# PocketBook Reader vs PDF Reader

The clearest difference is rating: PDF Reader at 4.9 against PocketBook Reader's 4.5. PDF Reader also leads on review sentiment (71% vs 54%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). PocketBook Reader's advantage is ratings volume (9.8K vs 8) and chart position (#151 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PocketBook Reader sells 41 one-off in-app purchases and PDF Reader sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PocketBook Reader has 9.8K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of PocketBook Reader's written reviews are positive against 71% of PDF Reader's.

PocketBook Reader ships an update every 2 months, PDF Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PocketBook Reader | PDF Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketbook-reader/id805488884/reviews) | **[4.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-mini-version/id898564035/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9.8K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 54.5% of reviews | **71.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#151** | — |
| Size | 106 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pocketbook International SA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536135171) | [绪强 任](https://appshunter.io/developer/898564038) |

## What reviewers say

### PocketBook Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketbook-reader/id805488884)

**Currently charting:** #151 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

This app is a versatile reader supporting 26 book and audio formats, including EPUB, PDF, and audiobooks. It offers features like PDF reflow, text-to-speech, cloud synchronization, and extensive customization options for a comfortable reading experience.

**Highlights:** Supports 26 book and audio formats, PDF Reflow function, Text-to-speech engine, Cloud synchronization service, Customizable interface and reading settings, Adobe DRM support

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

**In-app purchases (41)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| eBook | $0.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class A) | $0.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $1.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class B) | $1.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $2.95 | one-time |
| eBook | $2.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class C) | $2.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 4.79 | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 4.19 | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class D) | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class Alt5) | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 5.39 | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class F) | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 5.89 | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 5.09 | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class G) | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 7.09 | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 7.19 | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 8.29 | $6.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 7.59 | $6.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $7.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 8.89 | $7.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class J) | $8.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $8.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $9.90 | one-time |
| eBook | $9.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class L) | $10.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 13.9 | $11.90 | one-time |
| eBook | $11.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 12.99 | $11.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $12.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class N) | $12.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class O) | $13.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 17.9 | $14.90 | one-time |
| eBook | $14.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class R) | $16.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class T) | $18.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class W) | $21.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient reading experience
- 🚀 Smooth scrolling
- 💡 Customizable settings (font, margin, etc.)
- 🔒 Supports DRM-protected content
- 👍 Intuitive user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Unreliable cloud sync
- 🐛 Inconsistent page rendering
- 🐛 Buggy text highlighting and annotation
- 🐛 Slow loading times

**Reported bugs**

- Books disappearing from library after login issues
- Inability to open DRM-protected PDFs
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between portrait and landscape modes
- Text-to-speech voice quality issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to organize books into custom folders
- Option to disable quick action zones
- Improved text-to-speech controls (seek, pause, etc.)
- Support for handwritten annotations with Apple Pencil
- Faster page turning and scrolling


### PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-mini-version/id898564035)

This app allows you to read various document formats like PDF, EPUB, and CHM on your iPhone and iPad. It supports file import, text search, annotation, and even previewing MS Office files and videos. A simple to-do list and auto-save reading progress are also included.

**Highlights:** Reads PDF, CHM, EPUB, TXT files, PDF annotation and text search, File import via Files, Airdrop, iTunes, web, MS Office and video file preview, Simple To-Do list functionality, Auto-save reading progress

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reader App donate | $0.99 | one-time |
| Dropbox Support | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ad | $4.99 | one-time |
| Todo donate | $7.99 | one-time |
| Todo donate | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PocketBook Reader free?

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

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PocketBook Reader or PDF Reader?

PDF Reader is rated higher. PocketBook Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 9.8K ratings, while PDF Reader averages 4.9 from 8 ratings.

### Do PocketBook Reader or PDF Reader have ads?

Neither PocketBook Reader nor PDF Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PocketBook Reader or PDF Reader?

PocketBook Reader ships an update every 2 months, and PDF Reader every 3 weeks. Most recently, PocketBook Reader was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDF Reader on August 30, 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.*