# PDF Export vs PDF Maker & Reader

The clearest difference is rating: PDF Export at 4.7 against PDF Maker & Reader's 4.2. PDF Export also leads on review sentiment (46% vs 20%) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 25). PDF Maker & Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Export sells 12 one-off in-app purchases and PDF Maker & Reader sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Export holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Export has 1.8K ratings behind it against 25, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of PDF Export's written reviews are positive against 20% of PDF Maker & Reader's.

PDF Export ships an update fortnightly, PDF Maker & Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Export | PDF Maker & Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-export-editor-and-converter/id633275113/reviews)** | [4.2 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-maker-and-reader/id1293534601/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 25 |
| Positive reviews | **46.4% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 217 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LiveBird Technologies Private Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/551521372) | [NAOAKI SEKIGUCHI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1146328819) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Export

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-export-editor-and-converter/id633275113)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Fax Credit | $0.99 | one-time |
| Convert 5 Documents Online | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 Fax Credit | $3.99 | one-time |
| PDF Export Pro Plus | $3.99 | one-time |
| PDF Export Pro | $3.99 | one-time |
| Convert 30 Documents Online | $4.99 | one-time |
| 10 Fax Credit | $5.99 | one-time |
| 20 Fax Credit | $9.99 | one-time |
| Convert 70 Documents Online | $9.99 | one-time |
| PDF Export Full Access | $12.99 | one-time |
| 50 Fax Credit | $19.99 | one-time |
| Convert 150 Documents Online | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### PDF Maker & Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-maker-and-reader/id1293534601)

Create and read PDF documents on your iPhone and iPad. Easily add text, photos, maps, and diagrams to new or existing PDFs. Share your creations via iCloud Drive, email, and other compatible applications.

**Highlights:** Create new PDF documents, Read PDF documents from various sources, Add text manually or via keyboard, Insert photos, maps, and diagrams, Export PDFs to other applications, Compatible with App Extensions and Apple Pencil

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Maker & Reader Pro | $1.99 | one-time |
| License | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Export free?

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

### Is PDF Maker & Reader free?

PDF Maker & Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PDF Export or PDF Maker & Reader?

PDF Export is rated higher. PDF Export averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while PDF Maker & Reader averages 4.2 from 25 ratings.

### Do PDF Export or PDF Maker & Reader have ads?

Both PDF Export and PDF Maker & Reader show ads.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Export or PDF Maker & Reader?

PDF Export ships an update fortnightly, and PDF Maker & Reader every 2 months. Most recently, PDF Export was updated on October 21, 2026 and PDF Maker & Reader on October 23, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*