Comparison

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer vs PDF Vault

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

Head to head
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.)

About

PDF Vault

This ultra-lightweight application offers a comprehensive suite of PDF tools, including text-to-speech functionality, digital signing, document scanning, organization, and instant translation. It's designed for efficiency and ease of use, saving device space while enhancing productivity for work, study, or personal tasks.

Highlights
  • Text-to-speech for PDFs
  • Digital document signing
  • Scan paper documents to PDF
  • Organize and manage PDF files
  • Instant document translation
  • Ultra-lightweight and fast
Features
Read full description

Your private PDF workspace, built for people who take their documents seriously. Ask your PDFs questions, understand complex documents, translate, scan, sign, listen, and manage your files in one lightweight app. PDF Vault combines powerful PDF tools with a privacy-first approach: your documents stay on your device. ASK YOUR PDF ANYTHING Have a long report, contract, research paper, manual, or other document? Just ask. Ask PDF lets you ask questions about the content of your document and get answers based on the information inside it. Find important details, understand complex sections, summarize information, and explore your documents without searching through page after page. Your documents stay private and are processed on your device. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your documents are personal. PDF Vault is designed with privacy at its core. Your PDF data never leaves your device. No document uploads are required for the core PDF experience. Your files remain under your control while you work with them. ALL THE PDF TOOLS YOU NEED Listen to PDFs Turn your documents into spoken audio with built-in text-to-speech. Listen while working, commuting, studying, or simply when you prefer to hear rather than read. Translate PDFs Translate documents and understand content in other languages without leaving your PDF workspace. Scan documents Turn paper documents into digital PDFs using your device camera. Built-in OCR helps make scanned documents searchable and usable. Sign PDFs Sign documents quickly and conveniently. Add your signature and complete documents without printing them. Read and organize Open, read, manage, and organize your PDF files in a clean, focused workspace designed to stay out of your way. LIGHTWEIGHT AND FOCUSED PDF Vault is built to give you the tools you actually need without turning your device into a document-management maze. Whether you are working with contracts, invoices, academic papers, reports, forms, manuals, or personal documents, PDF Vault keeps everything you need close at hand. FOR WORK, STUDY, AND EVERYDAY DOCUMENTS Use PDF Vault at work to understand reports and contracts. Use it at university to explore research papers and study materials. Use it at home to manage forms, manuals, receipts, and other important documents. ONE PRIVATE WORKSPACE FOR YOUR PDFs Read. Ask. Translate. Scan. Sign. Listen. Organize. PDF Vault brings essential PDF tools together while keeping privacy at the center of the experience. PDF Vault Unlimited gives you unlimited access to all PDF Vault features while directly supporting our mission to provide the best privacy-first PDF tool where your data never leaves your device. Terms of Service: https://macmonsters.com/pdf-reader-terms-of-service.html

Screenshots

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer3 screens
PDF Vault2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PDF Vault at Free against GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer's $5.99. GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer's advantage is review sentiment (69% vs 50%) and chart position (#73 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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 Vault 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 PDF Vault sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer ships an update weekly, PDF Vault fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer versus PDF Vault: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGoodReader PDF Editor & ViewerPDF Vault
Price$5.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (14K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews68.7% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings14K — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#73 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.1
Further details — not scored
Size53 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGood.iWare, Inc.Dmytro Skorokhod

Customer experience

GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer

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

PDF Vault

Written reviews6 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

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

PDF Vault

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
2 purchases

PDF Vault

Subscriptions2
  • Mox PDF Tool Unlimited Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Mox PDF Tool Unlimited Annually7 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer free?
GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer costs $5.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is PDF Vault free?
PDF Vault is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer or PDF Vault have ads?
Neither GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer nor PDF Vault shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer or PDF Vault?
GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer ships an update weekly, and PDF Vault fortnightly. Most recently, GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer was updated on September 29, 2026 and PDF Vault on September 26, 2026.

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