Comparison

PDF Expert vs UPDF

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

Head to head
About

PDF Expert

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
Read full description

Unlock your potential with a fast and easy PDF Expert app with all the features you need in a well-designed and intuitive user interface. BEST FOR iPHONE, iPAD, MAC & VISION PRO Read PDF files easily, highlight and annotate PDFs, fill out forms, convert any file to PDF, merge several files into one, add notes, summarize and navigate PDF documents in seconds with AI-powered tools. Unlock unlimited possibilities with PDF Expert Premium features and work across all your Apple devices, effortlessly letting you complete any PDF task on the go. “PDF Expert is one of my must-have iPad apps and a desktop-class PDF reader.” – MacStories “The best app for managing, editing, and reading PDFs on your iPad.” – The Sweet Setup ▶ WITH PDF EXPERT, YOU CAN: READ PDFs WITH JOY • Pick Day, Night, or Sepia mode and enjoy reading anytime, anywhere. • Enjoy both vertical and horizontal scrolling. • Export PDF files from email, web, or any app that supports the Apple system-wide Share menu • Use Text to Speech to hear the selected text read out loud HIGHLIGHT AND ANNOTATE PDFs • Mark important info in books using colors, text, or stickers • Add stamps such as Approved, Confidential, etc. • Record your voice and add it to the doc FILL OUT FORMS • Fill out PDF forms using interactive text fields, checkboxes, and radio buttons • All the major form formats support, including acro forms and static XFA forms ***PREMIUM FEATURES *** EDIT PDFs DOCS EASILY • Edit or modify existing text directly in a PDF – just as you would in a Word document • Add links: link any part of the text or image to a different page or website • Add outlines to big PDFs to simplify navigation for hundreds of pages • Easily add, replace, and resize images in your PDFs SUMMARIZE AND ANALYZE HUGE PDFs WITH PDF COPILOT – YOUR SMART AI ASSISTANT • List Main Points – instantly scan and highlight key takeaways from any PDF • Summarize – get concise summaries of entire PDFs, or annotations • Ask Anything – find specific details with AI-powered answers and references • Explain – no more Googling! Get instant, contextual explanations of words or phrases MERGE AND COMBINE PDFs • Merge and combine multiple PDF files into one • Add, delete, and rearrange pages with a thumbnail preview • Rotate and reorder pages in PDFs EDIT SCANNED DOCUMENTS • Access the scanned PDFs that you’ve created using PDF Expert • Open your scans to fill out, sign, comment, and share CONVERT FROM AND TO PDF • Convert PDFs to Word, Excel, PPT, JPG/PNG, TXT, and vice versa • Converts any file in seconds SIGN DOCUMENTS • Use e-signatures to sign contracts on the go • Create custom stamps or import one from the images PROTECT YOUR FILES • Restrict access to PDF Expert with a password • Permanently blackout or erase sensitive information like credit card numbers • Secure and Safe trusted brand software COMPRESS PDFs • Compress large PDF files to save space on your device • Merge several files into one and compress it to reduce the file size CONSTRUCTION TOOLS • Scale and measure drawings using our Measure tab • Polygon and polyline shapes • Redline tools COLLABORATE ON THE GO PDF Expert provides the best platform for paperless collaboration between team members. Annotate and add notes in project materials, fill and sign contracts and invoices, and exchange files via email or cloud on the go. OTHER AMAZING FEATURES: • Fully customizable toolbar • Create a Link (drag and add a landing page or a Web) • Presentation Mode • Print and Share ONE ACCOUNT FOR ALL YOUR APPLE DEVICES Now, you don’t need to purchase Mac and iPhone & iPad versions separately. PDF Expert introduces a single Premium subscription for all your Apple devices. Read more about our terms and conditions here: https://pdfexpert.com/privacy https://pdfexpert.com/terms Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at http://readdle.com/contact

About

UPDF

This app is a powerful PDF editor for mobile devices, offering AI-powered features for summarizing, translating, and chatting with documents. It allows users to read, edit, annotate, convert, and sign PDFs, as well as scan paper documents into editable files. Manage all your PDF files and protect them with security features.

