# PDF Reader vs Simple PDF Editor

PDF Reader and Simple PDF Editor both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 81% of PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 8% of Simple PDF Editor's. PDF Reader also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (3.5K vs 16). Simple PDF Editor's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). 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 Simple PDF Editor sells 8 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 4.6 for Simple PDF Editor. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Reader has 3.5K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 8% of Simple PDF Editor's.

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, Simple PDF Editor every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | Simple PDF Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690/reviews) | **[4.6 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-pdf-editor/id1560227399/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.5K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **80.9% of reviews** | 8.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 190 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kdan Mobile Software LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/318936474) | [Kei Suefuji](https://appshunter.io/developer/1388335881) |

## 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


### 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 4.5 out of 5 from 3.5K 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 2 months, and Simple PDF Editor every 2 weeks. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on September 24, 2026 and Simple PDF Editor on September 23, 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.*