Comparison

Acrobat Reader vs PDF Editor

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

Head to head
About

Acrobat Reader

This app is a powerful PDF tool for viewing, editing, annotating, and signing documents. It offers AI-powered features for summarizing and interacting with PDFs, along with robust conversion and security options. Collaborate on files and access your documents from anywhere.

Highlights
  • View, edit, and annotate PDFs
  • Sign and fill PDF forms
  • Convert files to and from PDF
  • AI-powered document summarization
  • Collaborate in PDF Spaces
  • Compress and secure PDFs
  • Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Features
Read full description

Major new updates: Collaborate and share your files in PDF Spaces, and turn your document summaries into podcast-style audio in Acrobat Studio. The world’s most trusted PDF reader, PDF editor, and PDF maker with more than 635 million installs. View, share, annotate, add comments, and sign documents - all in one app. You can store your files online and read documents anywhere. Get your 7-day free trial and try all the features of Acrobat Reader. Paid features: Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant • Work across multiple files in one place with PDF Spaces. Collaborate, store, and use AI Assistant across files • Use voice or text prompts with AI Assistant chatbot • Ask questions and get cited answers about details in your document, including charts, graphs, and tables with Figures Q&A • Easily share the responses you get • Try voice support to ask queries and have answers read aloud. • Use new Hands-free to keep the conversation flowing with voice only • Instantly generate summaries from your PDFs with Generative AI Summaries • Get content for emails, text, study notes, blogs, and more [Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant is a paid feature*, free for a limited time] Edit PDFs • With our PDF editor, edit text and images directly in your PDF (mobile only) • Fix typos or add paragraphs with the PDF editor • Easily add, delete, or rotate any image • Use this PDF signer and PDF viewer to get your docs just right Recognize text • Optical Character Recognition (OCR) turns scanned PDFs into searchable, editable text to use in other formats Merge & organize PDFs with PDF Converter • Split or combine multiple files into one PDF with PDF converter • Use the PDF editor to insert, delete, rotate, crop & reorder pages in your PDF file Create, convert & export PDFs • Easily convert to PDF from any file type including Microsoft, Google Docs, and images • Export and convert PDFs to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or various image files • Convert web pages to PDFs Compress & highly secure PDFs • Compress PDF files for easy saving and sharing • Password Protect PDF documents Have your PDF read aloud • Listen to your PDFs on the go, great for reading support • Choose free voices or upgrade for high-quality options Subscribe now to access all these features and use Acrobat across mobile and web platforms. Free-to-use features: PDF signer: Fill & Sign Adobe Fill & Sign is free & available in Acrobat Reader. A form filler and PDF signer that lets you fill, sign, and send Liquid mode in the optimal PDF viewer • Get the best PDF reading experience with this PDF viewer • Search, navigate & adjust font size or spacing to fit your screen Annotate PDFs • Add sticky notes, comments, and highlight text Store & manage files • Link online storage accounts like Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive • Star files to quickly open important documents Connect the PDF viewer and reader to Google Drive • A PDF creator that lets you edit, compress, and export Google Drive files with a subscription Work with scanned documents • Access scanned PDFs from Adobe Scan in Acrobat to fill, sign, and share The Acrobat Reader mobile app is designed to work with customers who have Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) enabled. *An Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant add-on plan is available to Acrobat Individual customers. iOS 16 or above required. Terms & Conditions: Your use of this application is governed by the Adobe General Terms of Use http://www.adobe.com/go/terms_linkfree_en and the Adobe Privacy Policy http://www.adobe.com/go/privacy_policy_linkfree_en Do not sell or share my personal information www.adobe.com/go/ca-rights-linkfree

About

PDF Editor

Edit, annotate, and convert PDF files with advanced tools. This app allows for text and image modification, form creation and filling, and secure document management. It also includes OCR technology for scanned documents and AI assistance for smarter interactions.

