# Acrobat Reader vs PDF Editor, Scanner

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.

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.

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.

Acrobat Reader ships an update every 9 days, PDF Editor, Scanner every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Acrobat Reader | PDF Editor, Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (654K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/acrobat-reader-pdf-editor/id469337564/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-scanner-pdfforge/id6475756032/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **654K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 49.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#2** | — |
| Size | 522 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.3 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Adobe Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/331646274) | [Outthinking electronics pvt ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1249276794) |

## What reviewers say

### Acrobat Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/acrobat-reader-pdf-editor/id469337564)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Grossing · Business, #15 Top Free · Business, #83 Top Grossing, #209 Top Free (US App Store)

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:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Acrobat Premium - Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Adobe Acrobat Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| AI Assistant for Acrobat | $6.99 | per month |
| Acrobat Premium | $7.49 | per 7 days |
| Acrobat Premium - Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Acrobat Premium - Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Pack - Doc Creator | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium - Edit & Create PDF | $9.99 | per month |
| PDF Edit and Convert Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Acrobat Premium - Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Acrobat Premium - Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Acrobat Reader Plus - Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Adobe ExportPDF | $23.99 | per year |
| Adobe Acrobat Pro | $24.99 | per month |
| Acrobat Premium - Yearly | $48.99 | per year |
| Acrobat Premium - Yearly | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-scanner-pdfforge/id6475756032)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| weekly subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| ProWeekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| premium weekly subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |


## Frequently asked 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 26, 2026 and PDF Editor, Scanner on September 24, 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.*