Comparison

Acrobat Reader vs PDF Editor, Scanner

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, Scanner

Create, edit, and manage PDF documents with a comprehensive suite of tools. Convert files, scan documents, fill forms, and secure your work with passwords and digital signatures. Optimize, share, and customize PDFs with ease.

Highlights
  • PDF creation from images and documents
  • Scan documents to PDF with camera
  • Edit text, images, and shapes
  • Fill forms and annotate PDFs
  • Merge and split PDF files
  • Password protection and digital signatures
  • Compress and customize PDFs
Features
Read full description

Welcome to PDFForge, your all-in-one solution for creating, editing, and managing PDF documents. Whether you’re a student, professional, or business owner, PDFForge provides a robust set of features designed to meet all your PDF needs with ease and efficiency. Key Features: 1. PDF Creation: • Convert images, Word documents, and other file formats into high-quality PDFs. • Use your device’s camera to scan documents directly into PDF format. 2. PDF Editing: • Add and edit text, images, and shapes in your PDFs. • Fill out forms, annotate with comments, and highlight important sections. • Merge multiple PDFs into a single document or split a PDF into multiple files. 3. Advanced Tools: • Apply filters to enhance scanned documents. • Reorder, add, or remove pages from your PDFs. • Convert PDFs into interactive flipbooks for a dynamic reading experience. 4. Secure Your Documents: • Protect your PDFs with passwords to ensure sensitive information remains confidential. • Apply digital signatures to authenticate documents. 5. Seamless Sharing: • Generate QR codes for easy sharing and access. • Share PDFs via email, cloud services, or social media directly from the app. 6. Optimize and Customize: • Compress PDFs to reduce file size without losing quality. • Customize your PDFs with headers, footers, and watermarks. 7. User-Friendly Interface: • Intuitive design and easy-to-use tools make PDFForge accessible for everyone, regardless of technical expertise. • Enjoy a seamless experience with our responsive and visually appealing interface. Why Choose PDFForge? • Efficiency: Streamline your workflow with our comprehensive set of PDF tools. • Versatility: Handle any PDF-related task, from creation to advanced editing and secure sharing. • Accessibility: Available on all your devices, ensuring you have the power of PDFForge wherever you go. • Support: Our dedicated support team is here to help you with any questions or issues you may encounter. Transform how you handle PDF documents with PDFForge. Download now and experience the ultimate in PDF management and editing. Unlock your productivity potential with the power of PDFForge today! Important Notes about subscription • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable Subscription plans: 1. USD $3.99 per week 2. USD $4.99 3 per week, 3 days free trail available Subscriptions automatically renew unless they are turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period in account settings. Renewals are charged within 24-hours preceding the end of the current period. Payment is charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions are managed by the user. Terms of Service: https://ebrochure.app/terms.php Privacy: https://ebrochure.app/privacypolicy.php

Screenshots

Acrobat Reader4 screens
PDF Editor, Scanner4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Acrobat Reader at none against PDF Editor, Scanner's shown. Acrobat Reader also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (654K vs 5). PDF Editor, Scanner's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.3). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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, Scanner sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PDF Editor, Scanner holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Acrobat Reader has 654K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Acrobat Reader ships an update every 9 days, PDF Editor, Scanner every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Acrobat Reader versus PDF Editor, Scanner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAcrobat ReaderPDF Editor, Scanner
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (654K ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews49.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings654K — better5
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#2 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.313.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size522 MB72 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAdobe Inc.Outthinking electronics pvt ltd.

Customer experience

Acrobat Reader

All ratings654,141 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral2.4%
Negative6.2%
Written reviews3,152 reviews
Positive49.1%
Neutral4.4%
Negative46.5%

PDF Editor, Scanner

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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, Scanner

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
4 purchases

PDF Editor, Scanner

Subscriptions4
  • weekly subscription$3.997 Days
  • ProWeekly$3.997 Days
  • premium weekly subscription3 Days trial$4.997 Days
Show 1 more
  • Weekly Premium3 Days trial$4.997 Days

Questions

Is Acrobat Reader free?
Acrobat Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PDF Editor, Scanner free?
PDF Editor, Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Acrobat Reader or PDF Editor, Scanner?
PDF Editor, Scanner is rated higher. Acrobat Reader averages 4.6 out of 5 from 654K ratings, while PDF Editor, Scanner averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do Acrobat Reader or PDF Editor, Scanner have ads?
PDF Editor, Scanner shows ads; Acrobat Reader does not.
Which is updated more often, Acrobat Reader or PDF Editor, Scanner?
Acrobat Reader ships an update every 9 days, and PDF Editor, Scanner every 2 months. Most recently, Acrobat Reader was updated on September 25, 2026 and PDF Editor, Scanner on September 24, 2026.

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