# PDF Reader vs PDF Editor

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PDF Reader at 81% against PDF Editor's 43%. PDF Reader also leads on ratings volume (3.5K vs 189) and rating (4.5 vs 4.3). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 Editor sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Reader has 3.5K ratings behind it against 189, 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 43% of PDF Editor's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | PDF Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690/reviews)** | [4.3 (189 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-read-and-edit-pdf/id1570391391/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.5K** | 189 |
| Positive reviews | **80.9% of reviews** | 43.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 190 MB | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kdan Mobile Software LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/318936474) | [ZipoApps](https://appshunter.io/developer/1671444635) |

## 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 Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-read-and-edit-pdf/id1570391391)

Easily edit, merge, and convert PDF files with a comprehensive set of tools. Modify text and images, add annotations, and secure your documents with password protection and digital signatures.

**Highlights:** Edit PDF text and images, Merge and split PDF files, Convert PDFs to Word, Excel, PPT, Annotate documents, Password protection and digital signatures, Real-time collaboration

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

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited access | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Remove Ads & Sign + Compress | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Remove Ads & Sign + Compress | $7.99 | per month |
| Unlimited access | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $19.99 | per year |
| Unlimited access | $29.99 | per year |
| Unlimited access | $39.99 | per year |
| Unlimited access | $49.99 | per year |
| Remove Ads + Sign & Compress | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is PDF Editor free?

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

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

PDF Reader is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while PDF Editor averages 4.3 from 189 ratings.

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

Neither PDF Reader nor PDF Editor shows ads.

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

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, and PDF Editor every 2 months. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDF Editor on September 20, 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.*