# PDF Reader Pro vs PDF Annotate Expert

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PDF Reader Pro at 64% against PDF Annotate Expert's 0%. PDF Reader Pro also leads on rating (4.4 vs 2.3) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 69 months). PDF Annotate Expert's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Reader Pro sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per year and PDF Annotate Expert sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Reader Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Reader Pro has 437 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of PDF Reader Pro's written reviews are positive against 0% of PDF Annotate Expert's.

PDF Reader Pro ships an update every 2 months, PDF Annotate Expert every 69 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader Pro | PDF Annotate Expert |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (437 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-pro-lite-edition/id919472509/reviews)** | [2.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-annotate-expert-esign/id946682807/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **437** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **63.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 69 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 194 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [PDF Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1263126485) | [SUPERNOVA TECH](https://appshunter.io/developer/665703951) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Reader Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-pro-lite-edition/id919472509)

This app offers comprehensive tools for managing PDF documents on mobile devices. It allows users to read, edit text and images, annotate, fill forms, convert to various formats, compress files, and perform OCR. Organize, protect, and share your PDFs with ease.

**Highlights:** Read PDFs with multiple viewing options, Edit PDF text and images, Annotate with highlights, notes, and drawings, Fill out PDF forms, Convert PDFs to Word, Excel, and other formats, Perform OCR on PDFs, Compress PDF file sizes

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Add 2-Device · Advanced Annual | $39.99 | per year |
| Add Devices · Advanced Annual | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Pro · Advanced Annual | $79.99 | per year |
| PDF Pro · AI Annual | $79.99 | per year |
| Permanent License | $24.99 | one-time |
| PDF Pro · Advanced Permanent | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 💡 Useful features like highlighting and annotating
- 👍 Great for reading and studying PDFs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Security issues with locked files
- 💰 Expensive upgrade to unlock full functionality
- 🤖 Poor customer support and unresponsive developers

**Reported bugs**

- Annotations not saving or displaying correctly
- App crashing when trying to convert or edit PDFs
- Syncing issues between devices
- Unexpected password locks on files

**Requested features**

- Undo/redo functionality for annotations
- More font and theme options
- Improved compatibility with cloud storage services
- Better support for older devices


### PDF Annotate Expert

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-annotate-expert-esign/id946682807)

Easily annotate, sign, and fill PDF documents. Add text, drawings, images, and signatures with extensive customization options. Save work as drafts and print wirelessly.

**Highlights:** Annotate with highlight, underline, strikethrough, Drawing tools with multiple colors, Unlimited signatures and multiple signers, Fill text and save as templates, Insert images and logos, Cloud storage integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Google Drive | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sky Drive | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock AnnotateExpert | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader Pro free?

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

### Is PDF Annotate Expert free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PDF Reader Pro or PDF Annotate Expert?

PDF Reader Pro is rated higher. PDF Reader Pro averages 4.4 out of 5 from 437 ratings, while PDF Annotate Expert averages 2.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do PDF Reader Pro or PDF Annotate Expert have ads?

PDF Reader Pro shows ads; PDF Annotate Expert does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Reader Pro or PDF Annotate Expert?

PDF Reader Pro ships an update every 2 months, and PDF Annotate Expert every 69 months. Most recently, PDF Reader Pro was updated on September 26, 2026 and PDF Annotate Expert on September 9, 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.*