Highlights
  • AI-powered summarization and translation
  • Edit text, images, and watermarks in PDFs
  • Annotate with various markup tools
  • Convert PDFs to Word, Excel, and PPT
  • Scan documents to editable PDFs
  • Sign and fill PDF forms
  • Organize and protect PDF files
Features
Read full description

UPDF for iOS is an AI-powered PDF editor for iPhone and iPad. Read, edit, annotate, convert, sign, and AI chat with your PDFs — all from your iOS device. Summarize lengthy documents, translate full PDFs, scan paper to PDF, and manage all your files in one place. Amazing features of UPDF for iOS: Edit PDF - Edit text in PDF (change color, font style, font size) - Edit images in PDF (rotate, extract, replace, and crop images) - Edit watermark in PDF (add, edit, delete and favor watermark) - Edit links in PDF (add, edit, copy, and delete) AI Assistant - Summarize, translate, explain, and rephrase lengthy PDFs in minutes. - Engage in a chat with UPDF AI and ask it any questions you have. - Summarize or translate PDF by pages. - Export conversations to Markdown or TXT files. - NEW AI Bookmark Agent: Auto-generate bookmarks and get instant section summaries for any PDF. - NEW AI Semantic Search: Search your PDF by meaning, not just exact words. - NEW AI Editing Suite: Rewrite, refine tone, or correct grammar directly. Read PDF - Flexible reading: vertical and horizontal scrolling, single page or two-page view - Dark mode to protect your eyes - Add and manage bookmarks with AI Bookmark Agent's help - Search text in PDF - Present PDF as a slideshow - Text-to-speech support Annotate PDF - Annotate PDFs using markup tools: pencil, highlight, underline, strikethrough, squiggly line - Add text boxes, text comments, callouts, sticky notes - Add shapes, stamps, and stickers to PDFs - Free-hand drawing on PDF pages OCR PDF - Convert scanned documents and images into searchable and editable PDFs - Recognize text in 38 languages Scan to PDF - Scan physical documents to PDF with your camera - Scan ID cards onto one page - Crop, rotate, and filter scanned images Convert PDF - Convert PDF to Word, Excel, PPT, and images Organize PDF Pages - Insert, replace, extract, split, rotate, remove, and reorder pages in PDFs - Merge multiple PDFs into one file - Copy, paste, and share specific pages in a PDF Sign PDF & Fill PDF Form - Create handwritten signatures - Import and add image signatures - Fill PDF form and add e-signatures - Save signatures to cloud for cross-platform use Create PDF - Create PDF with blank, lined, dotted, grid, and graph papers - Combine multiple files/images into one PDF Protect PDF - Password-protect PDFs to restrict opening, editing, and printing - Add or remove watermarks - Add digital signatures Manage Files - Upload, create, rename, move, copy, duplicate, and organize files or folders - Unzip files by simply tapping .zip files - Search for files - Supports two-finger multiple selections and operations - Move files or folders to trash, and find deleted items in the trash - Protect PDF files with a password or unlock protected PDF files - Compress one or multiple files into a zip file Security Space - Protect your privacy by moving files or folders to Security Space - Enable Face ID & Passcode to access your Security Space Import File - Import files from Photos albums - Import files from the Files App - Transfer files from a computer over the same Wi-Fi View files in All Formats - Browse dozens of different file formats including PDFs, Office documents (.doc, .docx, .ppt, .pptx, .xls, .xlsx), Pages, Keynotes, and Numbers with a single app - Open other formats such as text, HTML, XML, Web Archive, Images (JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG, TIFF, SVG, BMP), video, audio *** Pro Features of In-App Purchase *** - Use UPDF across all platforms including desktops and mobiles - Free Users will get 1 GB of Cloud Storage; Paid users will get 10 GB of Cloud Storage for free - Advanced PDF features such as Convert PDF with OCR, batch process, etc. are available on the desktop - Unlimited use of Scan to PDF (Free trial only scans up to 5 pages) - Unlimited use of Security Space (Trial version stores up to 10 items) - Secure App with passcode/TouchID/FaceID Need help? Email us at support@superace.com

