# Preview vs Smart PDF+ Editor

The clearest difference is price: Preview at Free against Smart PDF+ Editor's $4.99. Preview also leads on ratings volume (1.9K vs 53). Smart PDF+ Editor's advantage is rating (3.8 vs 1.9) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Preview is free to download; Smart PDF+ Editor costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Smart PDF+ Editor holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Preview has 1.9K ratings behind it against 53, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 7% of Preview's written reviews are positive against 5% of Smart PDF+ Editor's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Preview ships an update every 3 months, Smart PDF+ Editor every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Preview | Smart PDF+ Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [1.9 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/preview/id536344167/reviews) | **[3.8 (53 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-pdf-plus-editor/id1184082898/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.9K** | 53 |
| Positive reviews | **7.4% of reviews** | 5.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 7 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Apple](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) | [Qrayon, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/354980265) |

## What reviewers say

### Preview

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/preview/id536344167)

Streamline your workflow with tools to create, edit, annotate, and export PDFs and images. Easily access files, scan documents, and make quick edits with Apple Pencil support. Export your work in various formats with customizable resolution and size options.

**Highlights:** Create and edit PDFs, Annotate and markup documents, Scan documents with camera, Edit images, Export in multiple formats, AutoFill PDF forms

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Built-in PDF viewer
- 🚀 Incremental improvements
- 💡 Comprehensive markup capabilities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and glitches
- 🤔 Confusing user interface
- 🤷‍♀️ Redundant with existing apps
- 🔀 Disjointed experience with Files app

**Reported bugs**

- Black screen issues
- Inability to preview certain file types
- Inconsistent behavior when opening files

**Requested features**

- Integrate with Files app
- Add support for more file types
- Improve PDF editing capabilities


### Smart PDF+ Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-pdf-plus-editor/id1184082898)

This app allows users to read, sign, and annotate PDF documents, especially with stylus input. It's designed for professionals to quickly handle documents and for students to take notes on study materials. Features include a built-in file manager for organization.

**Highlights:** Ink annotations, Document signing, File organization, PDF reading, Document sharing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Preview free?

Preview is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Smart PDF+ Editor free?

Smart PDF+ Editor costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Preview or Smart PDF+ Editor?

Smart PDF+ Editor is rated higher. Preview averages 1.9 out of 5 from 1.9K ratings, while Smart PDF+ Editor averages 3.8 from 53 ratings.

### Do Preview or Smart PDF+ Editor have ads?

Neither Preview nor Smart PDF+ Editor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Preview or Smart PDF+ Editor?

Preview ships an update every 3 months, and Smart PDF+ Editor every 4 months. Most recently, Preview was updated on September 25, 2026 and Smart PDF+ Editor on September 17, 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.*