# PDF Expert vs DocHub

The clearest difference is ads: PDF Expert at none against DocHub's shown. PDF Expert also leads on ratings volume (216K vs 396) and chart position (#73 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Expert sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and DocHub sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $16.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for PDF Expert against 4.8 for DocHub. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Expert has 216K ratings behind it against 396, 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 50% of DocHub's.

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, DocHub every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Expert | DocHub |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (216K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925/reviews) | **[4.8 (396 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dochub-simple-pdf-form-editor/id6450960179/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **216K** | 396 |
| Positive reviews | 46.0% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#73** | — |
| Size | 307 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Readdle Technologies Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/285035419) | [DocHub](https://appshunter.io/developer/1695920182) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Expert

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

**Currently charting:** #73 Top Grossing · Productivity, #196 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


### DocHub

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dochub-simple-pdf-form-editor/id6450960179)

Easily fill, edit, sign, and share PDF documents directly from your mobile device. Create fillable forms, request eSignatures, and track document changes in real-time. Securely access and manage your documents from anywhere.

**Highlights:** Fill and edit PDFs, Add eSignatures, Create fillable forms, Upload and snap document photos, Real-time document tracking, Secure document collaboration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $16.00 | per month |
| Pro Annually | $143.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use on phone/laptop
- 💰 Free to use
- 🚀 Makes life easier
- 👍 Great for signing/filling PDFs
- 👍 Simple and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes repeatedly
- 🐛 Signatures don't work on mobile
- 🐛 Can only request 1 signature at a time
- 🐛 Clients unable to sign
- 💸 Deceptive billing/dark patterns

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes repeatedly
- Signatures don't work on mobile
- Clients unable to sign documents
- Formatting issues with text size and rotation
- Text shrinks to minuscule size upon download

**Requested features**

- Scan as PDF instead of photo
- Integration to Trello


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Expert free?

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

### Is DocHub free?

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

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

DocHub is rated higher. PDF Expert averages 4.7 out of 5 from 216K ratings, while DocHub averages 4.8 from 396 ratings.

### Do PDF Expert or DocHub have ads?

DocHub shows ads; PDF Expert does not.

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

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, and DocHub every 2 weeks. Most recently, PDF Expert was updated on September 25, 2026 and DocHub on September 21, 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.*