# PDF Expert vs Merge & Split

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Merge & Split at 100% against PDF Expert's 46%. Merge & Split also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). PDF Expert's advantage is ratings volume (216K vs 16) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). 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 Merge & Split sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Merge & Split holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Expert has 216K ratings behind it against 16, 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 Merge & Split's.

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, Merge & Split every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Expert | Merge & Split |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (216K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925/reviews) | **[4.9 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-and-split-image-to-pdf/id6504215072/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **216K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 45.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#73** | — |
| Size | 307 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Readdle Technologies Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/285035419) | [Ravi Kakadiya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1681138880) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Expert

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

**Currently charting:** #73 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


### Merge & Split

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-and-split-image-to-pdf/id6504215072)

Easily manage and edit PDF documents with a comprehensive toolkit. Combine files, split large documents, remove pages, compress sizes, and reorder content. Add watermarks, unlock or lock PDFs, convert images to PDF, extract text, and add page numbers.

**Highlights:** Combine multiple PDF files, Split large PDF files, Remove unwanted pages, Compress PDF file size, Reorder pages, Add watermarks, Convert images to PDF

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $12.99 | per year |
| LifeTime | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Expert free?

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

### Is Merge & Split free?

Merge & Split is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PDF Expert or Merge & Split?

Merge & Split is rated higher. PDF Expert averages 4.7 out of 5 from 216K ratings, while Merge & Split averages 4.9 from 16 ratings.

### Do PDF Expert or Merge & Split have ads?

Neither PDF Expert nor Merge & Split shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Expert or Merge & Split?

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, and Merge & Split every 6 weeks. Most recently, PDF Expert was updated on September 28, 2026 and Merge & Split on September 26, 2026.

---

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