# PDF Viewer vs Authenticator

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PDF Viewer at 89% against Authenticator's 26%. PDF Viewer also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4). Authenticator's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Viewer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Authenticator sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Viewer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 235 and 179 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of PDF Viewer's written reviews are positive against 26% of Authenticator's.

PDF Viewer ships an update every 3 months, Authenticator every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Viewer | Authenticator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (235 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-viewer-reader-and-editor/id6720703022/reviews)** | [4.4 (179 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/authenticator-2fa-otp-codes/id6740751083/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **235** | 179 |
| Positive reviews | **89.5% of reviews** | 26.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 11 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Lee](https://appshunter.io/developer/1206652057) | [Arpit Kakadiya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1779328825) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-viewer-reader-and-editor/id6720703022)

Easily convert various file formats to PDF and back again. This app supports conversions from images, documents, and presentations, allowing you to manage and share your files efficiently. It also offers OCR capabilities to convert photos into editable text.

**Highlights:** Convert JPG, Word, Excel, PPT to PDF, Convert PDF to other formats, Share and save converted files, Access conversion history, Pull files from iCloud or gallery, Convert Photos to Text (OCR)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Converter: Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| PDF Converter: Premium | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy and intuitive to use
- 🚀 Fast and efficient conversion
- 💰 Free or affordable pricing
- 📄 Excellent PDF conversion and merging capabilities
- 🎨 Clean and simple interface design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Forced review prompt before app usage
- ❌ Missing file deletion option
- 📸 No in-app camera scanning capability
- ⚙️ No file size customization options
- 🔄 Inconsistent performance across devices

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't function on iPad mini (current model)
- Forced review requirement blocks app access
- Document quality issues when converting images to PDF
- Occasional glitches during operation

**Requested features**

- Add file deletion functionality
- Implement in-app camera scanning feature
- Add page merge and delete options
- Include file size/quality customization
- Support for more device types (iPad compatibility)


### Authenticator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/authenticator-2fa-otp-codes/id6740751083)

Secure your online accounts with this app, offering robust two-factor authentication (2FA) and time-based one-time password (TOTP) generation. It provides advanced security features like end-to-end encryption, privacy mode, and break-in alerts, alongside convenient multi-device sync and quick QR code scanning for effortless account protection across all your Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Time-based one-time password (TOTP) generation, End-to-end encryption for codes, Privacy Mode to hide codes, Break-in alerts for unauthorized access attempts, Multi-device sync across Apple ecosystem, Quick QR code scanning for account setup, Lock screen widgets for instant access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Working app after latest update
- 👍 Lifetime subscription working

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Lifetime purchase option not working
- 🐛 Subscription issue after lifetime purchase
- 🔒 Lack of transparency and false information
- 🚫 Deceptive free lifetime offer

**Reported bugs**

- Lifetime purchase option not working
- Subscription issue after lifetime purchase
- Lifetime offer not working

**Requested features**

- Generate QR code for existing accounts


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Viewer free?

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

### Is Authenticator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PDF Viewer or Authenticator?

PDF Viewer is rated higher. PDF Viewer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 235 ratings, while Authenticator averages 4.4 from 179 ratings.

### Do PDF Viewer or Authenticator have ads?

Neither PDF Viewer nor Authenticator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Viewer or Authenticator?

PDF Viewer ships an update every 3 months, and Authenticator every 3 weeks. Most recently, PDF Viewer was updated on September 8, 2026 and Authenticator on September 22, 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.*