Comparison

PDF Cabinet vs GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PDF Cabinet

This application offers a streamlined PDF experience for reading and annotating documents. It focuses on essential features with an intuitive interface, making it easy to mark up PDFs, share annotations, and collaborate in real-time with others. Optimized for performance, it handles large documents efficiently.

Highlights
  • Effortless PDF annotation
  • Intuitive user interface
  • Fast document review with thumbnails
  • Annotations sharing
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Quick note taking
Features
Read full description

THINGS WE ARE PROUD OF - Really effortless PDF annotation - Only the most essential functionality - don't lose yourself in hundreds of buttons - Intuitive user interface that allows you to do exactly what you want - Fast and easy document skimming and review with thumbnails sidebar - Ultimate performance – optimized for really large documents (within reason, of course) - Annotations sharing - send annotated documents to anyone, and mark up will show up in any other reader - Interaction with other Cabinet users - send annotations only to your friends or colleagues using Cabinet – much faster, less traffic - Real-time collaboration with your friends or colleagues – annotate the same document together from several iPads EVEN MORE GREAT THINGS IN CABINET - Amazing and intuitive dynamic annotation menu - Empty notebooks for quick note taking or doodling - Pen and Paper Games for relaxing during non-working hours - Sending multiple documents attached in a single e-mail - Easy work with various document formats - such as .doc, .xls, .ppt and others Did we tell you already that Cabinet is really easy to use? Try it out yourself!

About

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

This app offers robust PDF editing and viewing capabilities, alongside comprehensive file management tools. It allows users to annotate PDFs, manage files from various cloud services, and secure sensitive data with advanced encryption. Enjoy a superior reading experience with features like PDF Reflow and split-screen viewing.

Highlights
  • PDF annotation and editing
  • Extensive file format support
  • Cloud service integration (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.)
  • AES-256 military-grade encryption
  • Split-screen viewing for iPad
  • File management and organization
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

First released in 2009, GoodReader® is truly a veteran of the App Store. In the modern app business, it's not easy to stay relevant that long. We're proud to say that after 17 years and counting, we've been delivering wonderful updates with extraordinary new features. And we're going to keep doing that! GoodReader is a perfect combination of document-reading and file-managing capabilities. It's your one-stop shop for all your document needs on your iOS device. Use the app once, and you'll be hooked. Soon you'll be wondering how you ever managed to work without it. -= File Reading =- PDF, TXT, MS Office, iWork, HTML, pictures, music & audio-books, videos. This is what you can view in GoodReader, plus you can also annotate PDF files and edit TXT files. -= PDF Reading and Annotating =- PDF files is where GoodReader truly shines. Reading experience is so superior, it's hard to describe. To rephrase one of our customers' review, "try it, and you'll see." While you're at it, give our PDF Reflow feature a try. You'll be surprised how much better PDF reading goes when you don't have to scroll left/right all the time, for every single line of text. Annotating PDFs is another star feature of our app. Adding notes and drawings, highlighting text, and then sharing your annotated files or annotation summaries will be your main productivity and collaboration asset. -= File Management =- While reading files is a big part of GoodReader, it's not all it can do. It can also serve as a central hub for all your files, even those that can't be opened by GoodReader itself. It's like bringing your personal computer experience to your mobile device — easily managing huge collections of files and folders will make you forget you don't have your laptop around. -= Connecting =- Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, Box.com, WebDAV, SMB, FTP, SFTP — these are all accessible from inside GoodReader. Download, upload, and sync individual files or huge folder collections. -= Security =- With GoodReader, your data security steps up to the level previously only dreamt of. With Pro Pack®, our new set of professional-level super-features, you'll get AES-256, a military-grade encryption, for all your data, at a price of a cup of coffee! And it's completely independent from the built-in Apple's Data Protection, so even if a hacker steals and unlocks your device, your data will still be protected by another strong layer of security, our own. -= Multi-Windows =- Seamlessly view and manage multiple files simultaneously on iPad. -= Notes =- Capture ideas and comments while reading or studying a technical document without even leaving the app. Sort and group your notes into categories. (Note: Some features require a Pro Pack® subscription.)

Screenshots

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PDF Cabinet at Free against GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer's $5.99. PDF Cabinet also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (14K vs 56). On review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

PDF Cabinet is free to download; GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer costs $5.99 up front. GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. PDF Cabinet asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer has 14K ratings behind it against 56, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of PDF Cabinet's written reviews are positive against 69% of GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Cabinet ships an update every 5 weeks, GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer weekly. The most recent releases landed on July 5, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
PDF Cabinet versus GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF CabinetGoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer
PriceFree — better$5.99
Rating3.8 (56 ratings)4.7 (14K ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.1% of reviews68.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings5614K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#28 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size75 MB53 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBright Nine SIAGood.iWare, Inc.

Customer experience

PDF Cabinet

All ratings55 ratings
Positive67.3%
Neutral10.9%
Negative21.8%
Written reviews127 reviews
Positive66.1%
Neutral14.2%
Negative19.7%

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

All ratings13,801 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral2.3%
Negative5.5%
Written reviews1,838 reviews
Positive68.7%
Neutral7.9%
Negative23.4%

User reviews

PDF Cabinet

From 56 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth performance
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 💡 Excellent annotation tools
  • 🚀 Fast and responsive
  • 👍 Simple and clean design

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
  • 💡 Limited highlighter and pen customization
  • 💡 Lack of iCloud/cloud sync support
  • 🐛 Text disappearing issue
  • 🐛 Slow document loading and navigation

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

From 14K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent for reading and annotating PDFs
  • 📚 Powerful file management and organization
  • 💻 Seamless integration with cloud storage
  • 🎨 Customizable reading experience
  • ⚙️ Robust set of features and capabilities

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Subscription model for some features
  • 🔀 Cluttered interface after recent update
  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
  • 📁 Difficulty migrating files from older versions
  • 🖌️ Lacking palm rejection and customizable Apple Pencil controls

Bugs and requests

PDF Cabinet

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Randomly deleting files
  • Sync issues causing loss of annotations
  • Crashing when opening large documents
  • Navigation problems when zoomed in
  • Annotations not exporting properly

Requested features

7 requests
  • Add more highlighter and pen color options
  • Implement palm rejection for Apple Pencil
  • Add ability to resize and move annotation tools
  • Improve cloud/sync functionality (iCloud, Dropbox, etc.)
  • Implement vertical scrolling for continuous reading
Show 2 more
  • Add text box annotation feature
  • Improve export/sharing options for annotated documents

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Syncing issues with cloud storage providers
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps

Requested features

5 requests
  • Continuous scrolling for better reading experience
  • Improved search functionality with advanced filters
  • Ability to set custom color schemes and themes
  • Enhanced support for ebook formats like EPUB
  • Streamlined annotation tools and workflow

In-app purchases

None

PDF Cabinet

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Pack (monthly)7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Pro Pack (annual)7 Days trial$17.991 Year
One-time2
  • Auto Sync$9.99
  • Pro Pack$79.99

Questions

Is PDF Cabinet free?
PDF Cabinet is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer free?
GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer costs $5.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PDF Cabinet or GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer?
GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer is rated higher. PDF Cabinet averages 3.8 out of 5 from 56 ratings, while GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer averages 4.7 from 14K ratings.
Do PDF Cabinet or GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer have ads?
Neither PDF Cabinet nor GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Cabinet or GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer?
PDF Cabinet ships an update every 5 weeks, and GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer weekly. Most recently, PDF Cabinet was updated on July 5, 2026 and GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer on September 26, 2026.

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