Comparison

Texifier vs Highlights

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

Head to head
About

Texifier

Write and typeset LaTeX, Plain TeX, and Markdown documents offline on your iPad or iPhone. Features include project navigation, syntax highlighting, autocomplete, and integrated cloud typesetting for rare compatibility issues.

Highlights
  • Offline LaTeX, Plain TeX, and Markdown editing
  • Project outline view for navigation
  • Syntax highlighting and command autocomplete
  • Integrated typesetter with live mode
  • Cloud typesetting for compatibility
  • Error reporting and navigation
  • File App integration
Features
Read full description

Edit and typeset LaTeX, Plain TeX and Markdown on your iPad or iPhone, no internet connection required, using Texifier, formerly known as Texpad. Texifier is a LaTeX editor designed for straightforward navigation, editing and typesetting of projects of any size. Open a LaTeX root file, and Texifier will scan it, open any referenced files, extract the document structure for display in the outline view, and configure the typesetter according to the packages and tools used by your document. Texifier's editor comes with a choice of themes, syntax highlighting, autocomplete of commands, including those defined in your document, and autofill for \cite commands, \ref commands and others. The powerful sidebar can show you a summary of your document structure allowing you to navigate through large multi-file projects with ease. Additionally Texifier's outline lists all labels, figures, tables, todos and it contains a powerful search function that can search and replace across your entire project using either normal text searches or regular expression searches. TexpadTeX - Texifier's internal, no internet connection required, typesetter comes with PGF drivers, Native Fonts extensions, a Unicode and more, allow it to support almost any LaTeX package available. TexpadTeX also integrates a BibteX tool and a Makeindex compatible indexer for documents that require those tools. The integrated bundle manager takes care of downloading, installing and updating LaTeX packages for you, giving you access to almost the entire LaTeX ecosystem without using any more space on your device than needed. TexpadTeX can run in Live mode, updating the output as you type, so you never need wait for a typeset to finish again. For the rare cases of documents that are not compatible with TexpadTeX, you can use our free cloud typesetters. This is fully integrated into Texifier so press typeset, and Texifier will run the typeset in the Cloud, presenting the results just as if they were typeset on your device. After all typesets, any errors in your document are organised in a table of issues. Tap on an issue to jump directly to the offending line of LaTeX source, or the line in the original log if you wish to read the original output. Texifier works well with Files App, allowing you to store and work on your documents wherever you wish. On top of that Texifier Connect is directly integrated into Texifier for working across devices and collaborators. Texifier supports Markdown along with LaTeX. Edit your document in Texifier's syntax highlighting editor, browse the document by outline, then when you press Typeset, the document will be transparently converted and typeset by LaTeX (using a standard template), giving you the informal ease of Markdown with LaTeX's ability to create beautiful and high quality PDFs. Likewise Plain TeX users can edit and typeset their documents in Texifier. Features: - Universal binary for iPhone and iPad, optimised for the latest generation of devices. - Typeset LaTeX to PDF on your iPad and iPhone without need for an internet connection - Support for LaTeX, Plain Tex and Markdown - Navigate easily through even the largest projects using the Outline view - Search all files by string or regex with the global search view - Browse the typeset errors and warnings either as a raw log, or with the errors and warnings table view. - Texifier's editor autocompletes commands, and autofills commands such as \ref{...} or \cite{...} - Use iOS Files app to edit documents in any storage that supports file or folder access - Instant Live typeset using Texifier's built in TexpadTeX typesetter - The onboard typesetter supports virtually any LaTeX package or font, including, but not limited to: Beamer, Tikz, Fontspec, Koma Script, e-TeX, graphicx, pgfplots, AMS, RevTeX, Babel, Bibtex and Indices. - Free typesetting through our secure cloud servers gives you access to all packages in the latest TeXLive distribution.

About

Highlights

This app is a fast and lightweight PDF reader designed for research. It allows users to read, highlight, and annotate documents, and then extract this information into organized notes. Advanced features include table data extraction, text recognition, and smart copying of annotations into various formats.

Highlights
  • Read and browse PDF documents
  • Highlight, underline, and strikethrough text
  • Add comments and sticky notes
  • Extract annotations into organized notes
  • Convert table data and recognize text
  • Smart copy annotations to various formats (CSV, BibTex)
  • Lookup citation metadata and DOI links
Features
Read full description

