# PDF Reader vs Document Reader

The clearest difference is ads: PDF Reader at none against Document Reader's shown. PDF Reader also leads on ratings volume (3.5K vs 9). 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 Document Reader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. 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 Document Reader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Reader has 3.5K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, Document Reader every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | Document Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690/reviews) | **[4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/document-reader-editor/id6443972414/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.5K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 80.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 190 MB | 67 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) | [Nikhil Viradiya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1639499778) |

## 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


### Document Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/document-reader-editor/id6443972414)

Easily open and view a wide range of document types, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, and ZIP files, all in one lightweight application. It also includes a document scanner, notepad, and file manager for comprehensive document handling.

**Highlights:** Supports Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, TXT, ZIP, RAR, RTF, Offline document viewing, Document scanner to PDF, Integrated notepad, File manager with rename and share, Categorized file organization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Document Reader One Month | $4.99 | per month |
| Document Reader Six Month | $9.99 | per 6 months |
| Document Reader One Year | $17.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is Document Reader free?

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

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

Document Reader is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while Document Reader averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.

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

Document Reader shows ads; PDF Reader does not.

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

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, and Document Reader every 6 weeks. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on October 9, 2026 and Document Reader on October 6, 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.*