# Excel Function Reference vs PDF to Excel

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Excel Function Reference at 91% against PDF to Excel's 15%. Excel Function Reference also leads on ads (none vs shown). PDF to Excel's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (29 vs 6). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Excel Function Reference sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and PDF to Excel sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF to Excel holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 29 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 91% of Excel Function Reference's written reviews are positive against 15% of PDF to Excel's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Excel Function Reference ships an update every 6 months, PDF to Excel every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on June 11, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Excel Function Reference | PDF to Excel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/excel-function-reference/id604713781/reviews) | **[4.7 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-to-excel/id1023300310/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **29** |
| Positive reviews | **90.9% of reviews** | 15.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 148 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Blue Lemons LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1671392743) | [Flyingbee Software Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/903791133) |

## What reviewers say

### Excel Function Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/excel-function-reference/id604713781)

This app provides a comprehensive guide to Excel functions with step-by-step examples. It features smart search, name search, and concise descriptions for over 400 formulas. Users can easily share formula details and access essential functions for free.

**Highlights:** Smart search for functions, Search by function name and category, Concise formula descriptions, Over 400 formula examples, Email formula details, Feedback system

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro upgrade | $6.99 | one-time |


### PDF to Excel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-to-excel/id1023300310)

Quickly convert PDF documents into editable Excel spreadsheets. Preserve original text, layout, and font styles for easy data reuse and calculation. Supports various office editors and cloud storage.

**Highlights:** Convert PDF to editable Excel (.xlsx), Preserves text, layout, and font style, Fast conversion (50 pages in 20 secs), Offline conversion (100% local), Convert specific pages, Cloud storage integration (FTP, WebDAV), Multiple file transfer options

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF to Excel - Pro Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| PDF to Excel +10 Times | $2.99 | one-time |
| PDF to Excel +100 Times | $9.99 | one-time |
| PDF to Excel - Pro Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Excel Function Reference free?

Excel Function Reference is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PDF to Excel free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Excel Function Reference or PDF to Excel?

PDF to Excel is rated higher. Excel Function Reference averages 4.3 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while PDF to Excel averages 4.7 from 29 ratings.

### Do Excel Function Reference or PDF to Excel have ads?

PDF to Excel shows ads; Excel Function Reference does not.

### Which is updated more often, Excel Function Reference or PDF to Excel?

Excel Function Reference ships an update every 6 months, and PDF to Excel every 9 months. Most recently, Excel Function Reference was updated on June 11, 2026 and PDF to Excel on September 21, 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.*