# PDF Tools vs Lonely PDF

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lonely PDF at none against PDF Tools's 3. Lonely PDF also leads on ads (none vs shown). PDF Tools's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Tools sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Lonely PDF asks for nothing beyond the download.

PDF Tools ships an update weekly, Lonely PDF fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Tools | Lonely PDF |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-tools-read-and-edit/id6745811413/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **9** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 96 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shilong Lu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1185413008) | [RED STONE NETWORK TECHNOLOGY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1747887233) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-tools-read-and-edit/id6745811413)

Edit, convert, and manage PDF files with features like OCR scanning, electronic signatures, and file merging. This tool allows for local processing without requiring a login, ensuring privacy and security for your documents.

**Highlights:** PDF to Word/Excel/TXT conversion, OCR scanning, Electronic signature, Merge and split PDFs, File encryption, Highlight and doodle on PDFs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Permanent Member | $3.99 | one-time |


### Lonely PDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lonely-pdf/id6808544290)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Tools free?

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

### Is Lonely PDF free?

Lonely PDF is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do PDF Tools or Lonely PDF have ads?

PDF Tools shows ads; Lonely PDF does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Tools or Lonely PDF?

PDF Tools ships an update weekly, and Lonely PDF fortnightly. Most recently, PDF Tools was updated on September 19, 2026 and Lonely PDF on October 20, 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.*