Portable Document Format or PDF is one of the most widely used file formats today. A majority of ebooks online exist in the PDF format, and businesses also prefer their documents in this file format.
The reason why PDF format has excelled as compared to other file formats is the fact that it is compatible with different platforms. A document in pdf format is often viewed as it is intended as formatting remains intact.
With such fond demand of pdf documents, pdf reader apps have become a necessity in smartphones especially iPhones and iPads that are popularly used for business purposes and reading content.
Many people use an iPad for reading ebooks. You would need a pdf reader app to view, annotate and edit your pdf documents. The real problem arises when you have to choose the best pdf reader for iPad and iPhone from the vast range of options available in the App Store. Different pdf reader apps come with different set of features and choosing the best out of them according to your reading habits can be a task.
Here, we have amassed a list of 10 best pdf reader apps for iPad and iPhone along with their important features, so that you can easily choose the best app for yourself.
10 Best PDF Reader Apps for iPhone and iPad
After reading the important features of the above-mentioned pdf reader apps, go through our list of 8 Best iPhone Web Browser Apps in your free time.
1. Adobe Acrobat Reader – Overall Best PDF Reader For iPhone
Adobe Acrobat Reader is one of the most popular pdf reader available for different platforms. In fact, Adobe developed the PDF format in the year 1993. With this app, you can read and annotate files on your iPhone and iPad. Multiple PDF file formats such as password protected PDFs, PDF portfolios and fillable forms can be opened with the reader. However, you cannot edit the text of the PDF.
Features of Adobe Acrobat Reader
- You can annotate and highlight the text on PDFs with the help of drawing tools and sticky notes.
- Options are available for a single page or continuous page scrolling to choose from according to your convenience.
- You can open files from your device as well as from various cloud services including Adobe Document Cloud and Dropbox.
- An inbuilt scanner in the app helps you turn anything into a pdf. You can scan a whiteboard, receipts, forms, etc.
Adobe Acrobat Reader is perfect for those who want to view and perform basic annotations on a pdf document. Its desktop app is powerful and carries the functionalities of an advanced reader. You can download Adobe reader app to view all types of PDFs on your iPhone and iPad.
2. Foxit PDF Reader – Best PDF Reader For Business Applications
If any pdf reader application for iPhone which can compete directly with Adobe Acrobat Reader then it has to be Foxit PDF reader. It’s much more than just a PDF reader. Apart from incorporating basic functionalities of a reader, Foxit also has additional features including split view, slide over and document scanning. The free version of the application has limited features including viewing PDFs, adding comments, highlighting text, etc.
Features of Foxit PDF Reader
- Different viewing options include single page, continuous and thumbnail.
- You can stamp and sign a PDF document with Foxit PDf reader.
- Documents can be read out loud with ‘Speak’ feature.
- Passwords can be set to encrypt documents.
- Foxit PDF reader supports ConnectedPDF which is a PDF documentation management technique.
Foxit PDF reader for iPhone is an easy to use application with excellent features and advanced editing features. It is a business-oriented pdf viewer rather than just an ebook reader.
3. Documents by Readdle – Not Just a PDF Reader
Documents by Readdle combines the usefulness of a full-fledged file manager and a PDF reader. Lack of an inbuilt file manager app in iPhones until iOS 11 meant that the feature of Readdle was beneficial. You can import pdf files from the cloud, computer or download it from the web and save them to read later.
Features of Documents by Readdle
- Read and annotate pdf files with handy tools.
- New wi-fi transfer feature allows you to transfer files from iPhone or iPad to Mac or PC and vice versa.
- Using the inbuilt browser, you can search meanings of difficult words while reading a PDF.
It’s easy to use interface and powerful features make it a must-have pdf reader app for iPad and iPhone owners. Not only it will help you in viewing pdf but will also help in keeping your files organized.
4. iBooks
iBooks is the native pdf reader app in iPhone and iPad. In iOS 12, Apple has revamped iBooks and has named it Books. iBooks supports PDF and EPUB formats. You can sync books across devices using iTunes. It is a simple pdf reader app with no fancy features.
Features of iBooks
- You can download a wide variety of paid books from the iBooks Store.
- Using iBooks pdf reader for iPhone, you can add bookmarks, notes and highlight the text in the pdf you are reading.
- An auto-night theme to make reading easy during night time.
- PDFs can be easily printed using AirPrint.
It could be a good option if you are looking forward to reading ebooks on your device. The revamped version is yet to release, and it might have some interesting features.
5. PDFelement – Complete PDF Reader App With Cross-Platform Syncing
PDFelement is a pdf reader app designed to boost your productivity with its features. The all in one app allows you to read, edit, annotate, convert and sign PDF files in a convenient manner. PDFs can be accessed from iCould Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Box.
Features of PDFelement
- Documents can be synced across devices running on different operating systems including Windows, iOS, MacOS, and Android.
- Font recognition feature of the app allows you to edit PDFs without creating a mess.
- You can add text, stamps, freehand drawing, highlight and underline text, etc.
- PDFs can be converted into different formats including Word, Excel, PPT, HTML, and RTF.
