# GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer vs PDFelement

The clearest difference is price: PDFelement at Free against GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer's $5.99. PDFelement also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#33 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

PDFelement 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 and PDFelement sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 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 GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer against 4.6 for PDFelement. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14K and 7.6K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer's written reviews are positive against 76% of PDFelement's.

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer ships an update weekly, PDFelement every 10 days. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer | PDFelement |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $5.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodreader-pdf-editor-and-viewer/id777310222/reviews)** | [4.6 (7.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdfelement-pdf-editor-viewer/id1516765045/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 7.6K |
| Positive reviews | 68.7% of reviews | **75.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#33** | — |
| Size | 53 MB | 200 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Good.iWare, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/289191291) | [Wondershare Technology Group Co.,LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/298647757) |

## What reviewers say

### GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodreader-pdf-editor-and-viewer/id777310222)

**Currently charting:** #33 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Pack (monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Pro Pack (annual) | $17.99 | per year |
| Auto Sync | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pro Pack | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### PDFelement

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdfelement-pdf-editor-viewer/id1516765045)

This application offers comprehensive PDF management, including advanced editing, AI-powered summarization and translation, and efficient scanning with OCR. It helps organize, convert, and secure documents for work, study, and personal use.

**Highlights:** AI Chat with PDF, Scan and OCR, PDF to Office Conversion, Edit PDF like Word, Password Protection, Compress PDF

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

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription (AI) | $3.99 | per month |
| PDF Editor& Converter& Scanner | $6.99 | per month |
| PDF Editor & Scanner Pro（iOS） | $6.99 | per month |
| Weekly Subscription (iOS) | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Quarterly Subscription (iOS) | $9.99 | per 3 months |
| Weekly Subscription (iOS) | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription (iOS) | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription (All) | $19.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription (iOS) | $24.99 | per year |
| PDF Editor & Scanner Pro | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription (iOS) | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription (iOS) | $29.99 | per year |
| Quarterly Subscription (All) | $39.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual Subscription (iOS+Win) | $99.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription (iOS+Mac) | $99.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription (All) | $109.99 | per year |
| PDF Editor & Scanner Pro | $39.99 | one-time |
| iOS | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient PDF editing
- 💡 Comprehensive feature set
- 🔒 Secure document handling
- 👍 Intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔒 Mandatory account required
- 🔒 Unclear licensing and subscription model
- 🐛 Syncing issues between devices

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and inability to restore purchases
- Corrupted scanned files or loss of progress
- Inconsistent behavior when editing PDF text
- Compatibility problems with older devices or OS versions

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Improve cloud integration and file management
- Enhance OCR accuracy and capabilities
- Introduce multi-tab support for better workflow
- Add more customization options for toolbars and UI


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer free?

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer costs $5.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is PDFelement free?

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

### Which has better reviews, GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer or PDFelement?

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer is rated higher. GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while PDFelement averages 4.6 from 7.6K ratings.

### Do GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer or PDFelement have ads?

PDFelement shows ads; GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer does not.

### Which is updated more often, GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer or PDFelement?

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer ships an update weekly, and PDFelement every 10 days. Most recently, GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDFelement on September 24, 2026.

---

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