The Portable Document Format (PDF) has become the go-to file format for sharing and distributing documents. You can create, edit, and annotate documents from virtually anywhere in the world—as long as you have a functional PDF app on your device.
But what are the best PDF apps to have on your smartphone or tablet?
You need a feature-rich PDF editor app to help you manage your documents efficiently, whether you’re a student, a professional, or simply a regular user of PDF files. To save you from the burden of finding the best PDF tool, we’ll provide some insights on what to look for in the best PDF app.
By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of top-drawer PDF apps available for your mobile device.
Introduction to PDF apps for mobile devices
PDF apps offer different features and perks depending on whether you are using Android or iOS. Find an app with the best features, functionality, and compatibility for your device to make your life much easier. Here are the major features you should always find in a PDF app:
Features to consider in a PDF app
The basic requirements that you must have to receive optimum value to are:
(a) Editing features – Find an app that modifies and edits PDFs on Android or IOS. Being able to edit a PDF is important as it allows you to add, remove, improve, or correct the information contained.
(b) Converting files – This feature allows you to convert PDF files to other formats should the need arise.
(c) Security – If you are handling sensitive or confidential files in your mobile device, you want to be able to encrypt the files. This ensures that your information does not fall into the wrong hands.
Best PDF apps for Android
Adobe Acrobat Reader
This is the most versatile PDF reader and editor. It has all the powerful features that you need to collaborate, create, or edit pdf on android. The tool is like a pdf expert for windows and android devices. The free version has enough features for most situations, and the excellent document compatibility means you should be able to view even the most complex PDF without sacrificing quality.
Key features:
- Ability to open PDFs from the web
- Ability to scroll, zoom in and out or use simple searches around the document.
- Subscription version includes form filling and signing, annotating files, highlighting text, and adding and managing PDF comments.
- It has cloud storage after you sign up for an Adobe account
Foxit PDF Reader- Best lightweight PDF reader for Android
This is a popular Android PDF reader with over a hundred thousand installs recorded on Google Play, with an impressive rating of 4.6. It opens PDFs quickly and helps to edit pdf documents on android. You can easily control orientation, text reflows to fit your screen and you are able to adjust brightness and change the background to make for comfortable reading in all situations.
Key features:
- Simple annotation tools to help in highlighting text, adding notes or drawing on a page, and ability to share comments and changes with others in real time.
- Form handling with options to fill out and save forms, import and export data and submit forms via FTP, HTTP and email.
- Subscription version includes converting PDFs, combining files, password protection, digital certificates, OneDrive Business support.
Xodo PDF Reader-Best Android PDF reader for a clutter-free interface
Xodo PDF Reader stands out from the rest for the range and depth of its set of features. The app isn’t limited to PDF viewing, you can also create your own PDFs with your camera, from images and Office documents too.
Key features:
- Ability to fill in, save and send PDF forms, highlight text as well as add annotations.
- You are able to collaborate with others on PDF documents via Xodo’s connect service ( registration not required).
- Xodo automatically syncs your edits with the source file, ensuring you always have the latest version.
- Night Mode for comfortable reading in darker environments
- Versatile search tools and table of contents support
Best PDF apps for iOS
Adobe Acrobat Reader – Best PDF Reader For iPhone Overall
Adobe Acrobat Reader is one of the most popular pdf reader apps available for many platforms and softwares. In fact, Adobe developed the PDF format in 1993 which makes it their app the best go to when a beginner needs to learn how to edit pdf on ios. With this app, you can open, read, and edit documents on your iPad as well as edit pdf files online. Its is widely regarded as the premier apple PDF reader because it gives you multiple PDF file formats i.e. PDF portfolios, password-protected PDF files, and fillable forms.
Key features:
- Cross-platform availability is in favor of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Ability to highlight text on PDFs
- Single page or continuous page scrolling to choose from as per your convenience.
- An inbuilt scanner helps you turn anything into a pdf i.e. whiteboard, receipts, forms and anything else you could think of.
PDFelement – PDF Reader App With Cross-Platform Syncing
PDFelement is designed to boost your productivity efficiency centered tools especially when you need to edit a pdf on macbook. PDFelement is one of the best free pdf expert apps for iOS with advanced features. You can sign in with your Wondershare ID to unlock the premium features of the app, which is free. The pdf software also offers an even better reading experience if you are an avid book reader. It is really an exceptional pdf editor for apple products.
Key features
- Allows you to view, edit, revise, convert, and sign PDF files
- Font recognition feature
- You can add text, stamps, freehand drawing, highlight and underline text, etc.
- You can convert PDFs into Word, Excel, PPT, HTML, and RTF.
- You can convert any document into a pdf using the built-in scanner.
Lumin PDF
This is an app that can compete directly with Adobe Acrobat Reader as an apple pdf reader. It’s a PDF expert app because you get features such as split view, slide over, and document scanning. For a PDF on macbook that allows edits to be made in real-time and automatically synced so you never lose a thing, Lumin PDF is one of the best on the market. The days of manually printing and scanning documents are over with Lumin PDF at your fingertips.
Key features:
- Different viewing options such as single page, continuous and thumbnail
- You can even stamp and sign a PDF document with the wide array of tools in Lumin PDF
- Passwords can be set up to encrypt documents.
Comparison of features
The main difference between iOS and android PDF apps is that most iOS PDF apps do not have annotating features as compared to Android PDF apps. You can find only a few top tier iOS PDF apps that have this feature. And the similarities? Well, you can find features and functions such as file conversion, reordering, page rotation in both iOS and Android, but in the paid versions. You may find editing, exporting, or converting features at a much higher price for iOS Adobe Acrobat Reader.
With that being said, choose an app that best suits your needs. However, keep in mind that in most cases, the free versions will provide the basic features you need such as document viewing and editing.
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