Preview vs Lite PDF
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Preview
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.
- Create and edit PDFs
- Annotate and markup documents
- Scan documents with camera
- Edit images
- Export in multiple formats
- AutoFill PDF forms
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Preview makes working with PDFs and images easier than ever, with built-in tools to create, edit, annotate, markup, and export. Access & Scan PDFs Easily find and access all the PDFs and images you have saved in the Files app right from Preview. Or use your camera to quickly scan multiple pages of a document and save it as a PDF. Edit PDFs Markup your PDFs with Apple Pencil on iPad, resize them, or rotate them. You can also use AutoFill to quickly fill out PDF forms with your contact information and details in an instant. Work with Images Create a new image with Apple Pencil on iPad or from images in your clipboard. You can also crop, flip, rotate, and resize images. Export with Ease Export images and PDFs as different file types like HEIC, JPEG, JPEG-2000, PDFs, PNGs, or TIFF. And adjust your exports with different options for resolution and size.
Lite PDF
Easily convert images and scans into professional PDF files. Edit and organize your documents with intuitive tools, then share them securely via various platforms. Streamline your document management on the go.
- Image to PDF conversion
- PDF editing tools
- Page organization
- Seamless file sharing
- Document archiving
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Experience the convenience of PDF creation and boost your productivity instantly! Main Features: Image to PDF: Instantly turn photos or scanned images into high-quality, shareable PDF files. Perfect for archiving or sending documents. PDF Editing Tools: Crop, rotate, and organize pages to make your PDFs clean and professional. Seamless Sharing: Send your files via email, cloud, or messaging apps with just a tap—quick, easy, and secure. Simplify your document workflow with this all-in-one PDF tool. Whether you're organizing class notes, scanning receipts, or sharing business files, our app lets you do it all—fast, easy, and on the go.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Lite PDF at 3.9 against Preview's 1.9. Lite PDF also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 26.0). Preview's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (1.9K vs 8). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Lite PDF holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Preview has 1.9K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 7% of Preview's written reviews are positive against 0% of Lite PDF'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, Lite PDF every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.
| Parameter | Preview | Lite PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.9 (1.9K ratings) | 3.9 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 7.4% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.9K — better | 8 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 30 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Apple | HAHA TECHNOLOGY LIMITED |
Customer experience
Preview
Lite PDF
Bugs and requests
Preview
Reported bugs
3 issues- Black screen issues
- Inability to preview certain file types
- Inconsistent behavior when opening files
Requested features
3 requests- Integrate with Files app
- Add support for more file types
- Improve PDF editing capabilities
Lite PDF
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Preview
No in-app purchases
Lite PDF
No in-app purchases
