# PDF Reader vs 清墨

PDF Reader and 清墨 both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of 清墨's written reviews are positive against 71% of PDF Reader's. PDF Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Reader sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and 清墨 sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for PDF Reader against 5.0 for 清墨. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 9 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 100% of 清墨's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | 清墨 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-mini-version/id898564035/reviews) | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id6473902642/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **9** |
| Positive reviews | 71.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 50 MB | 36 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) | [ZhenDong Technology Co, Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1643412889) |

## 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 |


### 清墨

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id6473902642)

Experience pure reading with a minimalist design, free from ads and notifications. Supports TXT and EPUB formats, with automatic decompression of ZIP/RAR files. Customize themes, fonts, and sync your progress across devices.

**Highlights:** Minimalist design, TXT/EPUB support, Automatic ZIP/RAR decompression, Theme and font customization, Cloud sync for reading progress, Automatic chapter extraction, Day/Night mode

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 月卡 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 年卡 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 无限卡 | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is 清墨 free?

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

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

清墨 is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.9 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while 清墨 averages 5.0 from 9 ratings.

### Do PDF Reader or 清墨 have ads?

Neither PDF Reader nor 清墨 shows ads.

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

PDF Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, and 清墨 every 3 weeks. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on September 25, 2026 and 清墨 on September 27, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*