# PDF Expert vs Word Editor

The clearest difference is monetization model: PDF Expert at free with in-app purchases against Word Editor's subscription. PDF Expert also leads on ratings volume (216K vs 729) and review sentiment (46% vs 22%). Word Editor's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Expert sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Word Editor sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Expert holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Expert has 216K ratings behind it against 729, 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 22% of Word Editor's.

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, Word Editor every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Expert | Word Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (216K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-expert-editor-and-reader/id743974925/reviews)** | [4.4 (729 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-editor-edit-documents/id6504272759/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **216K** | 729 |
| Positive reviews | **46.0% of reviews** | 21.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#71** | — |
| Size | 307 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Readdle Technologies Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/285035419) | [Normal Vector](https://appshunter.io/developer/1746700274) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Expert

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

**Currently charting:** #71 Top Grossing · Productivity, #193 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


### Word Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-editor-edit-documents/id6504272759)

Easily edit, view, and create Word documents directly on your mobile device. This app allows for seamless modification of existing files, creation of new documents from scratch, and conversion to PDF. Access your important files anytime, anywhere with favorite and template options.

**Highlights:** Edit existing Word documents, Create new Word documents, Convert documents to PDF, Add documents to favorites, Use document templates, Seamlessly edit formatting and tables

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Documents DOCX Pro Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Documents DOCX Pro Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| DOCX Yearly With 3-DaysTrail | $39.99 | per year |
| Documents DOCX  Pro Yearly | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good functionality and interesting features
- ⭐ High-quality document management
- ✨ Excellent overall performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription pricing
- 🚫 Paywall blocks most features
- 📱 Free app with mandatory paid features
- 🐌 Slow and outdated application
- 📢 Excessive advertising

**Reported bugs**

- Data loss during sessions
- Automatic subscription renewal without proper notification
- Unauthorized charges to user accounts
- Charges applied immediately upon app launch without user consent
- Subscription cancellation option not available in app

**Requested features**

- Free tier with basic document editing capabilities
- Free trial period before charging
- Easier cancellation process within the app
- Regular app updates and maintenance
- Dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Expert free?

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

### Is Word Editor free?

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

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

PDF Expert is rated higher. PDF Expert averages 4.7 out of 5 from 216K ratings, while Word Editor averages 4.4 from 729 ratings.

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

Neither PDF Expert nor Word Editor shows ads.

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

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, and Word Editor every 3 weeks. Most recently, PDF Expert was updated on September 25, 2026 and Word Editor 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.*