# ChmPlus Lite vs PDF Expert

The clearest difference is rating: PDF Expert at 4.7 against ChmPlus Lite's 3.6. PDF Expert also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (217K vs 11). ChmPlus Lite's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Expert sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. ChmPlus Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

PDF Expert holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Expert has 217K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 49% of ChmPlus Lite's written reviews are positive against 45% of PDF Expert's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ChmPlus Lite ships an update monthly, PDF Expert fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ChmPlus Lite | PDF Expert |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chmplus-lite-chmepub-reader/id443454952/reviews) | **[4.7 (217K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **217K** |
| Positive reviews | **48.8% of reviews** | 45.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#76** |
| Size | 13 MB | 301 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [兰桂 吴](https://appshunter.io/developer/433671404) | [Readdle Technologies Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/285035419) |

## What reviewers say

### ChmPlus Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chmplus-lite-chmepub-reader/id443454952)

This app allows you to read and manage various document formats, including CHM and EPUB, on your iPhone or iPad. It offers features like highlighting, bookmarking, searching, and file transfer. You can also manage files, create text documents, and save images.

**Highlights:** Read CHM and EPUB files, Highlight, bookmark, and annotate, Full-text search, Wi-Fi and iTunes file transfer, Passcode lock for files, Support for multiple document and archive formats

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### PDF Expert

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925)

**Currently charting:** #76 Top Grossing · Productivity, #187 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

This app allows you to edit, annotate, fill out forms, and convert PDF documents. It offers AI-powered summarization and analysis, along with tools to merge, sign, and protect your files. Work seamlessly across Apple devices with a user-friendly interface.

**Highlights:** Edit PDF text and images, Annotate and highlight PDFs, Fill out PDF forms, Convert files to and from PDF, AI-powered summarization and analysis, Merge and combine PDF files, Sign documents with e-signatures

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Expert Premium Trial | $9.99 | per month |
| PDF Expert Premium No Trial | $9.99 | per month |
| PDF Expert for Education | $39.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Premium New | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Premium Existing | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert – Premium Editing | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Mac & iOS | $79.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Basic | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 💡 Powerful annotation and editing tools
- 🔒 Seamless cloud integration
- 📚 Excellent for reading and organizing PDFs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔒 Subscription model for advanced features
- 🔒 Inconsistent pricing and feature changes
- 🔍 Cluttered and confusing UI in latest update
- 🔍 Reduced customization options for annotations

**Reported bugs**

- Corrupted PDFs after editing
- Sync issues with cloud storage providers
- Unexpected loss of annotations and edits
- Unreliable performance on older iPad models

**Requested features**

- Improved palm rejection for Apple Pencil
- Customizable toolbar and annotation presets
- Better integration with other productivity apps
- More flexible file management and organization
- Ability to create fillable PDF forms


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ChmPlus Lite free?

ChmPlus Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PDF Expert free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ChmPlus Lite or PDF Expert?

PDF Expert is rated higher. ChmPlus Lite averages 3.6 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while PDF Expert averages 4.7 from 217K ratings.

### Do ChmPlus Lite or PDF Expert have ads?

ChmPlus Lite shows ads; PDF Expert does not.

### Which is updated more often, ChmPlus Lite or PDF Expert?

ChmPlus Lite ships an update monthly, and PDF Expert fortnightly. Most recently, ChmPlus Lite was updated on November 1, 2026 and PDF Expert on November 7, 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.*