# PDF Expert vs Firestop Locator

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Firestop Locator at 100% against PDF Expert's 46%. Firestop Locator also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 12). PDF Expert's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (216K vs 5). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Expert sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Firestop Locator asks for nothing beyond the download.

PDF Expert holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Expert has 216K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 46% of PDF Expert's written reviews are positive against 100% of Firestop Locator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, Firestop Locator every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Expert | Firestop Locator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (216K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925/reviews)** | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firestop-locator/id1359923715/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **216K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 45.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#68** | — |
| Size | 307 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Readdle Technologies Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/285035419) | [Specified Technologies Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/618184859) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Expert

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925)

**Currently charting:** #68 Top Grossing · Productivity, #188 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

This app allows you to edit, annotate, fill out forms, and convert PDF documents. It offers AI-powered summarization and analysis, along with tools to merge, sign, and protect your files. Work seamlessly across Apple devices with a user-friendly interface.

**Highlights:** Edit PDF text and images, Annotate and highlight PDFs, Fill out PDF forms, Convert files to and from PDF, AI-powered summarization and analysis, Merge and combine PDF files, Sign documents with e-signatures

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Expert Premium Trial | $9.99 | per month |
| PDF Expert Premium No Trial | $9.99 | per month |
| PDF Expert for Education | $39.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Premium New | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Premium Existing | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert – Premium Editing | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Mac & iOS Pro | $79.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Mac & iOS | $79.99 | per year |
| PDF Expert Basic | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 💡 Powerful annotation and editing tools
- 🔒 Seamless cloud integration
- 📚 Excellent for reading and organizing PDFs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔒 Subscription model for advanced features
- 🔒 Inconsistent pricing and feature changes
- 🔍 Cluttered and confusing UI in latest update
- 🔍 Reduced customization options for annotations

**Reported bugs**

- Corrupted PDFs after editing
- Sync issues with cloud storage providers
- Unexpected loss of annotations and edits
- Unreliable performance on older iPad models

**Requested features**

- Improved palm rejection for Apple Pencil
- Customizable toolbar and annotation presets
- Better integration with other productivity apps
- More flexible file management and organization
- Ability to create fillable PDF forms


### Firestop Locator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firestop-locator/id1359923715)

Streamline firestop documentation and inspections with this app. Track installations, visualize locations on floor plans, and generate instant reports. Manage projects and teams securely, even offline.

**Highlights:** Team & Project Management, Visual Floor Plans, Offline Functionality, QR Code Enabled, Instant Reporting (PDF/Excel), Customizable Forms, Secure Sign-On

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Expert free?

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

### Is Firestop Locator free?

Firestop Locator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PDF Expert or Firestop Locator?

PDF Expert is rated higher. PDF Expert averages 4.7 out of 5 from 216K ratings, while Firestop Locator averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do PDF Expert or Firestop Locator have ads?

Neither PDF Expert nor Firestop Locator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Expert or Firestop Locator?

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, and Firestop Locator every 6 weeks. Most recently, PDF Expert was updated on October 2, 2026 and Firestop Locator on September 19, 2026.

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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.*