Comparison

PDF Pro vs GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PDF Pro

Edit, annotate, and read PDF documents on your iPhone and iPad. Highlight text, add notes, shapes, voice recordings, and photos. Search your entire PDF library, fill out forms, and sign documents.

Highlights
  • Edit and annotate PDFs
  • Highlight text and add notes
  • Embed audio and photo annotations
  • Full-text search of PDF library
  • Fill out and sign PDF forms
  • Organize PDFs with folders and tags
  • Import from cloud storage
Features
Read full description

PDF Pro lets you read, edit and annotate your PDF documents directly on your iPhone and iPad. Highlight text, take notes, embed shapes or draw with your finger. You can even embed voice recordings or photo annotations. Full-text-search your entire PDF library with just a single tap. Above all PDF Pro comes with full-featured PDF form and signature support. Key-Features At A Glance: • POWERFUL SEARCH: ∙ Full-text-search your entire PDF library. ∙ Search inside specific documents with easy navigation through the search results. ∙ Look-up selected text directly on Wikipedia or in the included dictionaries. • FILE-MANAGEMENT: ∙ Group your PDFs in folders and tag them with colorful labels. ∙ Import PDFs from your Dropbox®, Microsoft OneDrive® or Google Drive®. ∙ Add PDFs via USB or WiFi. ∙ Open E-Mail attachments. • CLEAR VIEW: ∙ Easily browse through all your annotations. ∙ Full PDF outline support. You can even search the outline. ∙ Get an overview of all your bookmarked or annotated pages just with a single tap. • SHARE and PRINT: ∙ Easily share your annotated documents with your friends or co-workers. ∙ Print your annotated and edited PDFs. ∙ You can even share or print single pages of a document. • HIGH SPEED and STABILITY: ∙ Rapid viewing of PDF documents. ∙ Smooth display of very large PDF files. • NIGHT MODE: ∙ Makes reading in the dark much easier on the eyes. • SECURITY: ∙ Support for password-protected PDFs • AND MUCH MORE... Premium Features and Premium Offer include: • ANNOTATIONS and NOTES: ∙ Highlight text, take notes or draw with your finger. ∙ Powerful shape editor for arrows, rectangles, circles, lines and much more. ∙ Embed audio and photo annotations into your PDFs. ∙ Use predefined stamps or create your own. • DOCUMENT EDITOR: ∙ Create new pages. ∙ Export pages or merge them into existing documents. ∙ Reorder, rotate and delete pages. • CONTENT EDITOR: • Modify the existing content of PDF documents. • MULTITASKING: ∙ Work with multiple PDFs at a time. ∙ Copy and paste annotations, shapes, images or text from one PDF document into another. • FORM SUPPORT: ∙ Just fill out your PDF form, sign it with your handwritten signature and you are ready to send it via E-Mail or print it via AirPrint®. A monthly or annual subscription is required to get access to all premium features and premium offer. --- Subscriptions automatically renew monthly or yearly depending on your plan unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Plans are priced at $3.99USD monthly and $24.99USD yearly (pricing may vary in countries other than the U.S.). Payment will be charged to your App Store Account at confirmation of purchase. To avoid automatic renewal, you must turn off auto-renew at least 24 hours before your subscription ends. You can turn off auto-renew at any time from your App Store Account Settings. Terms of Use: https://pdf-pro.net/terms-of-service/ Privacy Policy: https://pdf-pro.net/privacy-policy/

About

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

This app offers robust PDF editing and viewing capabilities, alongside comprehensive file management tools. It allows users to annotate PDFs, manage files from various cloud services, and secure sensitive data with advanced encryption. Enjoy a superior reading experience with features like PDF Reflow and split-screen viewing.

Highlights
  • PDF annotation and editing
  • Extensive file format support
  • Cloud service integration (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.)
  • AES-256 military-grade encryption
  • Split-screen viewing for iPad
  • File management and organization
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

