Comparison

Foxit PDF Editor vs PDF Reader

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

Head to head
About

Foxit PDF Editor

This mobile app offers comprehensive PDF management, allowing users to view, edit, annotate, and convert PDF files on the go. It includes AI-powered features for summarization, translation, and text enhancement, alongside robust tools for creating, signing, and protecting documents.

Highlights
  • AI-powered PDF summarization and translation
  • Edit text and images within PDFs
  • Convert PDFs to and from various formats
  • Annotate and add handwritten signatures
  • Create PDFs from scans or other files
  • Secure PDF files with passwords and redaction
  • Cloud service integration for file access
Features
Read full description

Looking for a versatile PDF editor that you can use anytime, anywhere? Look no further than Foxit PDF Editor mobile app. This easy-to-use PDF editor – trusted by hundreds of millions – allows you to view, edit, and annotate PDF files on iOS devices while on the go. The app also offers advanced subscription-based features, including our AI Assistant, optical character recognition (OCR), handwritten notes conversion, and more. Discover the capabilities of Foxit PDF Editor: • Reliable: 100% compliant with your current PDF ecosystem. • Efficient: Let our AI Assistant do the work for you. • Lightweight: Doesn’t exhaust your device resources. • Fast: Instant access to PDFs with no delays. • Secure: Robust file protection features to safeguard sensitive information. • Collaborative: Maintain full control of your content while working with others.. • Supportive: Access 24/7 customer service via support chat. • Multi-Language: Support for 12 languages for global usability. What Foxit PDF Editor can offer to you: AI Assistant • Agent-based conversation to ask and receive real-time responses • Automate workflows with built-in and custom skills • AI-powered image/chart generation • Translate the text • Auto-create bookmarks • Read documents aloud intelligently View and manage PDF files • Reflow PDF files for easy viewing • Convert scanned text and handwritten notes into digital text* • Easy document navigation with bookmark management features • Search for text within your PDF document • Supports tabbed document interface (for iPad only) • Supports to read the PDF out loud • Rename, move, copy, or delete PDF file(s) Collaborate and share PDF files • Add annotations and stamps to PDF files • Share PDF files and screenshots from within the application • Share multiple files across your desktop and iOS device via Wi-Fi • Save, synchronize, and access PDF files in popular cloud services (Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.) Create and convert PDFs • Create blank PDFs from scratch* • Create PDFs from Microsoft Office, image, text, and HTML files* • Scan and convert paper documents to PDFs (available on iPad 3, iPhone 5, and newer generation products) • Convert PDFs to Microsoft Office, image, text, or HTML files* • Combine PDFs to create a new PDF* Edit PDF files • Insert audios, videos, or hyperlinks to PDFs* • Add/edit text and image objects in PDFs* • Edit document properties* • Optimize PDF documents* • Reorganize PDF pages (Add*, delete, rotate, or extract* pages) Work on PDF forms • Fill out and save PDF forms • Import and export form data • Submit PDF forms via HTTP, FTP, or Email • Work on XFA forms* Sign and protect PDFs • Add handwritten signatures to PDFs • Sign PDF documents with an existing digital certificate* • Protect PDF files with password and Microsoft Information Protection* • Protect PDF information with redaction* The features marked with the asterisk (*) are advanced features based on subscription through in-app purchase. To activate the advanced features, you should create a Foxit account and subscribe to Foxit PDF Editor. After subscription, just sign in with your Foxit account and the advanced features will be available. Terms and Conditions: You must comply with the Foxit-Terms of Use and Privacy Policy (https://appstore.foxitsoftware.com/appstore/license) when using this app. Have feedback? You can contact us at the following address: https://www.foxit.com/support/ticket.html Follow Foxit on Facebook and Twitter! https://www.facebook.com/foxitsoftware https://twitter.com/foxitsoftware

About

PDF Reader

This app offers a superior PDF reading experience with its innovative Liquid Mode, which optimizes documents for mobile screens. It also provides robust tools for annotating, signing, managing, and sharing your PDF files, catering to both work and study needs.

Highlights
  • Liquid Mode for optimized mobile reading
  • Annotation tools (pencil, text, highlighting)
  • Handwritten signature insertion
  • File management (move, merge, copy, delete)
  • Cloud service integration (Wondershare, iCloud)
  • Create blank PDFs and folders
Features
Read full description