Highlights
  • Edit existing PDF content
  • Modify text and images
  • Smart annotations
  • Scan and convert documents
  • OCR technology
  • E-signature support
  • Merge and split PDFs
Features
Read full description

Looking for an easy-to-use yet powerful true PDF editor that lets you modify existing PDF text, edit images, make deep-level content adjustments, use smart annotations, scan documents quickly, and convert files — all in one place? Our app also supports powerful conversions like Photo to PDF, PDF to Word, PDF to Images, JPEG to PDF, and more — covering almost all file formats with built-in OCR technology. Available for your iPhone, iPad, and MacBook — all under a single subscription. Look no further than our PDF Editor, Document Scanner & Converter app! With our app, you can easily create, edit, and manage PDF documents right from your iPhone, iPad or Macbook, iMac. Whether you need to annotate a document, add a signature, or merge multiple PDFs into one file, our app has you covered. Here are some of the key features of our PDF Editor, Documents Scanner & Converter app! (All in One PDF Editor) ********** Highlighted Features: ********** + Existing PDF Content Editing. + Modify Text, Change Fonts & Images. + Smart Annotations (Highlight, Comment, Draw & Markup) + PDF Lock & Unlock. + AI Integration. + Dropbox Integration. + Excel to PDF & PPTX to PDF. + Scan PDF. + Create New PDF. + Create or Design Any Form. + Share or Print Any Form. + Form Fill Out. + Edit PDF. + Split PDF. + Merge PDF. + Reorder PDF. + Print or Share PDF. + Remove Page From PDF. + E- Sign. + Add Text Box. + Add Image. + OCR (Image to Text). + Secure PDF. + Convert Photo to PDF. (R:Reverse) + Convert PDF to Word.(R) + Convert Text to PDF.(R) + File Converter (Pro Supported). + Single Subscription use in your iPhone, iPad, iMac, Mac book - All Apple Devices Easy document creation: Create new PDF documents with a few taps, or import existing documents from your device or cloud storage services. Advanced editing tools: Edit text, images, and other content within your PDFs, and add annotations, comments, and highlights. AI Assistant — Smarter PDF Interactions: Interact with the AI Assistant using simple text prompts to get instant, intelligent responses OCR Technology: OCR features enable users to convert scanned documents into editable and searchable text. With advanced OCR technology, the app recognizes text in scanned documents and converts it into editable text. The app supports multiple languages, making it a versatile tool for users around the world. Signature support: Sign PDF documents directly within the app, or import and save your signature for later use. Merge and split PDFs: Easily combine multiple PDFs into a single document, or split one PDF into multiple files. File management: Organize and manage your PDFs with ease, including renaming, moving, and deleting files. Cloud integration: Sync your PDFs with a popular cloud storage service like iCloud to access your documents from anywhere. Our PDF Document Editor & Maker app is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, with a clean and modern interface that makes it easy to get started. Download it today and start creating and editing PDF documents like a pro! SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Monthly price : $4.99 Yearly price : $29.99 Consider PDF Editor, Documents Scanner & Converter app! (All in one PDF Editor) pro and enjoy full access to all features and content. If you choose a All in One PDF Editor subscription, payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription will automatically renew unless turned off in your iTunes Account Settings at least 24 hours before the current period ends. From iTunes Account settings you can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renew. Your iTunes Account will be charged when the purchase is confirmed. Privacy Policy: https://www.lazyvariable.com/pdf-editor-privacy-policy/ Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ https://www.lazyvariable.com/pdf-editor-terms-of-use/ Support: Please contact us by email at "contact.pdfdocumenteditor@gmail.com".

Screenshots

Acrobat Reader4 screens
PDF Editor3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Acrobat Reader at freemium against PDF Editor's subscription. Acrobat Reader also leads on ratings volume (654K vs 35) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 weeks). PDF Editor's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.3). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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

Both are free to download. Acrobat Reader sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and PDF Editor sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Acrobat Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Acrobat Reader has 654K ratings behind it against 35, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 49% and 49% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Acrobat Reader ships an update every 9 days, PDF Editor every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Acrobat Reader versus PDF Editor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAcrobat ReaderPDF Editor
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (654K ratings) — better4.4 (35 ratings)
Positive reviews49.2% of reviews49.2% of reviews
Number of ratings654K — better35
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium — betterSubscription
Best chart rank#2 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.315.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size522 MB93 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAdobe Inc.AHAD DURRANI

