Pho vs Document Reader & PDF Tools
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
Pho
This app replaces your native photo gallery and synchronizes your pictures to cloud storage. It offers a streamlined experience for viewing and managing your photo library.
- Photo gallery replacement
- Cloud photo synchronization
- SMB, WebDAV, NFS support
- Simple user experience
- View and manage photos
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Pho is a serverless photo sync and gallery app. It backs up your photos directly to your own network storage ā Samba (SMB), WebDAV, NFS, S3 and Google Drive ā without routing them through any third-party cloud photo service. No middleman server. No database. No subscription lock-in. The files are entirely yours. [Your photos, only in your own storage] Pho never uploads your photos to a third-party server. All photos are stored in your own network storage using a "year/month/day" directory structure, with original filenames preserved. You can access, migrate, or reuse these raw files anytime without Pho ā they're ordinary files, not packaged, not locked, not hidden behind a proprietary format. This is the fundamental difference between Pho and every cloud photo service. [Replace your built-in gallery] Pho isn't just for sync ā it works as your daily gallery. Local and cloud photos appear in a single timeline, with: Ā· Grouping by date, pinch-to-zoom Ā· Lazy thumbnail loading ā smooth even with tens of thousands of photos Ā· Full EXIF info Ā· Live Photo playback Ā· Native HEIC / HEVC / RAW (DNG) / video support [Original quality, no compression] Pho preserves the original quality of your photos and videos ā no compression, no re-encoding, no EXIF stripping. Your 4K videos and DNG RAW files stay exactly as they were. Cloud browsing is also original quality ā no silent downscaling like some cloud photo services. [Background auto-sync] Scheduled sync runs in the background: on iOS, the system schedules it while charging ā no need to open the app manually. Wi-Fi-only option avoids cellular data usage. A passive local notification is sent on completion (silent, no screen wake). After the first sync, Pho incrementally compares local and cloud, uploading only new photos. [AES encryption] Privacy-conscious? Pho supports AES encryption: photos are encrypted before upload and decrypted before download. Encrypted files use a .aes suffix ā even if storage is inspected or leaked, originals cannot be recovered. Encrypted videos stream natively without downloading the whole file. You can always find these encrypted files in your own storage and decrypt them without Pho using the same algorithm and password. [Supported storage] Ā· Samba (SMB) ā works with NAS, router USB storage, Windows shared folders Ā· WebDAV ā works with self-hosted services, Jianguoyun, Nextcloud, etc. Ā· NFS ā works with Linux / NAS Ā· Baidu Netdisk ā popular in China, OAuth login Each storage type only needs to be configured once and connects automatically afterwards. Switch or reconfigure anytime. [Pro features] Ā· Parallel upload: upload multiple photos at once for faster backups Ā· Encrypted storage: AES encryption to protect your privacy Ā· Custom upload filters: filter by file type and date Ā· Camera-only album: intelligently filter out screenshots and downloads Ā· Theme color: switch to your preferred theme Ā· Free up storage: delete synced photos to reclaim phone space Three plans available: monthly, yearly, and lifetime. Subscriptions can be canceled anytime via App Store subscription management. [Who it's for] Ā· Privacy-conscious users who don't want photos hosted by third-party cloud services Ā· Users with a NAS, router USB storage, self-hosted WebDAV, or Baidu Netdisk Ā· Users looking to replace the native gallery and manage local + cloud photos in one place Ā· Users who need local encryption before backup [About Pho] Pho is an open-source project with source code publicly available on GitHub. No ads, no tracking, no data collection. Maintained by a single developer, continuously improved based on user feedback. For issues or suggestions, find feedback channels in Settings ā About, or contact the developer directly. Thank you to every user who chose Pho. Privacy Policy: https://pho.tools/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Document Reader & PDF Tools
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Document Reader & PDF Tools helps you open, manage, and work with your files in one place. The app is designed for everyday document use, combining file management, document reading, and essential PDF tools in a clean and simple interface. With support for common file formats, you can quickly access and view your documents without switching between multiple apps. File Manager ⢠Browse and organize files by categories such as images, videos, audio, and documents ⢠Access folders and manage your files ŲØŲ³ŁŁŁŲ© ⢠View recent files for quick access Document Reader ⢠Open and read PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and text files ⢠Smooth and clear document viewing experience ⢠Quickly locate and open your files PDF Tools ⢠Convert documents, spreadsheets, and text files to PDF ⢠Merge multiple PDF files into one ⢠Split PDF into separate files ⢠Compress PDF to reduce file size More Tools ⢠Rotate PDF pages ⢠Resize images ⢠Convert PDF to image Quick Access & Import ⢠Import files from your device ⢠Capture documents using camera Wi-Fi Transfer ⢠Transfer files between your phone and other devices using Wi-Fi ⢠Connect through a local network for file access The app keeps your document workflow simple by bringing file reading, file management, and PDF tools together in one place.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Document Reader & PDF Tools at none against Pho's 3. Document Reader & PDF Tools also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Pho's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly). On price and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Pho sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Document Reader & PDF Tools asks for nothing beyond the download.
Pho ships an update every 5 days, Document Reader & PDF Tools monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pho | Document Reader & PDF Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | ā |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days ā better | Monthly |
| Ads | No ā better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No ā better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | ā |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac ā better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13.0 ā better |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 55 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ęøęµ© å¼ | Vu Quang Tuan |
In-app purchases
Pho
- Pho Pro - Monthly$2.99
- Pho Pro - Yearly$19.99
- Pho pro - lifetime$34.99
Document Reader & PDF Tools
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Pho free?
Is Document Reader & PDF Tools free?
Do Pho or Document Reader & PDF Tools have ads?
Which is updated more often, Pho or Document Reader & PDF Tools?
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