Comparison

InstaPDF vs PDF Export

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

Head to head
About

InstaPDF

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
Read full description

Keep your documents safe and secure. Scan, edit and sync documents to all of your devices. Smart renaming suggestions, multiple accounts, text detection and more. Featured by Apple, iMore, Verizon, The App Factor, TechRepublic, Roar News, appPicker and many more. InstaPDF Account required, which can be created In-App. FAST SCANNING WITH AUTOCROP & OCR Multipage scans with auto page detection, which captures just the part you need and performs automatic OCR. PDF EDITOR Add, remove, rotate or re-order pages. Merge documents. Stamp, markup or add signatures. Available exclusively to InstaPDF CloudSafe subscribers. MAC APP Provides an efficient drag & drop and renaming interface to quickly organise and upload multiple documents. SCAN, SIGN AND SEND WITH MARKUP Draw, Highlight, Custom & Predefined Stamp, Add Text, Annotate and Sign Documents. All changes made to the document are synced across devices. FOLDERS Share multiple documents with your anyone using a single URL/link. Documents can be added to existing folders to keep everyone updated. QR CODE READER Integrated QR code reader. Documents from other Users can be imported to your account through QR codes. UNLIMITED CLOUD SYNC Sync that works, no matter how many documents you scan. PRIVACY FOCUSED Encrypt important documents. Set public documents to private with a simple switch. Deleted documents are not recoverable. Follow us @InstaPDF on Twitter for more information. InstaPDF for macOS available at http://instapdf.com/#mac * Privacy Policy: https://instapdf.com/legal#privacy * Terms of Use: https://instapdf.com/legal#tos

About

PDF Export

This app provides comprehensive tools for creating, editing, converting, and organizing PDF files on your mobile device. It offers features like scanning documents, merging files, adding watermarks, and even transcribing audio to text, all without requiring an internet connection.

Highlights
  • Convert Word, Excel, JPG to PDF
  • Convert PDF to Word, Excel, PPT
  • Edit PDF text and images
  • Annotate and sign documents
  • Merge and split PDFs
  • Scan documents with OCR
  • Compress and secure PDFs
Features
Read full description

Tired of switching between multiple apps just to handle PDFs? PDF Export brings scanning, editing, converting, signing, compressing, chat exporting and 30+ PDF tools together in one simple app. Scan a document, edit a PDF, convert Office files, export WhatsApp chats, add signatures, protect files and much more — right from your iPhone or iPad. Pay once. No subscription. No monthly fee. # ANNOTATE & EDIT PDFs - Work directly inside your PDF. - Highlight important text, draw, add comments, annotate pages and edit PDF content without recreating the entire document. # SCAN ANY DOCUMENT - Turn your iPhone or iPad into a portable document scanner. - Scan receipts, contracts, notes, forms and multi-page documents in seconds. Automatic edge detection helps create clean, professional-looking PDFs without needing a separate scanner. # OCR — EXTRACT TEXT FROM IMAGES - Need text from a photo, scanned document or handwritten document? - OCR can recognize and extract text from images, scanned documents, handwritten documents and image-based PDFs. - Copy, search or work with the extracted text without typing everything again. # MERGE & SPLIT PDFs - Organize PDF pages exactly the way you need. - Combine multiple PDF files into a single document, or split a large PDF into smaller files. Great for reports, invoices, forms and document collections. # SIGN DOCUMENTS - Sign PDFs directly on your iPhone or iPad. - No printing, signing and scanning again. Simply open your document, add your signature and share the completed PDF. # CONVERT FILES TO PDF — OR BACK AGAIN - Quickly convert documents between popular formats: - Word to PDF - PDF to Word - Excel to PDF - PDF to Excel - PowerPoint to PDF - PDF to PowerPoint - JPG to PDF - PDF to JPG - Web Page to PDF - PDF to Text - PDF to HTML - PDF to RTF Keep your documents in the format you actually need. # COMPRESS PDFs - Large PDF taking too much space? - Reduce PDF file size to make documents easier to email, share, upload or store while maintaining useful document quality. # PROTECT, UNLOCK & WATERMARK PDFs - Keep sensitive documents protected. - Add password protection to PDFs, unlock files you have permission to access, and add watermarks to help protect your work. # CHAT TO PDF - Export WhatsApp chats as beautifully formatted PDFs or interactive HTML. - Choose from WhatsApp-style or clean document layouts, personalize with themes, search messages, jump between months, and view shared media easily. - Perfect for saving memories, keeping records, and archiving important conversations. # ROTATE & CROP PDF PAGES - Fix poorly oriented or badly cropped pages in seconds. - Rotate pages with a tap, remove unwanted margins, or crop multiple pages to create a cleaner document. # MORE PDF TOOLS - PDF Export includes many additional tools for everyday document work, including: - Blank PDF editor - Web to PDF - Clipboard to PDF - Add page numbers - Extract images - Repair PDFs - Transcribe content - Send fax And more TRY BEFORE YOU BUY See how the tools work before purchasing. Import your own file for a trial, or use the built-in sample document anytime to explore available features. # WHY PDF EXPORT? - 30+ PDF tools in one app - One-time purchase — no subscription - Scan, edit, sign and convert documents - Export WhatsApp chats to PDF or interactive HTML - Designed for iPhone and iPad - Many document tools work offline - Simple tools for everyday PDF tasks Whether you're scanning paperwork, signing a contract, converting an Office document, compressing a large PDF or preserving an important WhatsApp conversation, PDF Export gives you the tools to get it done in one place. Download PDF Export and make PDF and document management simpler.