PDFelement - PDF Reader is a PDF reader using the latest technology. The newly connected Liquid Mode function allows you to enjoy the best reading experience. In addition, there are various annotation tools, file management, signature, Various functions such as cloud services can meet your PDF needs in work and study. PDF VIEWER • Liquid Mode gives you the best PDF reading experience • Star files to find them quickly • Easily locate recently accessed files in the "Recent" list. • Enter the page number to navigate to the desired page for viewing LIQUID MODE • Get the best PDF Reading experience with Liquid Mode • PDF document fully fits the mobile phone screen, no need to zoom in and out repeatedly. • Easily adjust brightness, font size,style, and spacing. ANNOTATE • Using Pencil to annotate like writing on the paper • Add text annotations, freely modify the text and background, border colors, choose the appropriate font and font size. • Supports many annotating tools like highlighting, underlining, squiggly lines, or strikethroughs. MANAGE • Move, merge, copy or delete files SIGNATURE • Enables handwritten signatures to be inserted anywhere within the document, while also offering the ability to zoom in and out for greater flexibility. • Built-in commonly used stamps CREATE • Quickly create completely blank PDF documents • Creat blank folders. SHARE • Sharing document content with others is just a click away with capture feature. • Select sentence(s) or pragraph(s) to share CLOUD SERVICE • PDF Reader supports uploading or downloading docs via computer, Wondershare document cloud and iCloud. Please note that this app only supports editing native PDF files. It does not support editing scanned or raster PDF. If you find you cannot edit text in PDF, please check if it is scanned PDF. Thank you! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Need HELP? Please contact us! We'll feedback to you ASAP. Email: pdfelement@wondershare.com Support Center: http://support.wondershare.com Forum: http://forum.pdf.wondershare.com Official Website: https://pdf.wondershare.com If you think this App helps you, your positive review in the App Store would be much appreciated.

Screenshots

Foxit PDF Editor4 screens
PDF Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PDF Reader at none against Foxit PDF Editor's 5. PDF Reader also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 68%) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Foxit PDF Editor's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.3) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads 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. Foxit PDF Editor sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. PDF Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Foxit PDF Editor holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.8K and 3.9K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of Foxit PDF Editor's written reviews are positive against 77% of PDF Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Foxit PDF Editor ships an update monthly, PDF Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Foxit PDF Editor versus PDF Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFoxit PDF EditorPDF Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (4.8K ratings) — better4.3 (3.9K ratings)
Positive reviews68.3% of reviews76.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4.8K — better3.9K
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size328 MB173 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFOXIT SOFTWARE INCORPORATEDWondershare Technology (Hunan) Co.,Ltd.

Customer experience

Foxit PDF Editor

All ratings4,759 ratings
Positive87.4%
Neutral3.5%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews526 reviews
Positive68.3%
Neutral6.5%
Negative25.3%

PDF Reader

All ratings3,923 ratings
Positive83.1%
Neutral3.2%
Negative13.7%
Written reviews1,582 reviews
Positive76.7%
Neutral6.1%
Negative17.2%

User reviews

Foxit PDF Editor

From 4.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent PDF reader
  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🔓 Robust annotation tools
  • 💡 Convenient cloud integration
  • 🔊 Helpful text-to-speech feature

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 🔒 Subscription required for full functionality
  • 💰 Expensive subscription cost
  • 🖌️ Poor Apple Pencil support
  • 📂 Unreliable cloud sync

PDF Reader

From 3.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Efficient PDF editing
  • 💡 Useful annotation tools
  • 🚀 Convenient for students/professionals
  • 👍 Great value for free app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and glitches
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns with account requirement
  • 👎 Unintuitive user interface
  • 🐛 Unreliable saving/syncing
  • 👎 Limited functionality compared to paid version

Bugs and requests

Foxit PDF Editor

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Subscription not recognized after OS update
  • Pages go blank when switching apps
  • Handwriting and text input issues
  • Inconsistent behavior when rotating device
  • Corrupted files and data loss

Requested features

5 requests
  • Allow custom highlight/text color
  • Improve page navigation and bookmarking
  • Integrate with more cloud storage providers
  • Add OCR and text extraction capabilities
  • Enhance annotation tools for better precision

PDF Reader

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Text boxes appearing randomly
  • Inability to select/edit text in some PDFs
  • Scrolling issues and page loading delays
  • Incompatibility with certain PDF formats

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to edit text formatting (font, size, color)
  • Support for multiple open documents
  • Improved Apple Pencil integration
  • Bookmark/favorite feature for frequently used PDFs
  • Expanded cloud storage integration (OneDrive, Google Drive, etc.)

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Foxit PDF Editor

Subscriptions5
  • Foxit AI Assistant - Monthly$4.991 Month
  • PDF Editor - Monthly$6.991 Month
  • PDF Editor - Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • Foxit AI Assistant - Yearly$49.991 Year
  • PDF Editor+ Yearly14 Days trial$139.991 Year
None

PDF Reader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Foxit PDF Editor free?
Foxit PDF Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PDF Reader free?
PDF Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Foxit PDF Editor or PDF Reader?
Foxit PDF Editor is rated higher. Foxit PDF Editor averages 4.5 out of 5 from 4.8K ratings, while PDF Reader averages 4.3 from 3.9K ratings.
Do Foxit PDF Editor or PDF Reader have ads?
Neither Foxit PDF Editor nor PDF Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Foxit PDF Editor or PDF Reader?
Foxit PDF Editor ships an update monthly, and PDF Reader every 2 months. Most recently, Foxit PDF Editor was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDF Reader on September 23, 2026.

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