Comparison

PDF Reader vs PDF Toolkit

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

Head to head
About

PDF Reader

Easily scan, read, edit, and manage PDF documents on your iPhone and iPad. Convert images to PDF, extract text with OCR, and sign your documents. Organize files with merging, splitting, and password protection.

Highlights
  • Scan documents with camera
  • Convert photos to PDF
  • Extract text with OCR
  • Edit and annotate PDFs
  • Sign documents
  • Merge and split PDFs
  • Password protection
Features
Read full description

PDF Reader is your all-in-one app to read, scan, edit, and manage PDF documents on iPhone and iPad. SCAN & CREATE • Scan paper documents with your camera and save them as crisp PDFs • Convert photos and images into PDF files • Extract text from scans and PDFs with OCR READ & VIEW • Smooth, fast PDF viewer with page thumbnails and search • Open PDFs from Files, email, and other apps EDIT & ANNOTATE • Highlight, draw, and add text to any PDF • Add your signature to sign documents • Rotate, delete, and reorder pages ORGANIZE YOUR TOOLS • Merge multiple PDFs into one • Split a PDF into separate files • Lock and unlock PDFs with a password • Manage files with search and a recycle bin PDF READER PREMIUM Upgrade to Premium to remove ads and unlock the full toolset: • OCR text recognition • Edit & sign without limits • Unlimited access to all PDF tools • An ad-free experience Subscription details: • PDF Reader Premium is a weekly auto-renewable subscription. • Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. • The subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. • Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ • Privacy Policy: https://goldenboat.io/policy

About

PDF Toolkit

Organize, edit, and manage your PDF documents locally on your device. Create custom categories, use color tags for important files, and combine or extract pages. Extract text from scans and images using OCR, and annotate directly on PDFs.

Highlights
  • Custom document categories
  • Color tags for important files
  • Combine multiple PDFs
  • Extract pages from PDFs
  • OCR text recognition
  • Highlight and annotate PDFs
  • Local document handling
Features
Read full description

PDF Toolkit helps you manage everyday documents such as receipts, contracts, forms, study notes, invoices, scans, and long PDF files. Instead of letting files pile up in a messy list, you can organize, edit, review, and reuse your documents in a cleaner way. Organize Documents More Clearly Create custom categories for different projects, dates, document types, clients, school subjects, or personal needs. When your PDFs are placed where they belong, it becomes easier to find the right file without scrolling through a cluttered document list. Find Important Files Faster Use color tags to mark important PDFs, such as urgent contracts, paid receipts, travel documents, or files that need follow-up. You can filter by tag color to quickly return to the documents that matter most. Prepare PDFs for Sharing or Saving Combine separate PDF files into one complete document, making it easier to share scans, receipts, reports, or chapters together. You can also extract selected pages from a long PDF and save them as a new file, so you only keep or share the pages you actually need. Reuse Text from Scans and Images With OCR text recognition, PDF Toolkit helps you extract text from images or PDF pages and turn recognized content into new PDF files. This is useful when you need to reuse information from scanned notes, receipts, forms, screenshots, or paper documents. Review Documents with Notes Highlight, underline, or draw directly on PDFs while reading. Mark key points in contracts, reports, manuals, study materials, or personal files, so important details are easier to find later. Local and Simple Document Handling PDF Toolkit is designed for local PDF management. Core document operations can be completed on your device without forced uploads. Camera and file permissions are requested only when you choose to scan, import, open, or save documents. PDF Toolkit gives you a simple way to keep your documents tidy, reduce file clutter, and handle daily PDF tasks more efficiently.

Screenshots

PDF Reader4 screens
PDF Toolkit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PDF Toolkit at 4.5 against PDF Reader's 3.5. PDF Toolkit also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ratings volume, ads 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 Reader sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $14.99 per 7 days. PDF Toolkit asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PDF Toolkit holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 8 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, PDF Toolkit every 9 days. Both last shipped on September 18, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
PDF Reader versus PDF Toolkit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF ReaderPDF Toolkit
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (13 ratings)4.5 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings13 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
Best chart rank—#169 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB73 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDuc Duong TranFuzhou Nengge Technology Co.,Ltd.

Customer experience

PDF Reader

All ratings13 ratings
Positive53.8%
Neutral7.7%
Negative38.5%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

PDF Toolkit

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

PDF Reader

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Weekly$14.997 Days
None

PDF Toolkit

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PDF Reader free?
PDF Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PDF Toolkit free?
PDF Toolkit is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PDF Reader or PDF Toolkit?
PDF Toolkit is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 3.5 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while PDF Toolkit averages 4.5 from 8 ratings.
Do PDF Reader or PDF Toolkit have ads?
Both PDF Reader and PDF Toolkit show ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Reader or PDF Toolkit?
PDF Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, and PDF Toolkit every 9 days. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on September 18, 2026 and PDF Toolkit on September 18, 2026.

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