PDF Edit Express vs PDF Hero
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PDF Edit Express
Edit and annotate PDFs and TXT files with freehand drawing, text tools, and image insertion. Seamlessly sync and transfer documents across Apple devices using iCloud.
- Freehand drawing on PDFs
- Text and image insertion
- iCloud sync and HandOff
- DOC/DOCX read support
- Graphical file manager
- Speech-to-text dictation
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PDF Edit Express is a flexible and powerful new iCloud PDF and TXT Note Taker, Signer, Form Filler, Drawing/Diagram app, and Annotator for iOS and OS X. PDF Edit Express features freehand drawing using a native PDF Format, allowing you to use powerful note taking and annotating tools to markup PDFs instantly. Featuring iCloud Drive* and iCloud Continuity/HandOff** Support so not only are all your PDFs synced to all your devices, but you can also transfer PDFs between devices instantly. PDF Edit Express is not only the most innovative PDF apps for Mobile and Desktop, yet also the easiest to use PDF creation and markup applications in the world. And best of all, PDF Edit Express is free for iOS and only $6.99 (U.S.) for OS X! With iCloud Drive, you can take Notes on the go and have your Notes ready at your Mac or Windows PC already downloaded when you get home* And If that wasn't enough, PDFs can be transferred instantly from one device to another with iCloud HandOff so you can start working on one device, and continue on another (iPhone, iPad, and Mac)** iOS Specific Features: - Innovative Graphical File Manager with Natural Touch Gestures: Single Tap to Select a File, Double-Tap to Open a File, Two Finger "Pinch" to Zoom the File Manager, and Tap and Hold to Drag Files onto Folders - Photorealistic page swipe animations (swipe the vertical edge of a PDF page horizontally to go to the previous or next page) - Draw using Palm Rest or Magnifier Window with "Smart Shift" technology - DOC/DOCX Read Support Included Innovative Features on both iOS and OS X: - Freehand draw on PDFs with “Vector" note taking tools such as Pencil, Eraser, and Highlighter; keeping PDF file sizes small - iCloud support keeps your documents in Sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac; and with iCloud Drive, Windows PCs and well* - iCloud Continuity/HandOff lets you start work on one device and continue on another (iPhone, iPad, and Mac)** - DOC/DOCX Read support on iOS, DOC/DOCX Read/Write support on OS X - Create blank PDFs super easily and add Text, Drawings, Images, Web Pages, and more - TXT Word processing support for instances when all you need is the keyboard - Text Tool lets your Touch/Click to Type anywhere (iPad/Mac) - Cut Tool Makes it easy to reposition PDF content - Add Images, Text, and Web Pages to a PDF instantly (iPad/Mac) - Full Speech-To-Text Dictation support anywhere you can Type (Press Dictation key on keyboard on iOS, press “Fn” key twice on OS X) - Read Support for Password-Protected PDFs - iCloud is completely optional — PDF Edit Express works just as well offline as online! *iCloud Drive Support for Windows requires iCloud Drive install, iCloud Drive for Mac requires OS X 10.10 or later; iCloud Drive supports PDF/TXT/DOC/DOCX **iCloud HandOff requires both Bluetooth 4.0/LE and WiFi on and enabled
PDF Hero
Edit, create, and manage PDF documents on your mobile device. Annotate, fill forms, sign, and share files with ease. Offers advanced features like OCR and compression for enhanced document control.