Screenshots

PDF Expert4 screens
UPDF4 screens

Verdict

The call

PDF Expert and UPDF both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 84% of UPDF's written reviews are positive against 46% of PDF Expert's. UPDF also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). PDF Expert's advantage is ratings volume (216K vs 678) and chart position (#68 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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 Expert sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and UPDF sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for PDF Expert against 4.6 for UPDF. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Expert has 216K ratings behind it against 678, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 46% of PDF Expert's written reviews are positive against 84% of UPDF's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
PDF Expert versus UPDF: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF ExpertUPDF
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (216K ratings) — better4.6 (678 ratings)
Positive reviews46.0% of reviews84.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings216K — better678
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#68 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size307 MB195 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperReaddle Technologies LimitedSuperace Software Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

PDF Expert

All ratings215,851 ratings
Positive92.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews1,135 reviews
Positive46.0%
Neutral7.4%
Negative46.6%

UPDF

All ratings678 ratings
Positive90.6%
Neutral1.9%
Negative7.5%
Written reviews933 reviews
Positive84.4%
Neutral5.4%
Negative10.3%

User reviews

PDF Expert

From 216K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

UPDF

From 678 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent PDF editor
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 🔒 Secure file management
  • 💡 Powerful features like AI-powered summarization
  • 🚀 Fast and responsive performance

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or stability issues
  • 💡 Need for more customization options
  • 💡 Lack of integration with third-party cloud storage
  • 🐛 Issues with handwriting recognition and annotation

Bugs and requests

PDF Expert

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

UPDF

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to edit text directly in PDF files
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between devices
  • Occasional loss of editing progress when app is minimized

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add password protection for PDF files
  • Improve file organization and folder management
  • Implement keyboard shortcuts for power users
  • Expand OCR capabilities and text extraction
  • Allow custom signature and stamp imports

In-app purchases

10 purchases

PDF Expert

Subscriptions9
  • PDF Expert Premium Trial7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • PDF Expert Premium No Trial$9.991 Month
  • PDF Expert for Education7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Show 6 more
  • PDF Expert Premium7 Days trial3 variants$49.991 Year
  • PDF Expert Premium New7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • PDF Expert Premium Existing7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • PDF Expert – Premium Editing1 Year trial$49.991 Year
  • PDF Expert Mac & iOS Pro7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • PDF Expert Mac & iOS7 Days trial$79.991 Year
One-time1
  • PDF Expert Basic$9.99
13 purchases

UPDF

Subscriptions10
  • Monthly Subscription$9.991 Month
  • UPDF AI Unlimited$15.001 Month
  • UPDF AI Standard$15.001 Month
Show 7 more
  • UPDF Pro + AI Unlimited$18.991 Month
  • Quarterly Subscription$19.003 Months
  • Annual Subscription$49.991 Year
  • UPDF AI Standard$69.001 Year
  • UPDF AI Unlimited$79.001 Year
  • UPDF Pro + AI Standard$98.991 Year
  • UPDF Pro + AI Unlimited$118.991 Year
One-time3
  • Perpetual License$79.99
  • Perpetual License$128.99
  • UPDF & AI Add-on for iOS$148.99

Questions

Is PDF Expert free?
PDF Expert is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is UPDF free?
UPDF is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PDF Expert or UPDF?
PDF Expert is rated higher. PDF Expert averages 4.7 out of 5 from 216K ratings, while UPDF averages 4.6 from 678 ratings.
Do PDF Expert or UPDF have ads?
Neither PDF Expert nor UPDF shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Expert or UPDF?
PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, and UPDF fortnightly. Most recently, PDF Expert was updated on September 24, 2026 and UPDF on September 23, 2026.

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