- With an inbuilt scanner, you can convert any document into pdf.
PDFelement is one of the best free pdf reader apps with advanced features. You can sign in with your Wondershare ID to unlock premium features of the app which does not cost a penny. The pdf software offers a better reading experience if you are an avid reader.
6. PDF Reader – Document Expert
PDF Reader – Document Expert by Kdan Mobile is one of the best pdf reader online apps in terms of features and pdf viewing capabilities. The app supports password protected pdf, and a scanning mode allows you to scan and create pdf files on the go. Annotating tools of the app deserve special mention as you have the option of choosing from fonts and colors.
Features of PDF Reader- Document Expert
- With this pdf viewer app for iPhone, you can view, scan, edit and annotate pdf easily.
- You can add a signature in PDFs and fill PDF forms using the pdf reader app.
- Text Flow and auto-flow features enhance pdf reader experience.
PDF Reader – Document Expert is an ideal pdf reader and editor with capabilities of managing and transferring files. However, it is a paid app, but given its features, the purchase wouldn’t seem a problem.
7. Google Play Books – A Reliable PDF Reader App
Google Play Books has been a successful PDF reader app for Android devices, and the iOS variant of the app doesn’t disappoint at all. You can upload your own PDF and EPUB files in the library, and it will be synced across devices. Play Book’s marketplace hosts a large collection of classics and latest books. If you are fond of reading novels, then you must download this PDF reader app in iPhone.
Features of Google Play Books
- Built-in dictionary and maps can be pretty handy at times.
- The cross-device syncing facility provided by the pdf reader is excellent.
- Notes are synced with Google Drive so that you can access them anytime from any device.
- Nightlight settings automatically adjust background color and brightness for the ebook reader.
Google Play Books pdf reader is a trusted reader with basic functionalities of a reader. The latest update of the pdf software has added the support for audiobooks which makes it further useful application.
8. Xodo PDF Pro – A Simple PDF Reader App
Xodo PDF Pro is a free pdf reader app for iPhone which comes with basic functionalities of a pdf reader. You can view, edit and annotate PDFs. The application is perfect for those who like to edit official documents on their iPhone. Cross-platform support of the app is another factor which makes it a worth downloading app.
Features of Xodo PDF Pro
- The pdf reader app for iPhone can seamlessly render even complex pdfs and encrypted documents.
- A number of options for annotating your pdf document.
- You can convert office documents and scan images to turn them to PDF.
- Built-in file manager allows you to organize and manage your files.
- Multiple users can access and collaborate on a document
Xodo PDF Pro is a free pdf opener app for iOS devices which gives you the option of group collaboration on a document. The developers have successfully tried to incorporate small and handy features in the app to make it a decent pdf reader for users.
9. KyBook 2 Ebook Reader – Best PDF Reader For iPad
If you have bought the iPad for reading purpose and now you are looking forward to a pdf reader for it then there is no better app than KyBook 2. The PDF reader app for iPad and iPhone supports multiple e-book formats like EPUB, FB2, RTF, PDF, DJVU, MOBI, AZW3, CBR, CBZ, CBT, MP3, M4A, M4B. You can mark annotations and use the in-built text-to-speech tool to convert text to audio.
Features Of KyBook 2 Ebook Reader
- Books can be saved to iCloud, Dropbox, Yandex Disk, Google Drive, OneDrive and shared folders.
- Navigation inside the books is easy as you can manage the table of contents, bookmarks, and notes.
- You can search a particular text inside a book using regular expressions.
KyBook 2 Ebook Reader is a full-fledged pdf reader app for iPad that makes books reading experience a delightful one. Handy cataloguer and flexible reading mode settings are further provided for avid readers. It is a free iPad pdf reader app that can be downloaded from the App Store.
10. PDF Pro 3 – Feature Rich PDF Reader App For iPhone
if you are looking for a feature-rich pdf reader app for iPhone then PDF Pro 3 is the app you must download. The app allows you to read, annotate and edit PDF documents. You can highlight text, add comments and embed shapes or draw figures with your fingers in the pdf file. Moreover, you can also embed voice-recordings or photo annotations in a pdf.
Features Of PDF Pro 3
- Colorful labels are provided for sorting and grouping PDF files.
- Dark mode for reading pdf documents without straining your eyes.
- Support for password protected PDFs.
- You can perform a full-text search on your entire PDF library.
PDF Pro 3 is one of the best pdf reader apps for iPad and iPhone because of its excellent features. The free version of the app comes with many features. If you want more features, you can opt for the premium version of the app.
PDF Reader Apps For iPad
Most of the apps that we have enlisted above work flawlessly on iPad in addition to iPhone. iPad, owing to its larger screen size, is used by many for reading books and comics. Reading books on iPad is an amazing experience and with these pdf reader apps, you can read pdf files more efficiently on your iPad.
Conclusion
The apps given in our list of best PDF reader apps for iPhone not only help you open and view pdf documents but some of them also help you edit them. We hope that you would be able to choose the best pdf reader for iPad and iPhone from this list according to your usage.
If you think we have missed an exciting and useful PDF reader app for iOS platform then comment below.