- Create PDFs from scratch
- Edit text and annotate documents
- Fill and sign PDF forms
- Convert images/documents to PDF
- OCR for editable text
- Compress and merge PDFs
- Password-protect sensitive data
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Looking for a convenient and easy-to-use PDF editor? View and edit PDF files on the go with PDF Hero! The app works on iPhone and iPad. PDF Hero helps you take control of your papers and run your business in the ever-changing digital world. Create and read PDFs, then annotate, edit, fill and sign forms, or share files. Manage paperwork hassle-free from anywhere – the office, remotely, or from home. There’s no need for printed copies when you can access and edit the docs you need, on the go – all in an app. Stay one step ahead when it comes to document management. CREATE & VIEW - Create PDFs from scratch. - Open and view any PDF file. - Zoom in and out while reading. - Search to find the necessary information using text search. - Read PDFs easier with Read Mode by creating bookmarks and navigating conveniently. EDIT & ANNOTATE - Edit text in your PDF files, fix typos, and correct paragraphs. - Add comments and annotations using text notes. - Write on PDFs with your finger or stylus. - Fill PDF forms. - Highlight key ideas and add shapes. - Insert images, crop, resize, or change the angle if necessary. MANAGE & STORE - Import files from your device or online storage services like iCloud and Dropbox. - Delete pages from a multi-page PDF document. - Share PDF files with or without annotations for further reading and commenting. - Print files right from your device. Level up with Premium features! PRO EDITING - Convert images and documents to PDF files. - Sign docs right on the screen of your device. - Add stamps to PDF documents. - Transform PDF files into editable text with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology. PRO MANAGEMENT - Compress PDFs and share them as ZIP files. - Manage PDF pages: add pages, rotate, and reorder them. - Share selected pages of a multi-page PDF file. - Merge two or more PDF pages into a single document. - Password-protect sensitive data. *To digitize printed copies and transform them into editable PDF scans, try our Scan Hero app! Subscription payments will be charged to your App Store account at confirmation of your purchase. Subscriptions will automatically renew and you will be charged unless auto-renew is turned off or unless you cancel at least 24 hours prior to the end of the current subscription or trial period. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a premium subscription during the free trial period. The cost of renewal depends on the Subscription Plan you choose. Subscriptions and auto-renewal may be managed by going to Account Settings after purchase or by contacting Customer Support. Privacy Policy: https://support.bendingspoons.com/privacy.html?app=1512973255 Terms of Service: https://support.bendingspoons.com/tos.html?app=1512973255 Got questions or suggestions? Please don’t hesitate to email us at pdfhero@bendingspoons.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: PDF Hero at every 3 weeks against PDF Edit Express's every 11 months. PDF Hero also leads on review sentiment (18% vs 0%) and chart position (#194 vs unranked). PDF Edit Express's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. PDF Edit Express sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and PDF Hero sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
PDF Edit Express ships an update every 11 months, PDF Hero every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PDF Edit Express | PDF Hero |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 4.6 (10K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 17.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 10K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #194 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 536 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mach Software Design | Mosaic S.r.l. |
Customer experience
PDF Edit Express
PDF Hero
Bugs and requests
PDF Edit Express
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
PDF Hero
Reported bugs
4 issues- Text disappearing or jumping around during editing
- Inability to save or transfer edited documents
- App crashing or freezing during use
- Incorrect rendering of PDF content
Requested features
4 requests- Improved text editing and manipulation
- Better file management and organization
- Seamless integration with other apps
- Clearer subscription and cancellation policies
In-app purchases
PDF Edit Express
- Remove Ads2 variants$0.99
PDF Hero
- Weekly with free trial7 Days trial$3.997 Days
- Weekly Subscription$3.997 Days
- Weekly Premium$5.997 Days
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- Weekly Premium with Free Trial7 Days trial$5.997 Days
- PDF Hero Premium 1 Month$9.991 Month
- PDF Hero Premium 1 Month3 Days trial$10.991 Month
- PDF Hero Premium 1 Month3 Days trial2 variants$11.991 Month
- Convert & Merge PDF Documents3 Days trial$14.991 Month
- PDF Hero Premium 3 Months3 Days trial$19.993 Months
- PDF Hero Premium 1 Year3 Days trial$34.991 Year
- PDF Hero Premium 1 Year3 Days trial$89.991 Year
- PDF Hero Premium 1 Year3 Days trial$99.991 Year








