# SignNow vs PDF Expert

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SignNow at 65% against PDF Expert's 45%. PDF Expert's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (216K vs 18K). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SignNow sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and PDF Expert sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Expert holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Expert has 216K ratings behind it against 18K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 65% of SignNow's written reviews are positive against 45% of PDF Expert's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SignNow ships an update every 9 days, PDF Expert fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SignNow | PDF Expert |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/signnow-e-signature-app/id489262811/reviews) | **[4.7 (216K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 18K | **216K** |
| Positive reviews | **65.0% of reviews** | 45.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #72 | **#70** |
| Size | 430 MB | 301 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [airSlate, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/565493707) | [Readdle Technologies Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/285035419) |

## What reviewers say

### SignNow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/signnow-e-signature-app/id489262811)

**Currently charting:** #72 Top Grossing · Productivity (US App Store)

Easily sign and manage PDF documents and other file formats with this comprehensive e-signature solution. Upload files, create templates, and collect legally-binding signatures from multiple parties. Securely store and access your documents online or offline.

**Highlights:** E-sign documents without limits, Create legally-binding e-signatures, Upload and fill PDF/Word documents, Convert image files to PDF, Create reusable document templates, Collect signatures from multiple users, Offline signing and syncing

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SignNow | $2.99 | per month |
| SignNow | $4.99 | per month |
| SignNow Business | $6.99 | per month |
| SignNow Pro | $14.99 | per month |
| signNow Business Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| SignNow Business, free trial | $19.99 | per month |
| SignNow | $23.99 | per year |
| SignNow Premium | $24.99 | per month |
| SignNow Business, free trial | $95.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient and legitimate
- 🚀 Easy to use and convenient
- 🚀 Smooth and simple
- 🚀 Awesome and great app
- 🚀 Saves time and money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔑 Difficult to cancel/unsubscribe
- 🔑 Unauthorized charges
- 🔑 Limited free features

**Reported bugs**

- Text alignment issues
- Signature ID not working
- Signed documents disappearing
- Inability to open/edit signed documents
- Crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Ability to paste text
- Improved text alignment and resizing
- Bulk scanning and document management
- Duplicate text boxes
- Rotate/resize signature box


### PDF Expert

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925)

**Currently charting:** #70 Top Grossing · Productivity, #198 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

This app allows you to edit, annotate, fill out forms, and convert PDF documents. It offers AI-powered summarization and analysis, along with tools to merge, sign, and protect your files. Work seamlessly across Apple devices with a user-friendly interface.

**Highlights:** Edit PDF text and images, Annotate and highlight PDFs, Fill out PDF forms, Convert files to and from PDF, AI-powered summarization and analysis, Merge and combine PDF files, Sign documents with e-signatures

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Expert Premium Trial | $9.99 | per month |
| PDF Expert Premium No Trial | $9.99 | per month |
| PDF Expert for Education | $39.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Premium New | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Premium Existing | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert – Premium Editing | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Mac & iOS Pro | $79.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Mac & iOS | $79.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Basic | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 💡 Powerful annotation and editing tools
- 🔒 Seamless cloud integration
- 📚 Excellent for reading and organizing PDFs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔒 Subscription model for advanced features
- 🔒 Inconsistent pricing and feature changes
- 🔍 Cluttered and confusing UI in latest update
- 🔍 Reduced customization options for annotations

**Reported bugs**

- Corrupted PDFs after editing
- Sync issues with cloud storage providers
- Unexpected loss of annotations and edits
- Unreliable performance on older iPad models

**Requested features**

- Improved palm rejection for Apple Pencil
- Customizable toolbar and annotation presets
- Better integration with other productivity apps
- More flexible file management and organization
- Ability to create fillable PDF forms


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SignNow free?

SignNow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PDF Expert free?

PDF Expert is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SignNow or PDF Expert?

PDF Expert is rated higher. SignNow averages 4.5 out of 5 from 18K ratings, while PDF Expert averages 4.7 from 216K ratings.

### Do SignNow or PDF Expert have ads?

Neither SignNow nor PDF Expert shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SignNow or PDF Expert?

SignNow ships an update every 9 days, and PDF Expert fortnightly. Most recently, SignNow was updated on October 31, 2026 and PDF Expert on October 31, 2026.

### Which is more popular, SignNow or PDF Expert?

SignNow currently peaks at #72 in the App Store charts, and PDF Expert at #70. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*