Comparison

PDF Expert vs PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents

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

PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents

This app allows you to scan documents, convert images and files to PDF, and edit existing PDFs. It features AI-powered interpretation for summarizing and extracting information, plus an AI chat for interacting with your documents. Files are processed locally for enhanced privacy.

Highlights
  • AI-powered PDF interpretation
  • AI chat for document interaction
  • Scan documents to PDF
  • Convert images and files to PDF
  • Edit PDF files
  • Password protection for PDFs
  • Local file processing for privacy
Features
Read full description

PDF Pro turns your iPhone into a scanner, a converter and a PDF editor — and keeps the work on your device. SCAN ANYTHING Point the camera at a page. PDF Pro finds the edges, straightens the paper, cleans it up and shoots when your hand settles. Multiple pages, one document, ready to send. CONVERT WITHOUT UPLOADING Photos, Word, Pages, PowerPoint, Keynote, Excel, Numbers, PNG, JPEG, HEIF and HEIC become PDFs on your phone. No upload, no waiting. EDIT THE DOCUMENT, NOT A COPY Add or delete pages, reorder them, rotate the whole file, fill in form fields, place your signature. Long documents open straight away and stay smooth while you scroll. PASSPORT PHOTOS, IN YOUR COUNTRY'S MEASUREMENTS Passport, ID card or driving licence: the app finds the face, measures the head and crops to the rules of the country you pick — 35 × 45 mm in Europe, square in the United States. It tells you what is wrong before you go and print, and lays out a 10 × 15 cm sheet with six copies. There is a tool that removes the background from a photo too. Both are included in the subscription. FIND ANY DOCUMENT AGAIN Organize the archive with folders and tags, and search inside the text of your PDFs — not just their file names. Everything syncs across your devices through your own iCloud account. ASK YOUR DOCUMENT Get the short version of a long report, or the one answer you were looking for, without reading forty pages. A TOOLBOX, NOT A MENU Merge, split, compress with a preset that says what it costs, protect with a password, redact what should not be read, compare two versions, read a document aloud. ON IPAD AND ON MAC, TOO A layout made for the larger screen, and on the Mac a real window: sidebar, document list and page side by side, a File menu with keyboard shortcuts, and drag and drop. It is a Universal Purchase, so one subscription covers your iPhone, your iPad and your Mac. Plus a Home Screen widget and Shortcuts support, so scanning or converting can be one tap or one phrase to Siri. PRIVACY BY DEFAULT Scanning, conversion and editing happen on your device: your documents are not uploaded to do them. Two features do use a secure online service, and only when you ask for them — asking questions about a document, and the few conversions an iPhone cannot do on its own. Available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. PDF PRO SUBSCRIPTION A subscription unlocks sharing, exporting and printing your documents, with no limit on how many. Weekly, monthly and yearly plans are available; the yearly plan starts with a free trial. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically at the same price unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage your subscription or turn off auto-renewal in your account settings after purchase. Any unused part of a free trial is forfeited when a subscription is purchased. Terms of use: https://www.balzo.eu/terms-conditions Privacy policy: https://www.balzo.eu/privacy-policy

Screenshots

PDF Expert4 screens
PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents at 100% against PDF Expert's 46%. PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). PDF Expert's advantage is ratings volume (216K vs 15) and chart position (#68 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Expert has 216K ratings behind it against 15, 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 100% of PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
PDF Expert versus PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF ExpertPDF PRO Scan Image & Documents
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (216K ratings)5.0 (15 ratings) — better
Positive reviews46.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings216K — better15
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#68 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size307 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperReaddle Technologies LimitedBalzo srl

Customer experience

PDF Expert

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

PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents

All ratings15 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
6 purchases

PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents

Subscriptions6
  • Settimanale con settimana di prova7 Days trial$1.997 Days
  • Unlimited access$1.997 Days
  • Unlimited access$6.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Unlimited access7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Unlimited access$17.991 Year
  • Unlimited Access7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is PDF Expert free?
PDF Expert is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents free?
PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PDF Expert or PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents?
PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents is rated higher. PDF Expert averages 4.7 out of 5 from 216K ratings, while PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents averages 5.0 from 15 ratings.
Do PDF Expert or PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents have ads?
Neither PDF Expert nor PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Expert or PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents?
PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, and PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents weekly. Most recently, PDF Expert was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDF PRO Scan Image & Documents on September 10, 2026.

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