Comparison

ExcalidrawZ vs Dark Reader

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

Head to head
About

ExcalidrawZ

This app enhances a popular web-based drawing tool by adding essential file management features. It offers automatic saving, file grouping, and cloud synchronization to ensure your creations are always accessible and secure across devices.

Highlights
  • Automatic file saving
  • File grouping
  • iCloud backup
  • Cross-device synchronization
  • Enhanced security for drawings
Features
Read full description

ExcalidrawZ is a native Excalidraw client for Mac, iPad, and iPhone, designed for hand-drawn whiteboards, diagrams, sketches, visual notes, and technical explanations. It keeps the familiar Excalidraw canvas experience, then adds native file management, iCloud sync, history, import and export tools, and Apple-platform interactions around it. Hand-drawn whiteboards and diagrams - Create flowcharts, architecture diagrams, wireframes, study notes, and visual sketches - Work with the familiar hand-drawn Excalidraw style - Use Apple Pencil, keyboard shortcuts, mouse, and trackpad controls - Continue editing across Mac, iPad, and iPhone Manage Excalidraw files - Autosave drawings managed inside the app - Organize work with groups, sorting, and local folders - Sync app-managed files across devices with iCloud - Review file history and restore important versions - Open and edit .excalidraw, .excalidraw.png, and .excalidraw.svg files Import, export, and share - Import PDFs and organize them on the canvas - Convert Mermaid diagrams into editable Excalidraw content - Insert LaTeX formulas and function graphs - Export images, PDFs, Excalidraw files, and editable PNG/SVG files - Share through the clipboard, system share sheet, and backup archives More advanced tools - Use Excalidraw collaboration when drawing with others - Ask AI to understand, create, and revise canvas content - Preview AI-generated proposals before applying them to your real canvas - Lock sensitive files and control which content is visible to AI - Expose MCP services for compatible AI clients ExcalidrawZ is useful for product design, engineering notes, study diagrams, teaching, documentation, brainstorming, and everyday whiteboard work. Privacy Policy https://excalidrawz.chocoford.com/privacy/ Terms of Use https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Dark Reader

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
Read full description

Dark Reader: PDF Viewer is the best way to read and manage PDF files in dark mode or night mode. Reduce eye strain, save battery, and enjoy a more comfortable reading experience by instantly converting your PDF documents into dark mode. Why choose DarkPDF? ► PDF Dark Mode & Night Mode – Instantly switch any PDF into dark mode for easier reading at night. ► Works Automatically – Open any PDF and DarkPDF applies dark mode right away. ► All-in-One PDF Viewer – A clean and simple PDF viewer with dark mode support for iPad, iPhone and macOS. ► Convert PDF into Dark Mode – Turn your documents into a dark theme view with one tap. ► Perfect for Eye Comfort – Ideal for students, professionals, and night readers who want to protect their eyes. DarkPDF is the best PDF viewer with dark mode extension for iOS. Whether it’s reports, eBooks, contracts, lecture notes, or presentations, DarkPDF adds a dark reading experience to every PDF. Download DarkPDF: PDF Night Mode Viewer today and enjoy a smarter, more comfortable way to read PDFs on your iPhone, iPad and macOS. Privacy Policy: https://www.freeprivacypolicy.com/live/17cd28ef-f6e3-42ae-b053-1a317183d906 Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

Screenshots

ExcalidrawZ4 screens
Dark Reader3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ExcalidrawZ at 74% against Dark Reader's 30%. ExcalidrawZ also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). Dark Reader's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, ads 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. ExcalidrawZ sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Dark Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Dark Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 7 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 74% of ExcalidrawZ's written reviews are positive against 30% of Dark Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ExcalidrawZ ships an update weekly, Dark Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
ExcalidrawZ versus Dark Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterExcalidrawZDark Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (12 ratings)4.4 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews73.5% of reviews — better30.0% of reviews
Number of ratings12 — better7
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size107 MB67 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChocoford TechUtsav Mangla

Customer experience

ExcalidrawZ

All ratings12 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews34 reviews
Positive73.5%
Neutral2.9%
Negative23.5%

Dark Reader

All ratings7 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive30.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative60.0%

In-app purchases

16 purchases

ExcalidrawZ

Subscriptions10
  • Starter$2.991 Month
  • One coffee a month$2.991 Month
  • One coffee a week$6.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • Pro$9.991 Month
  • Max 3×$29.991 Month
  • Starter$29.991 Year
  • Max 10×$99.991 Month
  • Pro$99.991 Year
  • Max 3× (Yearly)$299.991 Year
  • Max 10× (Yearly)$999.991 Year
One-time6
  • Buy me a coffee$2.99
  • Buy me two coffee$4.99
  • Buy me five coffee$19.99
Show 3 more
  • Buy me ten coffee$29.99
  • Give me a great support$49.99
  • Ultimate support$99.99
2 purchases

Dark Reader

Subscriptions1
  • Annual$4.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime: Buy once Use forever$5.99

Questions

Is ExcalidrawZ free?
ExcalidrawZ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dark Reader free?
Dark Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ExcalidrawZ or Dark Reader?
Dark Reader is rated higher. ExcalidrawZ averages 4.2 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Dark Reader averages 4.4 from 7 ratings.
Do ExcalidrawZ or Dark Reader have ads?
Neither ExcalidrawZ nor Dark Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ExcalidrawZ or Dark Reader?
ExcalidrawZ ships an update weekly, and Dark Reader every 2 months. Most recently, ExcalidrawZ was updated on October 19, 2026 and Dark Reader on September 28, 2026.

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