PDF Expert is a pDF & document tools tool for Freelancers and Small businesses, offered as freemium. Founded in Ukraine in 2010.
About PDF Expert
PDF Expert is a PDF reader and editor made by Readdle, a software company founded in 2007 in Odesa, Ukraine, and also known for the Spark email client and the Documents app. PDF Expert launched on iPad in 2010 and came to the Mac in 2015, and Readdle says 194 million people have downloaded its apps. Its core job is fast, native PDF reading, annotation, editing and signing on Apple devices.
The free version reads, annotates, fills forms and signs. Premium unlocks editing of text and images, conversion to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and JPG, OCR for scans, merging, splitting, compression, redaction, password protection and PDF Copilot, an AI assistant that summarizes, lists main points, explains passages and answers questions with references. One Premium subscription covers Mac, iPhone and iPad.
It suits Apple users who want an editor that feels native and quick, from students marking up readings to lawyers redacting contracts. There is no Windows, Android or web app, collaboration and signature request workflows are basic, and it lacks Acrobat's enterprise admin controls. Adobe Acrobat is the safer pick for cross-platform teams and complex forms, Foxit offers cheaper Windows coverage, and Nitro PDF suits Windows-based businesses that also need e-signatures.
Prices vary by region and sales channel. In the US, Premium is listed at $79.99 a year for Mac, iPhone and iPad, while a one-time Mac-only license costs $139.99; resellers note that AI and translation features still need a subscription. Readdle offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and education discounts.
Key features of PDF Expert
- Edit text, images and links directly inside existing PDFs
- OCR that makes scanned documents searchable and copyable
- Convert PDFs to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and JPG
- PDF Copilot AI to summarize, explain and answer questions with references
- Redaction, password protection, merging, splitting and compression
- Form filling, including checklists with calculated fields, plus signatures
- Reading mode with day, night and sepia themes and reflowed text
- AI Enhance cleans up scans by fixing distortion, shadows and contrast
Pros and cons
Pros
- Fast, native Apple app that feels lighter than Acrobat
- One subscription covers Mac, iPhone and iPad
- Free version already handles reading, annotation, forms and signing
- Rated 4.7 on the iOS App Store from over 200,000 ratings
- Much cheaper per year than Adobe Acrobat Pro
Cons
- No Windows, Android or web version
- Lifetime Mac license excludes AI and translation features
- No team admin console or signature request workflows
- Prices differ by country and sales channel, which confuses buyers
- Lacks Acrobat's accessibility and prepress tools
PDF Expert pricing
PDF Expert uses a freemium model.
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Read, annotate, fill forms and sign |
| Premium | $79.99 / yr | US price; Mac, iPhone and iPad; editing, OCR, convert, AI |
| Lifetime (Mac) | $139.99 | One-time; Mac only; AI and translation need a subscription |
Source: pdfexpert.com · checked on Oct 20, 2026
How PDF Expert compares in PDF & document tools
- Rank by votes
- #1 / 15
- Starting price
- $0
- Free alternatives
- 0
0 votes from members
Category median is $11/mo
Free or open-source tools in PDF & document tools
PDF Expert ranks #1 of 15 pdf & document tools tools by community votes and is not directly comparable on price.
Common use cases
- 1Students annotating readings on iPad with Apple Pencil
- 2Lawyers redacting and signing contracts on a Mac
- 3Turning supplier PDFs into editable Excel or Word files
- 4Summarizing long reports with PDF Copilot before meetings
- 5Filling and signing forms on an iPhone while travelling
- 6Making scanned paperwork searchable with OCR
Best for
Mac, iPhone and iPad users who want a fast, affordable PDF editor with AI summaries.
Not ideal for
Mixed Windows teams or organizations that need admin controls and signature workflows (Adobe Acrobat, Foxit, Nitro PDF).
Integrations
- iCloud Drive
- Dropbox
- Google Drive
- Microsoft OneDrive
- Box
- WebDAV and FTP servers
Our take
PDF Expert is the best everyday PDF editor for people who live in Apple's ecosystem, and the free tier covers most reading and signing. Pay for Premium if you edit, convert or OCR regularly; choose Acrobat if anyone on your team works on Windows.
FAQ
- What is PDF Expert?
- PDF Expert is a PDF & document tools tool: Readdle's PDF editor for Mac, iPhone and iPad with AI tools.
- How much does PDF Expert cost?
- PDF Expert uses a Freemium model; see the vendor's pricing page for current plans.
- What does PDF Expert integrate with?
- PDF Expert integrates with iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Box, WebDAV and FTP servers and more.
- Which platforms does PDF Expert support?
- PDF Expert is available on macos, ios.
- Who is PDF Expert for?
- Mac, iPhone and iPad users who want a fast, affordable PDF editor with AI summaries.
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