# PDF Expert vs Lumin

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lumin at none against PDF Expert's 12. PDF Expert's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (216K vs 916). On price, update cadence, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

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

PDF Expert holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Expert has 216K ratings behind it against 916, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of PDF Expert's written reviews are positive against 32% of Lumin's.

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, Lumin every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Expert | Lumin |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (216K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925/reviews)** | [4.5 (916 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lumin-view-edit-share-pdf/id1367372862/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **216K** | 916 |
| Positive reviews | **45.5% of reviews** | 32.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#89** | — |
| Size | 295 MB | 269 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) | [Nitrolabs Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1367372861) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Expert

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

**Currently charting:** #89 Top Grossing · 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


### Lumin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lumin-view-edit-share-pdf/id1367372862)

Edit, share, and collaborate on PDF documents in the cloud. This app offers a suite of tools for annotating, organizing, and signing PDFs, with seamless integration for cloud storage and real-time collaboration.

**Highlights:** Seamless document management, Cloud integration and auto-save, Versatile editing and annotation tools, Document organization and conversion, Pre-designed templates, Real-time collaboration, eSignatures and form filling, Scanning to PDF

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Useful annotation tools
- 🚀 Fast PDF rendering

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔒 Unreliable data sync
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Buggy app experience

**Reported bugs**

- Lost work and unsaved changes
- Inability to open/access files
- Frequent login issues
- Compatibility problems on mobile

**Requested features**

- Offline mode support
- Split-screen functionality
- Improved highlight/annotation tools
- Better Google Drive integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Expert free?

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

### Is Lumin free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PDF Expert or Lumin?

PDF Expert is rated higher. PDF Expert averages 4.7 out of 5 from 216K ratings, while Lumin averages 4.5 from 916 ratings.

### Do PDF Expert or Lumin have ads?

Lumin shows ads; PDF Expert does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Expert or Lumin?

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, and Lumin every 8 days. Most recently, PDF Expert was updated on October 18, 2026 and Lumin on October 17, 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.*