# PDF Expert vs Document Editor

The clearest difference is monetization model: PDF Expert at free with in-app purchases against Document Editor's subscription. PDF Expert also leads on ratings volume (216K vs 297) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). Document Editor's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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 and Document Editor sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Expert holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Expert has 216K ratings behind it against 297, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of PDF Expert's written reviews are positive against 26% of Document Editor's.

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, Document Editor every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Expert | Document Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (216K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925/reviews)** | [4.4 (297 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/document-editordocssheets/id1613320599/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **216K** | 297 |
| Positive reviews | **46.0% of reviews** | 25.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#71** | — |
| Size | 307 MB | 118 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Readdle Technologies Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/285035419) | [palmmob](https://appshunter.io/developer/1370245851) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Expert

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

**Currently charting:** #71 Top Grossing · Productivity, #193 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


### Document Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/document-editordocssheets/id1613320599)

Create, view, and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations on your mobile device. This app offers compatibility with Microsoft Office and PDF formats, along with OCR and AI writing assistance for enhanced productivity.

**Highlights:** Create, edit, and view documents, Compatible with Microsoft Office and PDF, Spreadsheet editing and charting, Presentation creation and editing, OCR text recognition from images, Convert documents to PDF, AI writing and presentation generation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Office Premium Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Office Premium quarterly | $9.99 | per 6 months |
| Office Premium quarterly | $11.99 | per 3 months |
| Office Premium Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Office Premium Yearly | $25.99 | per year |
| Office Premium Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Office Premium Yearly | $30.99 | per year |
| Office Premium Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Expert free?

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

### Is Document Editor free?

Document Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PDF Expert or Document Editor?

PDF Expert is rated higher. PDF Expert averages 4.7 out of 5 from 216K ratings, while Document Editor averages 4.4 from 297 ratings.

### Do PDF Expert or Document Editor have ads?

Neither PDF Expert nor Document Editor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Expert or Document Editor?

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, and Document Editor every 2 months. Most recently, PDF Expert was updated on September 25, 2026 and Document Editor on September 23, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*