Comparison

PDF vs PDF Tools

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

Head to head
About

PDF

Features
Read full description

PDF: Viewer - Editor is your all-in-one solution for viewing, editing, and managing PDF documents on iPhone and iPad. Designed with professionals and students in mind, this powerful app combines intuitive design with advanced features to make working with PDFs effortless. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

PDF Tools

Features
Read full description

PDF Tools – Offline lets you manage, edit, convert, scan, and secure PDF files directly on your device without uploading anything to the cloud. Fast, private, and secure all processing happens offline. Whether you are a student, professional, business owner, teacher, or everyday user, this app gives you powerful PDF utilities in one simple and modern interface. Why Choose PDF Tools – Offline? **100% Offline Processing Your files never leave your device. No internet required. ** Fast & Secure All PDF operations are processed locally for maximum privacy and speed. **Easy to Use Clean and modern design with powerful tools accessible in one tap. **No Account Required Start using the app instantly without signup or registration. Powerful PDF Tools Included Merge PDFs Combine multiple PDF files into one organized document in seconds. Split PDF Extract pages or split large PDF files into smaller documents. Compress PDF Reduce PDF file size while maintaining quality for sharing and storage. PDF Editor Edit PDF documents quickly and efficiently. Fill & Sign Fill forms and add signatures directly to PDFs. Signature Tool Create and save digital signatures for fast document signing. Scan Document Use your camera to scan documents and save them as high-quality PDFs. Image to PDF Convert photos and images into professional PDF documents. OCR Text Recognition Extract text from scanned documents and images using OCR technology. Watermark PDF Add custom text or image watermarks to protect your documents. Password Lock PDF Secure PDF files with password protection. Unlock PDF Remove passwords from PDFs you own and have permission to edit. Batch Processing Process multiple PDF files at once to save time. Perfect For • Students managing assignments and notes • Professionals handling contracts and reports • Businesses sharing secure documents • Teachers creating study material • Anyone needing a fast offline PDF solution Privacy First Unlike many PDF apps, PDF Tools – Offline keeps your files completely private. No cloud upload. No tracking of your documents. Everything stays on your device. Your PDFs remain secure and accessible anytime, anywhere — even without internet access. Key Features • Offline PDF tools • PDF merger and splitter • PDF compressor • PDF scanner app • OCR text scanner • PDF signature maker • Watermark PDFs • Password protect PDF • Image to PDF converter • Fast PDF processing • Secure PDF editor • Batch PDF operations Download PDF Tools – Offline today and manage all your PDF tasks with speed, privacy, and simplicity.

Screenshots

PDF4 screens
PDF Tools4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: PDF Tools at every 3 days against PDF's every 4 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. PDF sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and PDF Tools sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF ships an update every 4 months, PDF Tools every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
PDF versus PDF Tools: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDFPDF Tools
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBeshoy NabilEbin Joy

In-app purchases

2 purchases

PDF

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium$39.991 Year
1 purchases

PDF Tools

One-time1
  • PDF Toolkit PRO$9.99

Questions

Is PDF free?
PDF is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PDF Tools free?
PDF Tools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PDF or PDF Tools have ads?
Neither PDF nor PDF Tools shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF or PDF Tools?
PDF ships an update every 4 months, and PDF Tools every 3 days. Most recently, PDF was updated on October 5, 2026 and PDF Tools on October 10, 2026.

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