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, read, scan, and convert PDF documents with a comprehensive suite of tools. Annotate, draw, and sign your files with ease. This app offers offline functionality and supports collaboration.

Highlights
  • Edit and annotate PDF documents
  • Scan physical documents to PDF
  • Convert various file types to PDF
  • Convert PDF to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
  • Sign documents electronically
  • Collaborate by sharing PDF files
  • Work offline
Features
Read full description

Edit, Read, Scan, Convert, Annotate & Sign Your PDF Documents With A1 PDF EDITOR! A1 PDF EDITOR is your all-in-one PDF converter, reader and editor app. It allows you to view, scan, edit, annotate, convert, draw and sign PDFs, allowing you to handle your important documents in an easy, breezy and safe way! KEY FEATURES: → PDF EDITOR: Edit & Annotate Documents Easily: • Edit PDF, write, annotate and leave comments easily on your doc with our customizable sticky notes and intuitive drawing tools. • Highlight key passages, add text boxes for in-depth comments, and respond to existing annotations. (Apple Pencil support on iPad Pro for enhanced precision). → PDF READER: View & Read PDF Documents: • Received a document you need to view and read? Our app lets you view any type of document which is easy to read with our high quality PDF opener app. → PDF SCANNER: Scan Physical Documents: • Scan your physical documents and convert them into universally readable documents using your phone’s camera. • Our advanced scanning technology ensures your scanned PDFs look professional with automatic perspective correction, color adjustments, and intelligent cropping tools. → PDF CONVERTER: Convert to PDF from different Documents: • Word Document → PDF • Excel Spreadsheets → PDF • Presentations → PDF • Images (JPG, PNG) → PDF • Plain Text (TXT) → PDF → PDF to FILES: Convert PDF to any document easily: • PDF → Word Document • PDF → Excel Spreadsheets • PDF → Presentations → PDF SIGNATURE: Sign Documents Without Hassle: • Fill out your forms and sign without any hassle using your finger or Apple pencil. • Our electronic signature system makes sure your original signatures look just as good and accurate on your PDF documents. → SHARE & EXPORT & COLLABORATE: • Invite colleagues or clients to collaborate by effortlessly sharing PDF files via email, link, or text message. • Set permission levels for recipients, allowing them to view, edit, or sign the PDF document according to your needs. • Print, fax, or convert any doc to PDF - Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats for maximum flexibility → MORE TOOLS: • Insert Images & Draw Effortlessly • Unleash your creative side by inserting images, editing images and using our multiple PDF tools to draw and beautify your documents. Why Should You Choose A1 PDF EDITOR? • Compatible With All Apple Devices - iPhone (iOS 15.0 or later), iPad (iPadOS 15.0 or later), Mac (macOS 12.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later) • All In One PDF App - No need to download multiple apps to scan, edit, convert, or annotate docs; this one app allows you to do it all effortlessly! • Work Offline - Fluctuating internet? No need to panic! Work offline and the changes will be synced as soon as you are back online :D • Free Premium Trial - Unlock the Full Potential with a Free Trial. Experience all the premium features of A1 PDF EDITOR free for 3 days! Choose a subscription plan that best suits your needs and cancel anytime without obligation. Please note: Subscriptions are charged through your App Store account. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage your subscription through your App Store account settings after purchase. What are you waiting for? No need to download multiple PDF apps. Make your life easier with the A1 PDF EDITOR today! Terms of use - https://blog.a1apps.co/terms-of-use-a1-pdf-editor/ Privacy Policy - https://a1office.co/ios-privacy-policy/

Screenshots

Acrobat Reader4 screens
PDF Editor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Acrobat Reader at 654K against PDF Editor's 7.9K. Acrobat Reader also leads on chart position (#2 vs #38) and review sentiment (49% vs 38%). PDF Editor's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.3). On price, rating, update cadence 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 15 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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Acrobat Reader against 4.7 for PDF Editor. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Acrobat Reader has 654K ratings behind it against 7.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 49% of Acrobat Reader's written reviews are positive against 38% of PDF Editor's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Acrobat Reader ships an update every 9 days, PDF Editor fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Acrobat Reader versus PDF Editor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAcrobat ReaderPDF Editor
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (654K ratings)4.7 (7.9K ratings) — better
Positive reviews49.0% of reviews — better38.4% of reviews
Number of ratings654K — better7.9K
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#2 — better#38
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.315.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size522 MB217 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAdobe Inc.Rhophi Analytics LLP

Customer experience

Acrobat Reader

All ratings654,141 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral2.4%
Negative6.2%
Written reviews3,169 reviews
Positive49.0%
Neutral4.4%
Negative46.6%

PDF Editor

All ratings7,943 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews138 reviews
Positive38.4%
Neutral1.4%
Negative60.1%

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 7.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use interface
  • 📚 Comprehensive PDF editing tools
  • 🚀 Reliable performance

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🙄 Intrusive ads and feedback popups
  • 📁 Limited functionality in free version

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

3 issues
  • Unable to save or export PDFs
  • Editing tools not working as expected
  • Subscription issues and billing problems

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add option to delete pages
  • Improve save/export functionality
  • Introduce a one-time purchase option

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
15 purchases

PDF Editor

Subscriptions14
  • Premium Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Premium Weekly$9.997 Days
Show 11 more
  • Pro Weekly Plan3 Days trial$9.997 Days
  • Pro Weekly Plan7 Days trial$9.997 Days
  • Pro Weekly Plan7 Days trial2 variants$11.997 Days
  • Premium Monthly3 Days trial$11.991 Month
  • Pro Weekly Plan3 Days trial$12.997 Days
  • Premium Monthly$12.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly$16.991 Month
  • Black Friday Premium Sale3 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly3 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Pro Yearly3 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium Lifetime$49.99

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?
PDF Editor is rated higher. Acrobat Reader averages 4.6 out of 5 from 654K ratings, while PDF Editor averages 4.7 from 7.9K 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 fortnightly. Most recently, Acrobat Reader was updated on October 3, 2026 and PDF Editor on October 2, 2026.
Which is more popular, Acrobat Reader or PDF Editor?
Acrobat Reader currently peaks at #2 in the App Store charts, and PDF Editor at #38. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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