# InstaPDF vs PDFelement

The clearest difference is ads: InstaPDF at none against PDFelement's shown. InstaPDF also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (85% vs 76%). PDFelement's advantage is ratings volume (7.6K vs 1.1K). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. InstaPDF sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and PDFelement sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

InstaPDF holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDFelement has 7.6K ratings behind it against 1.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of InstaPDF's written reviews are positive against 76% of PDFelement's.

InstaPDF ships an update fortnightly, PDFelement every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | InstaPDF | PDFelement |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instapdf-scan-edit-and-share/id565931517/reviews)** | [4.6 (7.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdfelement-pdf-editor-viewer/id1516765045/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K | **7.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **85.1% of reviews** | 76.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 199 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Proconsult.at GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/452201565) | [Wondershare Technology Group Co.,LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/298647757) |

## What reviewers say

### InstaPDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instapdf-scan-edit-and-share/id565931517)

This app allows you to scan, edit, and securely store your documents. It offers features like automatic cropping, text detection, and the ability to add signatures and annotations. Documents can be synced across devices and shared easily.

**Highlights:** Fast multipage scanning with auto page detection, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), PDF editing (add/remove pages, merge, stamp, sign), Cross-device document syncing, Folder organization and sharing, Integrated QR code reader

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CloudSafe Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| CloudSafe Yearly | $27.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient workflow
- 🔒 Secure storage
- 💡 Helpful features (filters, stamps, etc.)
- 🚀 Quick scanning and sharing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or issues
- 🔧 Cropping/editing could be improved
- 💻 Compatibility issues with some devices
- 🔑 Password recovery/reset needs improvement

**Reported bugs**

- Sign-in with Apple not working for some users
- Cropping/alignment issues in certain lighting conditions
- Disappearing folders reported by some users

**Requested features**

- Import function for PDFs from other apps
- Password protection/encryption for sensitive documents
- Advanced editing tools (annotations, redaction, etc.)
- Integration with cloud storage services (iCloud, Google Drive, etc.)


### PDFelement

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdfelement-pdf-editor-viewer/id1516765045)

This application offers comprehensive PDF management, including advanced editing, AI-powered summarization and translation, and efficient scanning with OCR. It helps organize, convert, and secure documents for work, study, and personal use.

**Highlights:** AI Chat with PDF, Scan and OCR, PDF to Office Conversion, Edit PDF like Word, Password Protection, Compress PDF

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

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription (AI) | $3.99 | per month |
| PDF Editor& Converter& Scanner | $6.99 | per month |
| PDF Editor & Scanner Pro（iOS） | $6.99 | per month |
| Weekly Subscription (iOS) | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Quarterly Subscription (iOS) | $9.99 | per 3 months |
| Weekly Subscription (iOS) | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription (iOS) | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription (All) | $19.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription (iOS) | $24.99 | per year |
| PDF Editor & Scanner Pro | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription (iOS) | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription (iOS) | $29.99 | per year |
| Quarterly Subscription (All) | $39.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual Subscription (iOS+Win) | $99.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription (iOS+Mac) | $99.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription (All) | $109.99 | per year |
| PDF Editor & Scanner Pro | $39.99 | one-time |
| iOS | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient PDF editing
- 💡 Comprehensive feature set
- 🔒 Secure document handling
- 👍 Intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔒 Mandatory account required
- 🔒 Unclear licensing and subscription model
- 🐛 Syncing issues between devices

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and inability to restore purchases
- Corrupted scanned files or loss of progress
- Inconsistent behavior when editing PDF text
- Compatibility problems with older devices or OS versions

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Improve cloud integration and file management
- Enhance OCR accuracy and capabilities
- Introduce multi-tab support for better workflow
- Add more customization options for toolbars and UI


## Frequently asked questions

### Is InstaPDF free?

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

### Is PDFelement free?

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

### Which has better reviews, InstaPDF or PDFelement?

InstaPDF is rated higher. InstaPDF averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while PDFelement averages 4.6 from 7.6K ratings.

### Do InstaPDF or PDFelement have ads?

PDFelement shows ads; InstaPDF does not.

### Which is updated more often, InstaPDF or PDFelement?

InstaPDF ships an update fortnightly, and PDFelement every 10 days. Most recently, InstaPDF was updated on October 23, 2026 and PDFelement on October 30, 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.*