# PDF Dark vs Dark Reader

The clearest difference is price: Dark Reader at Free against PDF Dark's $3.99. Dark Reader also leads on rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months). PDF Dark's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Dark Reader is free to download; PDF Dark costs $3.99 up front. Dark Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. PDF Dark asks for nothing beyond the download.

Dark Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of PDF Dark's written reviews are positive against 30% of Dark Reader's.

PDF Dark ships an update every 11 months, Dark Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on August 25, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Dark | Dark Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-dark/id6470178025/reviews) | **[4.4 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-reader-pdf-viewer/id6736392716/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **7** |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **30.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 1 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jorge Lucioni Charalla](https://appshunter.io/developer/1198674844) | [Utsav Mangla](https://appshunter.io/developer/1729995457) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Dark

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-dark/id6470178025)

Transform bright PDF pages into a comfortable dark mode for easier reading at night. Reduce eye strain, improve focus, and potentially save battery life. Enjoy a smoother reading experience on your devices.

**Highlights:** Dark mode for PDFs, Reduced eye strain, Improved focus, Battery saving, Multi-device support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Dark Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-reader-pdf-viewer/id6736392716)

Easily read PDF documents in a comfortable dark mode to reduce eye strain and save battery. This app automatically converts any PDF into a dark theme for a better reading experience on your devices.

**Highlights:** PDF dark mode conversion, Automatic dark mode application, All-in-one PDF viewer, Eye comfort focus, Supports iPhone, iPad, macOS

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime: Buy once Use forever | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Dark free?

PDF Dark costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Dark Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PDF Dark or Dark Reader?

Dark Reader is rated higher. PDF Dark averages 4.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Dark Reader averages 4.4 from 7 ratings.

### Do PDF Dark or Dark Reader have ads?

Neither PDF Dark nor Dark Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Dark or Dark Reader?

PDF Dark ships an update every 11 months, and Dark Reader every 2 months. Most recently, PDF Dark was updated on August 25, 2026 and Dark Reader on September 10, 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.*