# pdf vs Pencil

The clearest difference is review sentiment: pdf at 68% against Pencil's 25%. pdf also leads on ratings volume (22 vs 4) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). Pencil's advantage is rating (4.0 vs 3.3) and ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. pdf sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Pencil sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pencil holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: pdf has 22 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of pdf's written reviews are positive against 25% of Pencil'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, Pencil every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | pdf | Pencil |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-notes-for-ipad-ads/id391487223/reviews) | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-pdf-notes-with-pencil/id6466286421/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **68.3% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 141 MB | 465 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AMuseTec Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/342152781) | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) |

## 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


### Pencil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-pdf-notes-with-pencil/id6466286421)

Create beautiful notes, sketch ideas, and annotate PDFs with advanced ink tools and AI assistance. Convert handwriting to text, scan documents, and organize files seamlessly across cloud services. Enjoy a realistic ink-on-paper feel with stylus support.

**Highlights:** Advanced ink tools for writing and sketching, AI Assistant for summarization and translation, Handwritten notes to editable text conversion, Document scanning with automatic frame recognition, Cloud service integration for file management, Full-text search for PDFs, PDF reader with highlighting and read aloud

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All and AI Assistant | $2.99 | per month |
| GoodPencil Upgrade | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is pdf free?

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

### Is Pencil free?

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

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

Pencil is rated higher. pdf averages 3.3 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Pencil averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do pdf or Pencil have ads?

pdf shows ads; Pencil does not.

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

pdf ships an update every 3 weeks, and Pencil every 8 days. Most recently, pdf was updated on October 10, 2026 and Pencil on October 11, 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.*