Comparison

PDF Reader vs ReadEra

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

Head to head
About

PDF Reader

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
Read full description

PDF Reader - Mini Version is an amazing reader App on iPhone and iPad Main Fatures: 1. support read pdf、chm、epub、txt file 2. support pdf annotation and text search 3. support import file via Files、Airdrop、iTunes、web browser 4. support MS office Word、Excel、PPT、Video and many other file types preview 5. support simple Todo list 6. support auto save reading progress 7. support Baidu Net Disk

About

ReadEra

This app allows you to read and listen to books and documents in various formats, including PDF and EPUB. It offers text-to-speech functionality, customizable reading settings, and a built-in book manager for your library. Enjoy an ad-free and registration-free reading experience.

Highlights
  • Multi-format ebook support (EPUB, PDF, MOBI, DOCX, etc.)
  • Text-to-Speech (TTS) for listening to books
  • Ad-free and registration-free experience
  • Offline reading capabilities
  • Book manager with grouping and sorting
  • Customizable reading settings (themes, fonts, margins)
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

ReadEra - a book reader, allows you to read books for free, text to voice and listen to books for free, offline, in the PDF, EPUB, DOC, DOCX, RTF, MOBI, AZW3, CBZ, CBR, DJVU, FB2, TXT, ODT and CHM formats. No ads Read books and listen to books without ads. The ReadEra app for reading books and viewing PDF documents neither contains ads nor imposes internal purchases. No registration We’ve made a fast, reliable reader that doesn't compel users to use any specific services. The book reader works offline and is entirely free. Read books for free and listen to books for free (TTS), without limits! Text to Speech (TTS) Read text aloud with voice (TTS) – allows you to read text aloud and listen to all your books, PDF files and documents for free. With the Text to Speech (TTS) function, all your books and documents turn into audiobooks at the tap of the "Read aloud" button. TTS turns your book library into a personal audio library, making reading more flexible and enjoyable. This is especially useful for those who prefer the audio format or want to listen to books in situations where reading is impossible. You can read foreign books and at the same time listen to the pronunciation of words and sentences. You can choose a voice, adjust the speech speed, turn on repeating text to voice of the selected text, word or sentence. Listen to books and documents with ReadEra while doing your things – on the go, working out, before bed and even when sleeping. Read books of all formats ReadEra is a set of reading apps in one app, which reads well multiple types of formats: book Epub, Kindle (MOBI, AZW3), Fb2; business PDF, Djvu; office Microsoft Word (DOC, DOCX, RTF), ODT; text TXT and others. Reading books, viewing Microsoft Word documents and PDF files from zip archives. The reader for books, ReadEra, reads all popular formats of books, journals, articles and other documents in one app. Best book manager for your library Auto-detection of books and documents. Grouping books into lists: To Read, Have Read, Favorites. Sorting by name, file format, the last time read, etc. Quickly search for books, PDF files and documents in your library. Navigation through a book Quick access to reading settings, table of contents, your bookmarks, quotes, notes and other eBook options. Navigate through the book using the page index or the progress bar line. Convenient reading settings Auto-saving the current reading page. Comfortable color themes when reading books: day, night, sepia, console. Horizontal or vertical page flipping mode. Brightness and page margins adjustment, including PDF and DjVu. Separate settings for text and graphic formats. Adjustable type font, size, boldness, line spacing and hyphenation for Microsoft Word, Epub, Kindle (Mobi, Azw3), Fb2, TXT and ODT. Zoom in option for reading PDF and Djvu files. Quotes and Notes Create quotes and add notes to text. Highlight text in books, PDF files and documents, add personal notes to the highlighted text. A well-thought-out and simple algorithm for working with quotes and notes. All your quotes and notes in a book are conveniently gathered in one place—in the “About Document” section. Bookmarks Add bookmarks to save your favorite spots in books with a single tap. Just tap the upper-right corner while reading to quickly add a bookmark. All bookmarks for the book are conveniently gathered in one place—in the "About Document" section. Text Translation ReadEra supports integration with the iOS system “Translate” app for seamless text translation. Instantly translate text in books, PDFs, and documents using the built-in translator on your device. Read books and Listen to books easily and for free with ReadEra!

Screenshots

PDF Reader3 screens
ReadEra4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PDF Reader at 4.9 against ReadEra's 4.2. PDF Reader also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (71% vs 60%). ReadEra's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ratings volume (231 vs 8). On price, 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

Both are free to download. PDF Reader sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. ReadEra asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PDF Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ReadEra has 231 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 60% of ReadEra's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
PDF Reader versus ReadEra: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF ReaderReadEra
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (8 ratings) — better4.2 (231 ratings)
Positive reviews71.4% of reviews — better60.1% of reviews
Number of ratings8231 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank—#110 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB62 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer绪强 任READERA EOOD

Customer experience

PDF Reader

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral17.9%
Negative10.7%

ReadEra

All ratings231 ratings
Positive74.9%
Neutral11.7%
Negative13.4%
Written reviews273 reviews
Positive60.1%
Neutral17.6%
Negative22.3%

Bugs and requests

PDF Reader

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

ReadEra

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Unexpected page jumps or scrolling issues
  • Compatibility problems with certain file formats
  • Inconsistent behavior when minimizing or locking the screen

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add text-to-speech functionality
  • Implement highlighting, annotation, and lookup features
  • Introduce cloud sync and cross-device syncing
  • Expand font and theme options
  • Add search within documents

In-app purchases

5 purchases

PDF Reader

One-time5
  • Reader App donate$0.99
  • Dropbox Support$0.99
  • Remove Ad$4.99
Show 2 more
  • Todo donate$7.99
  • Todo donate$14.99
None

ReadEra

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PDF Reader free?
PDF Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ReadEra free?
ReadEra is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PDF Reader or ReadEra?
PDF Reader is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.9 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while ReadEra averages 4.2 from 231 ratings.
Do PDF Reader or ReadEra have ads?
Neither PDF Reader nor ReadEra shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Reader or ReadEra?
PDF Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, and ReadEra every 2 months. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on August 30, 2026 and ReadEra on September 24, 2026.

Other comparisons