"... an app that students, academics, and anyone who does substantial amounts of PDF-based research should try" - Macstories.net "It’s the novel approach to PDF annotation that makes this app a cut above the rest"- TapSmart.com *** "App of the Day" - App Store, US *** USE HIGHLIGHTS FOR FREE Highlights is a fast and lightweight PDF reader (under 10MB) packed with features to help you do your best research. Free users have access to standard PDF reader features including document browsing, reading and annotating. There are NO ADS, time limits or tracking. READ PDF DOCUMENTS • Open PDF documents from anywhere • Browse files using the familiar document browser • Open PDFs in Single Page or Two Page scroll mode • Double tap to Smart Zoom in on a paragraph or figure • Scrub smoothly to the desired page • Search the entire document in an instant • Navigate using any connected keyboard or mouse STORE YOUR FILES WHERE YOU WANT • Full support for "Open In Place" lets you make edits to the file where it is • Access your files from iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive or Box using the document browser • Or keep them privately on device only HIGHLIGHT AND ANNOTATE FASTER • Select text with your finger, Apple Pencil or mouse pointer • Highlight, underline, strikethrough text and make image selections • Add comments to annotations or as individual sticky notes • Annotate with fewer taps using context aware popovers • Default annotation colors prevents you from having to repeatedly setting the color for the same type of annotation every time TURN ANNOTATIONS INTO NOTES • As you markup text and images the contents are extracted and sorted into notes • Customize the formatting and contents of your notes • Sort the annotations chronologically or create your own color coding EXTRACT TABLE DATA AND RECOGNIZE TEXT • Convert images containing text or tables to actual text and tables using machine learning - letting you get to the underlying data with a single tap SMART COPY Copy annotations to the desired format with one tap: • Text markup as text • Image selections as images • Tables as CSV • Citations as BibTex LOOKUP CITATIONS • Highlights will fetch DOI-links and metadata • Markup any reference and tap the link icon to look it up • If you have read the work already or have it in your reference manager library, Highlights will link you to it EXPORT ANYWHERE • Save or share your notes as portable files: Markdown, TextBundle, HTML, WebArchive or PDF • Share them to your favorite notes app: Apple Notes, Bear, Craft, Evernote, DEVONThink, Keep It, MindNode, Notion, Obsidian, Roam Research or Ulysses • Or send them to a colleague via mail. It's your notes, you decide where they go MUCH MORE • Dark mode • Multi-window support on iPadOS • Keyboard shortcuts and navigation • Support for system Copy and Undo gestures • Alternative app icons • Custom accent colors • Apple Pencil double-tap gestures • Power annotation tools For a full list of features see: highlightsapp.net/features HIGHLIGHTS PRO The Highlights Pro subscription unlocks advanced features on your iPhone, iPad and Mac: • Export options for other apps and easily editable formats • Extract information using table and text recognition • Customize accent colors and alternative app icons • Power annotation tools • Citation lookups • Smart Copy Highlights Pro includes a 14-day free trial. You can cancel your subscription at any time. The subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off within 24-hour prior to the end of of the current period. Payments will be charged to your iTunes account and your account will be charged within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. For more information about Highlights Pro: highlightsapp.net/pro Privacy Policy: highlightsapp.net/privacy Terms of Use: highlightsapp.net/terms

Screenshots

Texifier4 screens
Highlights4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Highlights at Free against Texifier's $29.99. Highlights also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and rating (4.5 vs 4.3). Texifier's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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

Highlights is free to download; Texifier costs $29.99 up front. Highlights sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Texifier asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Highlights holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 690 and 1.6K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of Texifier's written reviews are positive against 53% of Highlights's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Texifier ships an update every 2 months, Highlights fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 28, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Texifier versus Highlights: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTexifierHighlights
Price$29.99Free — better
Rating4.3 (690 ratings)4.5 (1.6K ratings) — better
Positive reviews56.8% of reviews — better53.3% of reviews
Number of ratings6901.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size61 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperValletta Ventures (UK) LtdJonas Myren Ribe

Customer experience

Texifier

All ratings690 ratings
Positive81.7%
Neutral4.6%
Negative13.6%
Written reviews514 reviews
Positive56.8%
Neutral11.3%
Negative31.9%

Highlights

All ratings1,610 ratings
Positive88.2%
Neutral3.7%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews465 reviews
Positive53.3%
Neutral15.3%
Negative31.4%

User reviews

Texifier

From 690 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Lightning-fast compilation
  • 👍 Convenient for writing LaTeX on the go
  • 🚀 Excellent integration with Dropbox
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 🚀 Powerful local typesetting capabilities

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 🔒 Unreliable Dropbox/cloud integration
  • 👎 Lacks support for advanced LaTeX features
  • 👎 Difficult to manage files and projects
  • 👎 Subpar performance on older devices

Highlights

From 1.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great for highlighting and annotating PDFs
  • 🔍 Effective for research and note-taking
  • 📚 Useful for academic and professional work
  • 👍 Clean and intuitive user interface
  • 🔗 Good integration with other apps and cloud storage

Room to improve

  • 💰 Subscription model is too expensive
  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔍 Limited search functionality
  • 🔒 Lack of customization options
  • 🔧 Poor customer support and unresponsive developers

Bugs and requests

Texifier

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Crashes when compiling certain documents
  • Inconsistent behavior when syncing with Dropbox
  • Issues with inserting and displaying images
  • Problems with bibliography and citation handling
  • Unexpected text formatting and layout issues

Requested features

6 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Improved file management and organization
  • Support for more LaTeX packages and features
  • Better integration with other cloud storage services
  • Keyboard shortcuts and advanced editing tools
Show 1 more
  • Spell-checking and proofreading capabilities

Highlights

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Highlights and annotations randomly disappearing
  • Text selection issues, especially with footnotes
  • Compatibility problems with certain PDF files
  • Syncing issues across devices
  • Export functionality not working as expected

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add handwriting and freeform annotation support
  • Implement a table of contents or bookmarking feature
  • Allow editing of notes directly in the app
  • Provide a one-time purchase option instead of subscription
  • Improve search capabilities with visual results and navigation

In-app purchases

None

Texifier

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Highlights

Subscriptions3
  • Highlights Pro: Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Highlights Pro14 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Highlights Pro: Legacy Upgrade1 Year trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Texifier free?
Texifier costs $29.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Highlights free?
Highlights is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Texifier or Highlights?
Highlights is rated higher. Texifier averages 4.3 out of 5 from 690 ratings, while Highlights averages 4.5 from 1.6K ratings.
Do Texifier or Highlights have ads?
Neither Texifier nor Highlights shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Texifier or Highlights?
Texifier ships an update every 2 months, and Highlights fortnightly. Most recently, Texifier was updated on September 28, 2026 and Highlights on September 28, 2026.

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