Best PDF Annotate Apps

249+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.2 avg rating
19 free apps
Updated November 2026

The best pdf annotate apps on iPhone average 4.2★ across 249+ titles — we've ranked them by what real users actually keep on their phones. Updated November 2026.

Compare top PDF Annotate Apps (November 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Noteful: Notes & PDF MarkupNoteful: Notes & PDF MarkupFree4.8★ (24K)NoYesNov 2026
2PDF Expert: Editor & ReaderPDF Expert: Editor & ReaderFree4.7★ (217K)NoYesNov 2026
3Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDFGoodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDFFree4.7★ (470K)NoYesNov 2026
4Notability: AI Notes & PDFNotability: AI Notes & PDFFree4.8★ (459K)NoYesNov 2026
5Drawboard PDF Annotate, MarkupDrawboard PDF Annotate, MarkupFree4.8★ (2K)NoYesNov 2026
6PDF Hero - PDF Editor & ReaderPDF Hero - PDF Editor & ReaderFree4.6★ (10K)NoYesNov 2026
7PDF AnnotatePDF Annotate$0.99—NoNoNov 2026
8PDF Editor & PDF ReaderPDF Editor & PDF ReaderFree2.0★ (2)NoYesMay 2026

Top Picks for PDF Annotate

4.8😊(24K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup screenshot 1
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup screenshot 2
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup screenshot 3
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup screenshot 4
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup screenshot 5
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup screenshot 6

This app offers a fluid handwriting experience for note-taking and document annotation on iPads. Organize notes with powerful tagging, utilize layers for annotations, and sync across devices. It's designed to streamline learning and knowledge work by replacing paper clutter with a digital solution.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Smooth writing experience
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 💡 Layers feature
  • 👍 Affordable one-time purchase
  • 🚀 Efficient and lightweight
  • 👍 Great organization with tags and folders
  • 👍 Customizable UI

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
  • 🔍 No handwriting recognition or search
  • 🔍 Limited text editing options
  • 🔍 Lack of advanced features like math conversion
  • 🔍 Exporting PDFs loses some formatting
PDF Expert: Editor & Reader#2

PDF Expert: Editor & Reader by Readdle Technologies Limited

Fill & Sign, Annotate, Convert
Strong Contender
📊 Productivity
4.7😐(217K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
#80in Productivity
PDF Expert: Editor & Reader screenshot 1
PDF Expert: Editor & Reader screenshot 2
PDF Expert: Editor & Reader screenshot 3
PDF Expert: Editor & Reader screenshot 4
PDF Expert: Editor & Reader screenshot 5
PDF Expert: Editor & Reader screenshot 6

Edit, annotate, convert, and sign PDF documents with this comprehensive tool. Features include AI-powered summarization, file merging, compression, and secure password protection. Available across Apple devices for seamless workflow.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Fast and responsive
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 💡 Powerful annotation and editing tools
  • 🔒 Seamless cloud integration
  • 📚 Excellent for reading and organizing PDFs

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
  • 🔒 Subscription model for advanced features
  • 🔒 Inconsistent pricing and feature changes
  • 🔍 Cluttered and confusing UI in latest update
  • 🔍 Reduced customization options for annotations
Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF#3

Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF by Goodnotes Limited

Note taking, Planner & Journal
Worth Considering
📊 Productivity
4.7😊(470K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF screenshot 1
Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF screenshot 2
Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF screenshot 3
Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF screenshot 4
Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF screenshot 5
Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF screenshot 6

Capture ideas and unlock insights with powerful AI tools for note-taking, brainstorming, and document creation. Enhance productivity for professionals and students with features like AI transcription, summarization, and interactive study sets.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Excellent note-taking experience
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 🚀 Smooth writing with Apple Pencil
  • 📁 Powerful organization with folders and notebooks
  • 🖼️ Ability to annotate PDFs and documents
  • 🌈 Customizable paper styles and covers

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Glitches and crashes
  • 🔍 Syncing and iCloud issues
  • 🔍 Lack of flexibility with text input
  • 🔍 Limited eraser and highlighting options
  • 🔍 Subpar performance on Mac app

More PDF Annotate apps to explore

FAQ about PDF Annotate

What are the best pdf annotate apps for iPhone?
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup tops our pdf annotate apps ranking as of November 2026, with a 4.8-star average from 24K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 19 of the top pdf annotate apps we rank are free to download, including Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup and PDF Expert: Editor & Reader.
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup has no ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of November 2026.
We track 249+ pdf annotate apps on the iOS App Store as of November 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.

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