Screenshots

InstaPDF4 screens
PDF Export4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: InstaPDF at 85% against PDF Export's 46%. InstaPDF also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases 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. InstaPDF sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and PDF Export sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

InstaPDF holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 1.8K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of InstaPDF's written reviews are positive against 46% of PDF Export's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
InstaPDF versus PDF Export: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInstaPDFPDF Export
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (1.1K ratings) — better4.7 (1.8K ratings)
Positive reviews85.1% of reviews — better46.4% of reviews
Number of ratings1.1K1.8K — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB217 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperProconsult.at GmbHLiveBird Technologies Private Limited

Customer experience

InstaPDF

All ratings1,040 ratings
Positive98.7%
Neutral0.8%
Negative0.6%
Written reviews121 reviews
Positive85.1%
Neutral1.7%
Negative13.2%

PDF Export

All ratings1,727 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral3.3%
Negative5.6%
Written reviews418 reviews
Positive46.4%
Neutral5.5%
Negative48.1%

User reviews

InstaPDF

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

PDF Export

From 1.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Excellent PDF conversion capabilities
  • 🚀 Fast and efficient performance
  • 💡 Comprehensive set of PDF tools
  • 👍 Easy to use interface
  • 👍 Helpful for personal and professional use

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 💰 Paid features required for basic functionality
  • 🔒 Confusing in-app purchase and upgrade process
  • 🔍 Poor discoverability of features
  • 🗂️ Lack of cloud sync and cross-device support

Bugs and requests

InstaPDF

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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.)

PDF Export

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when opening certain PDF files
  • Formatting issues when converting documents to PDF
  • Inability to restore previous purchases

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improved PDF splitting and merging capabilities
  • Annotation and editing tools for PDFs
  • Better integration with other productivity apps
  • Clearer pricing and feature structure
  • Enhanced user interface and navigation

In-app purchases

2 purchases

InstaPDF

Subscriptions2
  • CloudSafe Monthly$2.991 Month
  • CloudSafe Yearly$27.991 Year
12 purchases

PDF Export

One-time12
  • 1 Fax Credit$0.99
  • Convert 5 Documents Online$0.99
  • 5 Fax Credit$3.99
Show 9 more
  • PDF Export Pro Plus$3.99
  • PDF Export Pro$3.99
  • Convert 30 Documents Online$4.99
  • 10 Fax Credit$5.99
  • 20 Fax Credit$9.99
  • Convert 70 Documents Online$9.99
  • PDF Export Full Access$12.99
  • 50 Fax Credit$19.99
  • Convert 150 Documents Online$19.99

Questions

Is InstaPDF free?
InstaPDF is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PDF Export free?
PDF Export is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, InstaPDF or PDF Export?
InstaPDF is rated higher. InstaPDF averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while PDF Export averages 4.7 from 1.8K ratings.
Do InstaPDF or PDF Export have ads?
PDF Export shows ads; InstaPDF does not.
Which is updated more often, InstaPDF or PDF Export?
InstaPDF ships an update fortnightly, and PDF Export fortnightly. Most recently, InstaPDF was updated on October 23, 2026 and PDF Export on October 29, 2026.

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