# PDF Edit Express vs PDF Hero

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 (#200 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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Edit Express | PDF Hero |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.6 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-hero-pdf-editor-and-reader/id1512973255/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **10K** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **17.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#200** |
| Size | 18 MB | 536 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mach Software Design](https://appshunter.io/developer/327826899) | [Mosaic S.r.l.](https://appshunter.io/developer/570748343) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Edit Express

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-edit-express-edit-pdfs/id984018278)

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.

**Highlights:** Freehand drawing on PDFs, Text and image insertion, iCloud sync and HandOff, DOC/DOCX read support, Graphical file manager, Speech-to-text dictation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

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


### PDF Hero

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-hero-pdf-editor-and-reader/id1512973255)

**Currently charting:** #200 Top Grossing · Business (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly with free trial | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium with Free Trial | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Month | $9.99 | per month |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Month | $10.99 | per month |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Month | $11.99 | per month |
| Convert & Merge PDF Documents | $14.99 | per month |
| PDF Hero Premium 3 Months | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Year | $34.99 | per year |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Year | $89.99 | per year |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Year | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Useful PDF editing features
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Signature functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and malfunctions
- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior and glitches
- 🔋 High subscription cost
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 👎 Poor text editing capabilities

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- Improved text editing and manipulation
- Better file management and organization
- Seamless integration with other apps
- Clearer subscription and cancellation policies


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Edit Express free?

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

### Is PDF Hero free?

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

### Do PDF Edit Express or PDF Hero have ads?

Neither PDF Edit Express nor PDF Hero shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Edit Express or PDF Hero?

PDF Edit Express ships an update every 11 months, and PDF Hero every 3 weeks. Most recently, PDF Edit Express was updated on September 10, 2026 and PDF Hero on September 25, 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.*