Customer experience

Acrobat Reader

All ratings654,141 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral2.4%
Negative6.2%
Written reviews3,096 reviews
Positive49.2%
Neutral4.4%
Negative46.4%

PDF Editor

All ratings35 ratings
Positive82.9%
Neutral5.7%
Negative11.4%
Written reviews63 reviews
Positive49.2%
Neutral3.2%
Negative47.6%

User reviews

Acrobat Reader

From 654K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 🔒 Secure document storage
  • 👍 Convenient for reading and annotating PDFs
  • 👍 Useful for students and professionals

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
  • 🔒 Overly intrusive login requirements
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 👎 Counterintuitive user interface changes
  • 🔍 Poor search and organization features

PDF Editor

From 35 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use for some
  • 👍 Fulfills basic PDF needs
  • 👍 Good for editing and signing
  • 👍 Useful for converting files
  • 👍 Handy for scanning documents

Room to improve

  • 👎 Not intuitive or user-friendly
  • 👎 Poorly designed
  • 👎 Limited features on Mac
  • 👎 Difficult to navigate
  • 👎 Strips formatting from PDFs

Bugs and requests

Acrobat Reader

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent crashes and freezes
  • Inconsistent behavior when editing PDFs
  • Inability to open or save certain file types
  • Sync issues between mobile and desktop versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add erase tool for annotations
  • Improve palm rejection for Apple Pencil
  • Allow direct text editing in PDFs
  • Provide better cloud integration and sync
  • Offer more customization options

PDF Editor

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • PDF reader not working
  • Cannot open PDF files
  • Cannot edit PDF files
  • App crashes constantly
  • Unable to fill PDF forms by typing
Show 3 more
  • Subscription continues after cancellation
  • Formatting is lost when editing PDFs
  • App does not open when clicked from browser

Requested features

5 requests
  • Allow typing in PDF forms
  • Improve Mac compatibility and usability
  • Provide clear instructions or tutorials
  • Offer better customer support
  • Fix subscription charging issues

In-app purchases

16 purchases

Acrobat Reader

Subscriptions16
  • Acrobat Premium - Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Adobe Acrobat Premium$4.991 Month
  • AI Assistant for Acrobat$6.991 Month
Show 13 more
  • Acrobat Premium$7.497 Days
  • Acrobat Premium - Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Acrobat Premium - Weekly$9.997 Days
  • PDF Pack - Doc Creator$9.991 Month
  • Premium - Edit & Create PDF$9.991 Month
  • PDF Edit and Convert Monthly7 Days trial$12.991 Month
  • Acrobat Premium - Monthly$12.991 Month
  • Acrobat Premium - Monthly$14.991 Month
  • Acrobat Reader Plus - Yearly$19.991 Year
  • Adobe ExportPDF$23.991 Year
  • Adobe Acrobat Pro$24.991 Month
  • Acrobat Premium - Yearly7 Days trial$48.991 Year
  • Acrobat Premium - Yearly7 Days trial2 variants$69.991 Year
7 purchases

PDF Editor

Subscriptions6
  • Premium$4.991 Month
  • Premium AI Assistant$9.991 Month
  • Yearly Offer3 Days trial$19.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • Premium1 Year trial$29.991 Year
  • Premium$29.991 Year
  • Premium AI Assistant$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$89.99

Questions

Is Acrobat Reader free?
Acrobat Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PDF Editor free?
PDF Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Acrobat Reader or PDF Editor?
Acrobat Reader is rated higher. Acrobat Reader averages 4.6 out of 5 from 654K ratings, while PDF Editor averages 4.4 from 35 ratings.
Do Acrobat Reader or PDF Editor have ads?
Neither Acrobat Reader nor PDF Editor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Acrobat Reader or PDF Editor?
Acrobat Reader ships an update every 9 days, and PDF Editor every 6 weeks. Most recently, Acrobat Reader was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDF Editor on September 23, 2026.

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