First released in 2009, GoodReader® is truly a veteran of the App Store. In the modern app business, it's not easy to stay relevant that long. We're proud to say that after 17 years and counting, we've been delivering wonderful updates with extraordinary new features. And we're going to keep doing that! GoodReader is a perfect combination of document-reading and file-managing capabilities. It's your one-stop shop for all your document needs on your iOS device. Use the app once, and you'll be hooked. Soon you'll be wondering how you ever managed to work without it. -= File Reading =- PDF, TXT, MS Office, iWork, HTML, pictures, music & audio-books, videos. This is what you can view in GoodReader, plus you can also annotate PDF files and edit TXT files. -= PDF Reading and Annotating =- PDF files is where GoodReader truly shines. Reading experience is so superior, it's hard to describe. To rephrase one of our customers' review, "try it, and you'll see." While you're at it, give our PDF Reflow feature a try. You'll be surprised how much better PDF reading goes when you don't have to scroll left/right all the time, for every single line of text. Annotating PDFs is another star feature of our app. Adding notes and drawings, highlighting text, and then sharing your annotated files or annotation summaries will be your main productivity and collaboration asset. -= File Management =- While reading files is a big part of GoodReader, it's not all it can do. It can also serve as a central hub for all your files, even those that can't be opened by GoodReader itself. It's like bringing your personal computer experience to your mobile device — easily managing huge collections of files and folders will make you forget you don't have your laptop around. -= Connecting =- Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, Box.com, WebDAV, SMB, FTP, SFTP — these are all accessible from inside GoodReader. Download, upload, and sync individual files or huge folder collections. -= Security =- With GoodReader, your data security steps up to the level previously only dreamt of. With Pro Pack®, our new set of professional-level super-features, you'll get AES-256, a military-grade encryption, for all your data, at a price of a cup of coffee! And it's completely independent from the built-in Apple's Data Protection, so even if a hacker steals and unlocks your device, your data will still be protected by another strong layer of security, our own. -= Multi-Windows =- Seamlessly view and manage multiple files simultaneously on iPad. -= Notes =- Capture ideas and comments while reading or studying a technical document without even leaving the app. Sort and group your notes into categories. (Note: Some features require a Pro Pack® subscription.)

Screenshots

PDF Pro4 screens
GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PDF Pro at Free against GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer's $5.99. GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and chart position (#34 vs unranked). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

PDF Pro is free to download; GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer costs $5.99 up front. PDF Pro sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for PDF Pro against 4.7 for GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.9K and 14K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of PDF Pro's written reviews are positive against 69% of GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Pro ships an update every 2 months, GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
PDF Pro versus GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF ProGoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer
PriceFree — better$5.99
Rating4.7 (6.9K ratings)4.7 (14K ratings)
Positive reviews60.3% of reviews68.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6.9K14K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#34 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size91 MB53 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDominic RodemerGood.iWare, Inc.

Customer experience

PDF Pro

All ratings6,925 ratings
Positive93.4%
Neutral3.2%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews423 reviews
Positive60.3%
Neutral10.4%
Negative29.3%

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

All ratings13,801 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral2.3%
Negative5.5%
Written reviews1,838 reviews
Positive68.7%
Neutral7.9%
Negative23.4%

User reviews

PDF Pro

From 6.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 💡 Excellent PDF management features
  • 🔒 Secure and reliable
  • 🎨 Great annotation tools

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🔍 Inconsistent search functionality
  • 📖 Loses last read position
  • 🖋️ Unreliable handwriting support

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

From 14K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent for reading and annotating PDFs
  • 📚 Powerful file management and organization
  • 💻 Seamless integration with cloud storage
  • 🎨 Customizable reading experience
  • ⚙️ Robust set of features and capabilities

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Subscription model for some features
  • 🔀 Cluttered interface after recent update
  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
  • 📁 Difficulty migrating files from older versions
  • 🖌️ Lacking palm rejection and customizable Apple Pencil controls

Bugs and requests

PDF Pro

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Annotations and highlights randomly disappearing
  • Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
  • Corrupted PDF files after editing
  • Slow performance on older devices
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between PDFs

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improved bookmarking and note-taking
  • Seamless iCloud/cloud storage integration
  • Customizable keyboard shortcuts
  • Advanced text editing and OCR capabilities
  • Better organization and folder management

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Syncing issues with cloud storage providers
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps

Requested features

5 requests
  • Continuous scrolling for better reading experience
  • Improved search functionality with advanced filters
  • Ability to set custom color schemes and themes
  • Enhanced support for ebook formats like EPUB
  • Streamlined annotation tools and workflow

In-app purchases

12 purchases

PDF Pro

Subscriptions12
  • Offer - Monthly - macOS3 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Offer - Monthly - iOS3 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Premium - Monthly - iOS3 Days trial$3.991 Month
Show 9 more
  • Premium - Monthly - macOS3 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Offer - Annual - iOS3 Days trial$12.991 Year
  • Offer - Annual - macOS3 Days trial$22.991 Year
  • Premium - Annual - iOS3 Days trial$24.991 Year
  • Offer - macOS + iOS3 Days trial$24.991 Year
  • Offer - iOS + macOS3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Premium - Annual - macOS3 Days trial$44.991 Year
  • Premium - iOS + macOS3 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Premium - macOS + iOS3 Days trial$49.991 Year
4 purchases

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Pack (monthly)7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Pro Pack (annual)7 Days trial$17.991 Year
One-time2
  • Auto Sync$9.99
  • Pro Pack$79.99

Questions

Is PDF Pro free?
PDF Pro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer free?
GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer costs $5.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PDF Pro or GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer?
PDF Pro and GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6.9K and 14K ratings respectively.
Do PDF Pro or GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer have ads?
Neither PDF Pro nor GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Pro or GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer?
PDF Pro ships an update every 2 months, and GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer weekly. Most recently, PDF Pro was updated on September 22, 2026 and GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer on September 24, 2026.

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