PDF Tools vs PDF Compressor
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PDF Tools
Easily manage PDF files on your iPhone or iPad with tools for merging, splitting, compressing, and protecting documents. All operations are performed offline and privately, with no account required. Offers free functionality with optional Pro upgrades for higher limits.
- Convert images to PDF
- Merge multiple PDFs
- Split PDFs into ranges or single pages
- Organize, rotate, and delete pages
- Compress PDF file size
- Add password protection
- Unlock password-protected PDFs
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Everyday PDF work, finished on your iPhone or iPad. Once your files are on your device, work offline without uploading them or creating an account. Your original files stay unchanged. MAKE AND MANAGE PDFS • Scan to PDF — launch the document scanner from the app's home screen, or from inside Images to PDF. Edges are detected and straightened on your device. • Images to PDF — pick images from Files and Photos, or take new photos with the camera. Crop each image by hand, auto-trim its blank outer border, and place 1, 2, or 4 images per page on A4 or Letter. • Merge PDF — combine several PDFs into one and reorder them before saving. • Split PDF — export a page range, selected pages, or single pages as separate files. • Organize Pages — reorder, rotate, and delete pages, then save once when you are done. • Select Pages — pick pages from two or more PDFs and combine them into one new PDF. Reorder, rotate, or duplicate any page; your source files stay unchanged. • Compress PDF — try to reduce the size of image-heavy PDFs before emailing or sharing. • Protect PDF — add an open password. • Unlock PDF — enter the password once and save a copy that no longer needs it. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Once your files are available on this device, all tools work without an internet connection. File names, page thumbnails, document text, and passwords are never sent anywhere. There are no ads and no analytics SDKs. Long jobs show progress and can be cancelled. FREE AND PRO Every tool has a free path that finishes a real task. No tool is locked, and nothing is watermarked. Free includes up to 10 input images or scanned pages per PDF — the same count whether a page holds 1, 2, or 4 images — merging 3 files and 50 pages, splitting into 5 outputs at a time, organizing up to 50 pages, and creating a new PDF from up to 10 selected output pages. Pro offers higher limits. All Compress presets are free. Protect and Unlock are free without limits. Pro is a one-time purchase for your Apple Account, not a subscription. Buying or restoring Pro goes through the App Store and may require an internet connection. MADE FOR APPLE DEVICES • Files, Photos, and the camera are supported; only the items you select or scan are read. • On iPad, a two-column layout appears at regular widths. • Dynamic Type, VoiceOver labels on page thumbnails, Reduce Motion, and Dark Mode are included. • Every drag-to-reorder action also has a button or menu alternative. PDF Tools is a focused toolkit, not a full editor: it does not run OCR, edit text inside a PDF, or fill in forms.
PDF Compressor
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Compress PDF files quickly, reduce file size, and keep your documents private with PDF Compressor: Reduce PDF. Need to make a PDF smaller for email, work, school, online forms, or document uploads? PDF Compressor helps you reduce PDF file size directly on your iPhone or iPad — with no account required and no document uploads to our servers. SMART PDF COMPRESSION Reduce PDF size while preserving text, links, and document structure whenever possible. Smart Compression is ideal for documents where readability and selectable text matter. MULTIPLE COMPRESSION OPTIONS Choose the compression method that fits your needs: • Smart Compression — Reduce file size while preserving text and links • Maximum Compression — Get a smaller file using stronger compression • Target Size — Try to compress your PDF toward 500 KB, 1 MB, 2 MB, 5 MB, or a custom size • Multiple quality options for stronger compression BUILT FOR REAL-WORLD FILE SIZE LIMITS Trying to upload a PDF but the file is too large? Choose a target size and let PDF Compressor reduce the document as much as possible while protecting its structure. Some PDFs are already highly optimized, so the exact target size cannot always be reached. The app clearly tells you when further compression would reduce document quality or make the file larger. PRIVATE — YOUR PDFs STAY ON YOUR DEVICE Your PDF documents are processed locally on your device. • No PDF uploads to our servers • No account required • No sign-in required • Your original PDF is never overwritten • Save or share the compressed copy only when you choose PREVIEW BEFORE AND AFTER Preview your PDF before compression and check the compressed version when processing is complete. CLEAR COMPRESSION RESULTS See exactly what happened to your document: • Original file size • Compressed file size • Percentage of space saved • Compression method used • Whether text and links were preserved SAVE AND SHARE EASILY Save your compressed PDF to Files or share it directly using the standard iOS sharing options. PDF Compressor: Reduce PDF is designed to make reducing PDF file sizes simple, fast, and private. Choose a PDF, select your compression method, reduce its size, and save the result.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PDF Compressor at none against PDF Tools's 1. PDF Compressor also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). PDF Tools's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence 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
Both are free to download. PDF Tools sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PDF Compressor asks for nothing beyond the download.
PDF Tools ships an update fortnightly, PDF Compressor every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PDF Tools | PDF Compressor |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 8 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | VeloTract | TAREQ ALHUSAINI |
In-app purchases
PDF Tools
- PDF Tools Pro$9.99
PDF Compressor
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is PDF Tools free?
Is PDF Compressor free?
Do PDF Tools or PDF Compressor have ads?
Which is updated more often, PDF Tools or PDF Compressor?
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