# PDF Reader vs PDF Reader Light & Simple

The clearest difference is rating: PDF Reader Light & Simple at 5.0 against PDF Reader's 4.5. PDF Reader Light & Simple also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (100% vs 81%). PDF Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 19 months) and ratings volume (3.5K vs 1). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Reader sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. PDF Reader Light & Simple asks for nothing beyond the download.

PDF Reader Light & Simple holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Reader has 3.5K ratings behind it against 1, 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 100% of PDF Reader Light & Simple's.

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, PDF Reader Light & Simple every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | PDF Reader Light & Simple |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-light-and-simple/id1563235539/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.5K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 80.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 19 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 190 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kdan Mobile Software LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/318936474) | [Adaptive Channel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1200824197) |

## 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 Reader Light & Simple

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-light-and-simple/id1563235539)

Easily read PDF files with this lightweight and fast application. It offers optimized performance for iPhones and iPads, along with bookmark management and quick navigation features. Enjoy a seamless reading experience without any advertisements.

**Highlights:** Lightweight and fast performance, Optimized for iPhone and iPad, Bookmark management, Fast and easy navigation, Ad-free experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is PDF Reader Light & Simple free?

PDF Reader Light & Simple is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PDF Reader or PDF Reader Light & Simple?

PDF Reader Light & Simple is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while PDF Reader Light & Simple averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do PDF Reader or PDF Reader Light & Simple have ads?

Neither PDF Reader nor PDF Reader Light & Simple shows ads.

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

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, and PDF Reader Light & Simple every 19 months. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on October 13, 2026 and PDF Reader Light & Simple 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.*