# PDF Reader vs Watch PDF Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PDF Reader at 81% against Watch PDF Reader's 29%. PDF Reader also leads on price (Free vs $4.99) and rating (4.5 vs 3.0). Watch PDF Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

PDF Reader is free to download; Watch PDF Reader costs $4.99 up front. PDF Reader sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Watch PDF Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

PDF Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Reader has 3.5K ratings behind it against 17, 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 29% of Watch PDF Reader's.

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, Watch PDF Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | Watch PDF Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[4.5 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690/reviews)** | [3.0 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watch-pdf-reader/id1665291391/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.5K** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | **80.9% of reviews** | 28.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 190 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Kdan Mobile Software LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/318936474) | [Engels Cybersecurity & Consulting GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1591355311) |

## 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


### Watch PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watch-pdf-reader/id1665291391)

Access and view PDF documents directly on your Apple Watch. Convert photos and scans into PDFs on your iPhone, then transfer them for offline viewing and quick reference on the go. Zoom in to see every detail.

**Highlights:** View PDFs on Apple Watch, Convert photos to PDF, Scan documents to PDF, Import PDFs from Files app, Offline PDF viewing, Zoom functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is Watch PDF Reader free?

Watch PDF Reader costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

PDF Reader is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while Watch PDF Reader averages 3.0 from 17 ratings.

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

Neither PDF Reader nor Watch PDF Reader shows ads.

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

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, and Watch PDF Reader every 3 weeks. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on September 24, 2026 and Watch PDF Reader on September 18, 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.*