# Mach Note vs PDF Viewer by Nutrient

The clearest difference is rating: PDF Viewer by Nutrient at 4.6 against Mach Note's 3.0. PDF Viewer by Nutrient also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (9.1K vs 2). Mach Note's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mach Note sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and PDF Viewer by Nutrient sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Viewer by Nutrient holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Viewer by Nutrient has 9.1K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Mach Note's written reviews are positive against 73% of PDF Viewer by Nutrient's.

Mach Note ships an update every 9 months, PDF Viewer by Nutrient monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mach Note | PDF Viewer by Nutrient |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mach-note-icloud-pdf-editor/id972400279/reviews) | **[4.6 (9.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-viewer-by-nutrient/id1120099014/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **9.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **73.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 18 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mach Software Design](https://appshunter.io/developer/327826899) | [PSPDFKit GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/966931428) |

## What reviewers say

### Mach Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mach-note-icloud-pdf-editor/id972400279)

This app allows for versatile note-taking with freehand drawing on native PDFs, audio recording with a 3D visualizer, and RTF word processing. Notes sync across devices via iCloud, and documents can be annotated and exported for various platforms.

**Highlights:** Freehand drawing on native PDF notes, Audio recording with 3D visualizer, RTF word processing, iCloud sync across devices, iCloud HandOff for seamless device switching, DOC/DOCX read support on iOS, read/write on OS X, Speech-to-Text dictation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


### PDF Viewer by Nutrient

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-viewer-by-nutrient/id1120099014)

Easily view, search, and annotate PDF documents on your iPhone and iPad. Import files from cloud services, fill out forms, add signatures, and organize your documents. Advanced features like redaction and combining documents are available with a Pro subscription.

**Highlights:** View and search PDFs, Annotate with highlights and notes, Sign documents digitally, Fill out PDF forms, Organize and share documents, Import from cloud services

**Features:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Viewer Pro 3 Months | $6.99 | per 3 months |
| PDF Viewer Pro Yearly | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless integration with iCloud and Files app
- 👍 Intuitive annotation tools with Apple Pencil
- 🎨 Versatile highlighting and drawing options
- 💾 Saves annotations to original PDF files
- 🔍 Powerful search and navigation features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and performance issues
- 🤔 Confusing UI and steep learning curve
- 🔀 Difficulty managing and organizing PDF files
- 🔍 Inconsistent text selection and highlighting
- 🔒 Privacy concerns around data collection

**Reported bugs**

- Annotations randomly disappearing or not saving
- Incompatibility issues with certain PDF files
- Scrolling and panning problems on large PDFs
- Unexpected crashes after iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Add a rubber/eraser tool for annotations
- Implement a side-by-side PDF view mode
- Improve palm rejection and gesture support
- Allow customization of toolbar and shortcuts
- Provide better options for PDF file management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mach Note free?

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

### Is PDF Viewer by Nutrient free?

PDF Viewer by Nutrient is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mach Note or PDF Viewer by Nutrient?

PDF Viewer by Nutrient is rated higher. Mach Note averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while PDF Viewer by Nutrient averages 4.6 from 9.1K ratings.

### Do Mach Note or PDF Viewer by Nutrient have ads?

Neither Mach Note nor PDF Viewer by Nutrient shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mach Note or PDF Viewer by Nutrient?

Mach Note ships an update every 9 months, and PDF Viewer by Nutrient monthly. Most recently, Mach Note was updated on October 22, 2026 and PDF Viewer by Nutrient on October 29, 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.*