# PDF Reader vs PDF Viewer

The clearest difference is ads: PDF Reader at none against PDF Viewer's shown. PDF Reader also leads on ratings volume (3.5K vs 5). On price, rating, update cadence 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 Viewer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. 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 PDF Viewer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Reader has 3.5K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, PDF Viewer every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | PDF Viewer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690/reviews) | **[4.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-viewer-easy-pdf-viewer/id1639758742/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.5K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 80.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 190 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kdan Mobile Software LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/318936474) | [Hardik Dhameliya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1611140120) |

## 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 Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-viewer-easy-pdf-viewer/id1639758742)

This app provides a fast, safe, and simple way to view and manage PDF documents on your mobile device. It offers essential features for reading, searching, and sharing PDFs, making it a convenient tool for work and study.

**Highlights:** Quickly open and view PDF documents, Simple list of PDF files, Horizontal or vertical reading, Go to page functionality, Search within documents, Single and multiple page views, Share and delete PDF files

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Subscription Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Subscription Yearly | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is PDF Viewer free?

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

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

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

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

PDF Viewer shows ads; PDF Reader does not.

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

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, and PDF Viewer every 4 months. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDF Viewer on August 24, 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.*