listening to eBooks, extracting text from scanned receipts, or organizing business reports, this is the only PDF toolkit you will ever need on your iPhone and iPad. ◆ KEY FEATURES ◆ ◆ FAST VIEWER & IN-DOCUMENT SEARCH ◆ • Lightning-fast rendering for PDFs of any size. • Real-time in-document text search with highlighted matches. • Smooth scrolling, jump-to-page navigation, and cover thumbnail previews. • Organize your library with list/grid views and one-tap Favorites. ◆ NATURAL READ ALOUD (TTS) ◆ • Listen to any PDF narrated with high-quality system voices. • Story-like pacing: respects commas, periods, headings, and paragraph transitions. • Voice Selector: Choose and preview your favorite voice and language in Settings. • Background audio session configured to play even when the physical silent switch is engaged. ◆ AI TEXT RECOGNITION (OCR) ◆ • Turn scanned documents and photo-based PDFs into clear, editable text. • High-accuracy optical character recognition powered by on-device intelligence. • Copy extracted text to your clipboard or export it instantly. ◆ EDIT PDF TEXT & WHITEOUT ◆ • Insert custom text directly onto any PDF page. • Customize text color, font size, and alignment. • Built-in Whiteout tool to redact, cover, or clean up unwanted text and marks. ◆ DIGITAL SIGNATURES MADE SIMPLE ◆ • Create and store multiple handwritten signatures. • Place, scale, and align your signature on contracts and agreements. • Save and export signed documents without leaving the app. ◆ WATERMARKS & PAGE NUMBERS ◆ • Add confidential, draft, or custom text watermarks with adjustable angle and opacity. • Insert customizable page numbers with multiple format options (1/N, Page X of Y) and flexible positioning. ◆ HD DOCUMENT SCANNER ◆ • Turn your device camera into a high-definition portable scanner. • Automatic edge detection, perspective correction, and contrast enhancement. • Digitize physical receipts, invoices, whiteboards, and IDs into multi-page PDFs. ◆ MERGE & SPLIT PDFS ◆ • Combine multiple PDF files into one clean, consolidated report. • Split large PDFs into individual documents or separate page ranges. ◆ POWERFUL IMAGE CONVERSION ◆ • Photos to PDF: Convert camera shots and gallery photos into crisp PDF files. • PDF to Images: Extract and export any document page directly to your Photos gallery. ◆ SMART PDF COMPRESSION ◆ • Shrink file sizes by up to 85% while preserving crystal-clear text quality. • Free up device storage and easily send files over Email or messaging apps. ◆ REORDER, ROTATE & MANAGE PAGES ◆ • Effortlessly reorder pages using intuitive drag-and-drop. • Rotate individual pages (90°, 180°, 270°) to correct orientation. • Delete unwanted pages before sharing your final document. ◆ FOLDERS & NATIVE FILES SYNC ◆ • Create custom folders to categorize your files. • Automatic sync: PDFs saved in the iOS Files app under "On My iPhone / Simple Pdf-reader" appear automatically. • AI Smart Rename: Analyze document contents and generate smart names instantly. ◆ PASSWORD ENCRYPTION & PRIVACY FIRST ◆ • Lock confidential PDFs with password encryption. • Remove passwords with authorized access. • 100% Offline: Your sensitive files stay private on your device and are never uploaded to remote servers. ◆ EASY FILE SHARING & PRINTING ◆ • Print documents directly via AirPrint. • Instant sharing via AirDrop, Messages, Mail, WhatsApp, and Files. ◆ TERMS OF USE & PRIVACY POLICY ◆ Standard Apple Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/simplepdfreader/privacy-policy

Screenshots

PDF Reader4 screens
Simple Pdf4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PDF Reader at 81% against Simple Pdf's 29%. PDF Reader also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. PDF Reader sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Simple Pdf sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PDF Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Reader has 3.5K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 29% of Simple Pdf's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, Simple Pdf every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
PDF Reader versus Simple Pdf: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF ReaderSimple Pdf
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (3.5K ratings) — better3.2 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews80.9% of reviews — better28.6% of reviews
Number of ratings3.5K — better6
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size190 MB113 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKdan Mobile Software LTDAMARDEEP DHILLON

Customer experience

PDF Reader

All ratings3,542 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral2.7%
Negative8.2%
Written reviews2,195 reviews
Positive80.9%
Neutral4.8%
Negative14.4%

Simple Pdf

All ratings6 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive28.6%
Neutral14.3%
Negative57.1%

Bugs and requests

PDF Reader

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

Simple Pdf

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

PDF Reader

Subscriptions9
  • KDAN Cloud$2.991 Month
  • Deluxe Business Pack$5.991 Month
  • Creativity 3653 Days trial$9.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • Document 365 (Month)3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Deluxe PDF Pack for iPhone$12.993 Months
  • Creativity 365 - 3 Months3 Days trial$19.993 Months
  • Document 365 (Quarter)3 Days trial$19.993 Months
  • Deluxe PDF Pack for iPhone$39.991 Year
  • Document 3657 Days trial$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • Upgrade to Premium$2.99
3 purchases

Simple Pdf

Subscriptions2
  • Unlock all features$3.991 Month
  • Unlock feature yearly$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Remove ads$2.99

Questions

Is PDF Reader free?
PDF Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Simple Pdf free?
Simple Pdf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PDF Reader or Simple Pdf?
PDF Reader is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while Simple Pdf averages 3.2 from 6 ratings.
Do PDF Reader or Simple Pdf have ads?
Simple Pdf shows ads; PDF Reader does not.
Which is updated more often, PDF Reader or Simple Pdf?
PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, and Simple Pdf every 4 months. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on October 13, 2026 and Simple Pdf on October 8, 2026.

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