# PDF Reader vs Books Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PDF Reader at 71% against Books Reader's 38%. PDF Reader also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Reader sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Books Reader sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 22 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 38% of Books Reader's.

PDF Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, Books Reader every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | Books Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-mini-version/id898564035/reviews)** | [4.7 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/books-reader-pocket-library/id1550557954/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **22** |
| Positive reviews | **71.4% of reviews** | 37.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 50 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [绪强 任](https://appshunter.io/developer/898564038) | [Villow](https://appshunter.io/developer/1550558286) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Books Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/books-reader-pocket-library/id1550557954)

This app provides a seamless e-reading experience, managing your ebook collection and offering customizable reading settings. It supports various formats and includes features like bookmarking, note-taking, and a read/unread tracker.

**Highlights:** Supports multiple ebook formats (epub, fb2, mobi, PDF), Manages and organizes ebook collections, Customizable text size, color, theme, and brightness, Progress tracking and bookmarking, Note-taking and excerpt selection, Read/unread book tracker, Filtering and search functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Regular donation | $1.99 | per month |
| Regular donation | $3.99 | per month |
| Regular donation | $5.99 | per month |
| Regular donation | $9.99 | per month |
| Donation | $1.99 | one-time |
| Donation | $3.99 | one-time |
| Donation | $5.99 | one-time |
| Donation | $9.99 | one-time |
| Custom Fonts & Themes | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is Books Reader free?

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

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

PDF Reader is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.9 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Books Reader averages 4.7 from 22 ratings.

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

Neither PDF Reader nor Books Reader shows ads.

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

PDF Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, and Books Reader every 3 months. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on October 8, 2026 and Books Reader on September 23, 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.*