# PDF Reader vs ReadEra

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.

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

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | ReadEra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-mini-version/id898564035/reviews)** | [4.2 (231 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readera-book-reader-pdf-epub/id1669188337/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **231** |
| Positive reviews | **71.4% of reviews** | 60.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#110** |
| Size | 50 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [绪强 任](https://appshunter.io/developer/898564038) | [READERA EOOD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1667303380) |

## 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 |


### ReadEra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readera-book-reader-pdf-epub/id1669188337)

**Currently charting:** #110 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Privacy-respecting
- 👍 Customizable reading experience
- 👍 Offline functionality
- 👍 Intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional performance issues
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 👎 Missing key features from Android version
- 👎 Lack of organization tools (collections, folders)
- 👎 No text-to-speech or annotation features

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked 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.

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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.*