# PDF Expert vs PDF Converter

The clearest difference is ads: PDF Expert at none against PDF Converter's shown. PDF Expert also leads on ratings volume (216K vs 531) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). PDF Converter's advantage is review sentiment (77% vs 45%) and monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating, 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 PDF Converter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 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 PDF Converter. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Expert has 216K ratings behind it against 531, 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 77% of PDF Converter's.

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, PDF Converter every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Expert | PDF Converter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (216K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925/reviews) | **[4.8 (531 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-converter/id6470334944/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **216K** | 531 |
| Positive reviews | 45.5% of reviews | **76.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#83** | — |
| Size | 295 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Readdle Technologies Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/285035419) | [晓珍 胡](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673886500) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Expert

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

**Currently charting:** #83 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 Converter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-converter/id6470334944)

Easily convert photos and various document types into high-quality PDF files. This tool also allows you to split existing PDFs or merge multiple PDF documents into a single file.

**Highlights:** Convert photos to PDF, Import and merge various file formats (Word, Excel, PPT) to PDF, Split PDF files, Merge multiple PDF files, High-quality PDF creation

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual Plan | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent app
- 🚀 Super fast
- 👍 Good
- 👍 Great
- 👍 Good app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😠 Charged for free trial
- 😠 Horrible app
- 😠 Does not do as mentioned
- 😠 Invasive advertising
- 😠 Very buggy

**Reported bugs**

- App does not convert files as advertised
- Invasive advertising slows down operations

**Requested features**

- Open PDF page


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Expert free?

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

### Is PDF Converter free?

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

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

PDF Converter is rated higher. PDF Expert averages 4.7 out of 5 from 216K ratings, while PDF Converter averages 4.8 from 531 ratings.

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

PDF Converter shows ads; PDF Expert does not.

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

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, and PDF Converter every 2 months. Most recently, PDF Expert was updated on October 17, 2026 and PDF Converter on October 15, 2026.

---

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