# PDF Reader vs Zip & RAR File Extractor

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PDF Reader at 81% against Zip & RAR File Extractor's 28%. PDF Reader also leads on ads (none vs shown). Zip & RAR File Extractor's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (28K vs 3.5K). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Reader sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Zip & RAR File Extractor sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Zip & RAR File Extractor holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Zip & RAR File Extractor has 28K ratings behind it against 3.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 28% of Zip & RAR File Extractor's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, Zip & RAR File Extractor every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | Zip & RAR File Extractor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690/reviews) | **[4.7 (28K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zip-and-rar-file-extractor/id769409043/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3.5K | **28K** |
| Positive reviews | **80.9% of reviews** | 27.8% 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 | 159 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Kdan Mobile Software LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/318936474) | [Penghui Zhao](https://appshunter.io/developer/421609849) |

## 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


### Zip & RAR File Extractor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zip-and-rar-file-extractor/id769409043)

This app is a comprehensive file management tool for iOS devices. It allows users to extract various archive formats, create compressed files, convert media, and edit documents and PDFs. It also includes AI-powered OCR and translation features, along with a versatile file viewer and secure access options.

**Highlights:** Extract ZIP, RAR, 7Z archives, Create password-protected ZIP/7Z files, Convert audio and video formats, Scan and edit PDFs, OCR text extraction, Multilingual translation, Secure file access with biometrics

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Weekly Subscription | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Pro Upgrade | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🎵 Built-in music player
- 🔒 Passcode protection
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Excessive ads
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔀 Difficulty moving/exporting files
- 💰 Requires subscription for full features

**Reported bugs**

- Unresponsive close buttons on ads
- Inability to unzip certain file types
- Syncing issues with cloud services

**Requested features**

- Cloud storage integration
- Select all/batch file management
- Improved file navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is Zip & RAR File Extractor free?

Zip & RAR File Extractor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PDF Reader or Zip & RAR File Extractor?

Zip & RAR File Extractor is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while Zip & RAR File Extractor averages 4.7 from 28K ratings.

### Do PDF Reader or Zip & RAR File Extractor have ads?

Zip & RAR File Extractor shows ads; PDF Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Reader or Zip & RAR File Extractor?

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, and Zip & RAR File Extractor every 6 weeks. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on September 24, 2026 and Zip & RAR File Extractor on September 25, 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.*