# HiNoter vs PDF Reader

The clearest difference is monetization model: PDF Reader at free with in-app purchases against HiNoter's subscription. HiNoter's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.8 vs 4.3). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HiNoter sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days and PDF Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HiNoter holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 946 and 492 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of HiNoter's written reviews are positive against 43% of PDF Reader's.

HiNoter ships an update every 8 days, PDF Reader every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | HiNoter | PDF Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (946 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hinoter-ai-note-taker/id6747097475/reviews)** | [4.3 (492 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-ocr-scan-edit/id6754001880/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **946** | 492 |
| Positive reviews | **61.7% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | #190 | **#79** |
| Size | 138 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AISION PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/6809294338) | [Fuzhou Jiange Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1821346905) |

## What reviewers say

### HiNoter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hinoter-ai-note-taker/id6747097475)

**Currently charting:** #190 Top Grossing · Productivity (US App Store)

This app automatically records, transcribes, and summarizes your meetings, lectures, and interviews. It allows you to stay focused while capturing all important information, with features like AI-generated summaries, mind maps, and searchable transcripts.

**Highlights:** One-tap audio recording, AI-powered transcription with speaker labels, Concise AI-generated summaries, AI-generated mind maps, Ask AI questions about recordings, Searchable transcripts, Automatic calendar meeting recording

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

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Annual Unlimited | $39.99 | per year |
| Annual Unlimited | $49.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| Annual Unlimited | $69.99 | per year |
| Annual Unlimited | $79.99 | per year |
| 10-hour transcription duration | $1.69 | one-time |
| 10-hour transcription duration | $4.19 | one-time |
| 100hour transcription duration | $12.49 | one-time |
| 50G Cloud Capacity | $27.49 | one-time |
| 500hour transcription duration | $53.99 | one-time |
| Three-year membership | $119.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $399.00 | one-time |


### PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-ocr-scan-edit/id6754001880)

**Currently charting:** #79 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

This mobile app acts as a PDF office assistant, offering features for editing, scanning, and optical character recognition. It allows for easy document management, page manipulation, and conversion of images and paper documents into editable digital files.

**Highlights:** PDF Editing, Image to PDF conversion, Import PDF files, OCR Text Recognition, Add, delete, rearrange pages, Filters, highlights, annotations

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Reader Ad-Free | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Reader Ad-Free | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HiNoter free?

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

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

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

HiNoter is rated higher. HiNoter averages 4.8 out of 5 from 946 ratings, while PDF Reader averages 4.3 from 492 ratings.

### Do HiNoter or PDF Reader have ads?

PDF Reader shows ads; HiNoter does not.

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

HiNoter ships an update every 8 days, and PDF Reader every 10 days. Most recently, HiNoter was updated on October 25, 2026 and PDF Reader on October 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, HiNoter or PDF Reader?

HiNoter currently peaks at #190 in the App Store charts, and PDF Reader at #79. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*