PDF Reader vs Simple PDF
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PDF Reader
This app provides a privacy-focused way to view, organize, and manage PDF files on your device. It offers tools for merging, splitting, securing documents, and converting images to PDF, all processed locally for enhanced data safety.
- View and organize PDF files
- Merge and split PDFs
- Secure documents with passwords
- Convert images to PDF
- Built-in document scanner
- Local data processing for privacy
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PDF Reader - Viewer is a privacy-focused PDF document management tool designed to help you easily view, organize, and manage your PDF files on iPhone and iPad. With useful PDF tools such as merging, splitting, and password protection, it provides a simple and convenient solution for managing your documents. All processing is performed locally on your device, helping keep your documents private and secure. Privacy Matters Your privacy comes first. - Your PDF document files stay locally on your device - All processing is performed locally - Your documents do not need to be uploaded to external servers - Keep your files private while managing them securely PDF Management - Easily manage and organize your PDF files. Scan your device and list all available PDF files - Merge multiple PDF files into one - Split large PDF files into smaller documents - Add passwords to protect sensitive files - Remove passwords from unlocked PDF files - Conversion & Creation - Convenient tools for creating and converting PDF documents. Convert images to PDF quickly - Use the built-in document scanner to scan documents and save them as PDF files - Enjoy a smooth reading experience with multiple viewing modes - File Organization & PDF Reader - Keep your documents organized and easy to access. Quickly access recently opened files - Add important documents to Favorites - Rename files - Delete unwanted files - Share documents - Print files Simple and Powerful Whether you're a student, professional, or anyone who needs a simple yet powerful document management app, PDF Reader - Viewer makes it easy to manage your files and documents. With all processing performed locally on your device, you can enjoy a secure and private PDF reading and document management experience. Download Now - Download PDF Reader - Viewer today for a simple, secure, and convenient way to read, organize, and manage your PDF files.
Simple PDF
This application allows users to view, annotate, and edit PDF documents with ease. Features include document management, OCR capabilities, and a built-in scanner. It's designed for students and professionals to stay productive on the go.
- View, annotate, and edit PDFs
- Full-text search and navigation
- Free-draw and text box annotation
- Page reordering and PDF merging
- Scan documents with built-in camera
- OCR for text extraction
- Home screen widget for quick access
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Simple PDF Reader is a powerful, fast, and beautifully designed app for viewing, annotating, and editing your PDF documents — all in one place. Whether you're a student, professional, or just organizing paperwork, Simple PDF Reader keeps you productive on the go. Key Features: - Viewing & Navigation Smooth, fast PDF rendering with page thumbnail scrubber Table of contents (outline) and bookmarks for quick navigation Full-text search across the document Auto-scroll with adjustable speed for hands-free reading - Annotation & Drawing Free-draw with pen and highlighter tools Add text boxes anywhere on the page Insert and position signatures with drag & resize handles Eraser, undo, and redo support - Document Management Reorder and delete pages in the page editor Merge multiple PDFs into one - Scan paper documents with the built-in document camera Import PDFs from Files, iCloud, and other apps via share extension - OCR Extract text from scanned or image-based PDFs - Home Screen Widget Quick access to recently opened documents from your Home Screen - Dark Mode supported
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: PDF Reader at 4.7 against Simple PDF's 3.7. PDF Reader also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (64 vs 3). Simple PDF's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
PDF Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Reader has 64 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.
PDF Reader ships an update every 6 days, Simple PDF every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PDF Reader | Simple PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (64 ratings) — better | 3.7 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 64 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 116 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | All About Housing LLC | Chang Keun Jung |
Customer experience
PDF Reader
Simple PDF
In-app purchases
PDF Reader
No in-app purchases
Simple PDF
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is PDF Reader free?
Is Simple PDF free?
Which has better reviews, PDF Reader or Simple PDF?
Do PDF Reader or Simple PDF have ads?
Which is updated more often, PDF Reader or Simple PDF?
Other comparisons
