# PDF Expert vs PDF Editor

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PDF Editor at none against PDF Expert's 12. PDF Editor also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 45%) and device support (4 vs 2). PDF Expert's advantage is ratings volume (216K vs 19) and chart position (#69 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for PDF Expert against 4.6 for PDF Editor. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Expert has 216K ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 45% of PDF Expert's written reviews are positive against 57% of PDF Editor's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Expert | PDF Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (216K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925/reviews)** | [4.6 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-expert-edit-sign/id1670185874/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **216K** | 19 |
| Positive reviews | 45.4% of reviews | **57.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#69** | — |
| Size | 301 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Readdle Technologies Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/285035419) | [RainbowFactory LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1670679665) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Expert

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

**Currently charting:** #69 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


### PDF Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-expert-edit-sign/id1670185874)

This application allows users to annotate PDF documents on Mac and iOS devices. Easily add notes, highlights, and comments to your files with a simple and intuitive interface. It's ideal for providing feedback or filling out forms.

**Highlights:** Add notes and comments, Highlight important text, Fill in PDF forms, User-friendly interface, Cross-device compatibility

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Expert free?

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

### Is PDF Editor free?

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

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

PDF Expert is rated higher. PDF Expert averages 4.7 out of 5 from 216K ratings, while PDF Editor averages 4.6 from 19 ratings.

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

Neither PDF Expert nor PDF Editor shows ads.

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

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, and PDF Editor fortnightly. Most recently, PDF Expert was updated on October 24, 2026 and PDF Editor on October 10, 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.*