# pdf vs PDF Max

The clearest difference is rating: PDF Max at 4.5 against pdf's 3.3. PDF Max also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 23). pdf's advantage is review sentiment (68% vs 35%) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. pdf sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and PDF Max sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Max holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Max has 1.2K ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of pdf's written reviews are positive against 35% of PDF Max's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

pdf ships an update every 3 weeks, PDF Max monthly. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | pdf | PDF Max |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-notes-for-ipad-ads/id391487223/reviews) | **[4.5 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-max-edit-sign-pdfs/id540572073/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 23 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **68.3% of reviews** | 35.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 141 MB | 266 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AMuseTec Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/342152781) | [Mobeera](https://appshunter.io/developer/540572076) |

## 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


### PDF Max

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-max-edit-sign-pdfs/id540572073)

This app allows you to read, annotate, and sign PDF documents on your mobile device. You can mark up text, add handwritten notes, insert stamps, fill out forms, and manage PDF pages. It also offers robust file management and cloud integration for seamless access to your documents.

**Highlights:** Read and annotate PDFs, Fill and sign PDF forms, Handwriting and text markup, Manage PDF pages, Cloud storage integration, Voice annotations

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Subscription (1 week) | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| One year premium | $34.99 | per year |
| Yearly Onboarding Offer | $34.99 | per year |
| Standard Annotating Package | $0.99 | one-time |
| Cloud Access Package | $1.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Annotating Package | $3.99 | one-time |
| Form Filling Package | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pro Package | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Package (Update) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Package (New User) | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful for studies and work
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Great for annotating PDFs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔒 Unreliable cloud sync
- 💰 Paywall for basic features
- 🐛 Buggy updates
- 👎 Poor customer support

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing documents and annotations
- Incompatibility with newer devices
- Crashes on launch
- Unreliable file saving

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to edit/delete annotations
- Better integration with cloud storage
- Split-screen viewing for PDFs
- Improved handwriting recognition


## Frequently asked questions

### Is pdf free?

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

### Is PDF Max free?

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

### Which has better reviews, pdf or PDF Max?

PDF Max is rated higher. pdf averages 3.3 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while PDF Max averages 4.5 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do pdf or PDF Max have ads?

pdf shows ads; PDF Max does not.

### Which is updated more often, pdf or PDF Max?

pdf ships an update every 3 weeks, and PDF Max monthly. Most recently, pdf was updated on October 26, 2026 and PDF Max on October 26, 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.*