# pdf vs Notepad

The clearest difference is rating: Notepad at 5.0 against pdf's 3.3. Notepad also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 68%) and device support (3 vs 1). pdf's advantage is ratings volume (22 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. pdf sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Notepad sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notepad holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: pdf has 22 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of pdf's written reviews are positive against 79% of Notepad's.

pdf ships an update every 3 weeks, Notepad every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 3, 2026 and August 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | pdf | Notepad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-notes-for-ipad-ads/id391487223/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-notes-checklist/id1512948053/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 68.3% of reviews | **78.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 141 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AMuseTec Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/342152781) | [siarhei yatsuk](https://appshunter.io/developer/1511544233) |

## What reviewers say

### pdf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-notes-for-ipad-ads/id391487223)

Manage and annotate PDF files on your iPad with fast page turning and intuitive finger-writing. Easily import PDFs, organize them into bookshelves, and export annotated versions via email. Features include zoom, cropping, and multiple pen options.

**Highlights:** Fast page turning and scanning, Intuitive finger-writing and annotation, Easy PDF import via Dropbox, Email, iTunes, Categorized bookshelves with search, Export annotated PDFs via email, Pinch zoom and crop page margins

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2-Month Pass | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1-Year Pass | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime License | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 💡 Great annotation tools
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 📚 Excellent for students and academics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 💸 Expensive paid version
- 📤 Difficulty exporting annotated PDFs
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality
- 🖍️ Inconsistent behavior of highlighting and erasing

**Reported bugs**

- Annotated PDFs losing data during export
- Crashes after recent app updates
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps
- Incorrect page numbering and navigation

**Requested features**

- Add text typing and editing capabilities
- Implement a table of contents feature
- Improve integration with cloud storage services
- Allow custom organization of PDF files
- Enhance the note-taking experience


### Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-notes-checklist/id1512948053)

Capture thoughts, pictures, voice memos, and checklists with this smart notepad. Organize and quickly find all your information, including secure storage for logins and passwords. Features include reminders, backup options, and printing capabilities.

**Highlights:** Capture thoughts, pictures, and voice records, Create and manage checklists, Secure storage for logins and passwords, Organize notes with categories and colors, Quick search and recent notes list, Backup, restore, and print notes, Birthday reminders

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full access monthly | $0.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is pdf free?

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

### Is Notepad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, pdf or Notepad?

Notepad is rated higher. pdf averages 3.3 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Notepad averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do pdf or Notepad have ads?

Both pdf and Notepad show ads.

### Which is updated more often, pdf or Notepad?

pdf ships an update every 3 weeks, and Notepad every 6 weeks. Most recently, pdf was updated on September 3, 2026 and Notepad on August 16, 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.*