# PDF Reader vs PDF Compressor

PDF Reader and PDF Compressor both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 81% of PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 26% of PDF Compressor's. PDF Reader also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (3.5K vs 813). PDF Compressor's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, rating, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for PDF Reader against 4.6 for PDF Compressor. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.5K and 813 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 26% of PDF Compressor's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | PDF Compressor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690/reviews) | **[4.6 (813 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-compressor-compress-pdf/id1637213307/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.5K** | 813 |
| Positive reviews | **80.9% of reviews** | 26.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 190 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kdan Mobile Software LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/318936474) | [Vishalbhai Vaghasiya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1512628511) |

## 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 Compressor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-compressor-compress-pdf/id1637213307)

Reduce the size of your PDF documents with this easy-to-use tool. Select your file, choose the desired output quality, and compress your PDFs with a single tap. Save disk space and speed up uploads and downloads.

**Highlights:** Compress PDF files, Reduce PDF file size, Select output PDF quality, Easy-to-use interface, Single-tap compression

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient compression
- 👍 Simple and easy-to-use interface
- 💰 Free to download and use
- ✅ Effective file size reduction
- 📧 Solves email attachment size issues

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📢 Excessive and intrusive advertisements
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and glitches
- ❌ File compression increases size instead of reducing it
- 🔄 App requires restart after each compression
- ⚠️ Suspicious ad permissions and potential security concerns

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on second compression attempt
- File size increases instead of decreasing
- App exits unexpectedly after compression
- Compressed file unrecognizable or corrupted
- Keyboard numbers display as blank

**Requested features**

- Reduce or eliminate advertisements
- Add compression quality/control settings
- Batch file compression capability
- Improved preview functionality for multiple documents
- Better file naming conventions for compressed files


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is PDF Compressor free?

PDF Compressor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

PDF Compressor is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while PDF Compressor averages 4.6 from 813 ratings.

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

PDF Compressor shows ads; PDF Reader does not.

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

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, and PDF Compressor every 2 months. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDF Compressor on September 21, 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.*