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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Documents vs Acrobat Reader

Documents 4.8★ · Free to download 65
Winner Tie
Acrobat Reader 4.7★ · Free to download 60

Documents is a more versatile file manager and media player with some PDF capabilities, while Acrobat Reader is a dedicated PDF solution, but both face significant user frustration regarding subscription models and recent feature changes.

Full reviews: Documents · Acrobat Reader

Documents offers broad file management and media playback, but users report issues with PDF handling and a confusing subscription model. Acrobat Reader is a specialized PDF tool, yet many users are frustrated by its performance, intrusive paid features, and customer service.

Head to head

Features & Versatility edge: DocumentsR5R8R45R27
Documents Documents is praised for its versatility as a file manager, music player, and for downloading content, with users appreciating its ability to organize files and listen to music R5R8R45. However, some users note a decline in features, such as the removal of AirDrop and the inability to download videos from webpages R27. Recent updates have also moved previously free PDF tools like rotating and extracting pages behind a subscription paywall R25.
Acrobat Reader Acrobat Reader is primarily used for viewing, filling out, and uploading PDF forms R65. Users appreciate its core PDF functionality, but many express frustration with new AI features, which they find intrusive and cannot disable R81. Some users also complain that the app tries to 'take over' all their files .
Ease of Use & Reliability tieR3R40R49R12
Documents Documents users report issues with crashes, especially with heavy PDFs or when playing music R3R40R49. Some find it hard to save or find files, and the search function is reported to be broken R12. There are also complaints about lost files after updates or accidental deletions R38.
Acrobat Reader Acrobat Reader is criticized for being slow to open documents and for frequent freezing and crashing R72. Users also find it difficult to sign in, manage accounts, and contact customer service R70R76. The app is described as not user-friendly and having poor instructions .
Price & Value tieR1R7R25R31
Documents Documents users are highly critical of the app's undisclosed subscription fees, with many feeling misled after downloading a seemingly free app R1R7. Long-time users are particularly upset that features they previously paid for or had access to are now behind a monthly subscription paywall R25R31. The app is considered overpriced at $16 per month by some R52.
Acrobat Reader Acrobat Reader users frequently complain about being charged after canceling free trials, with charges of $14.99 or $29.99 reported R61. Many feel that too many essential features are paywalled, making the free version useless or constantly prompting for upgrades R81. Users express that the app 'traps' them into its ecosystem to charge money .
Customer Support tieR38R70R76R101
Documents Documents has limited direct feedback on customer support, but users express frustration over lost files and account recovery issues, suggesting a lack of clear support channels for these problems R38.
Acrobat Reader Acrobat Reader users report significant difficulty contacting Adobe customer service for account issues or questions, describing it as maddening and hard to find R70R76R101.
Pick Documents if

You need a versatile file manager, music player, and downloader, and are willing to navigate its subscription model and potential PDF-related bugs R5R8R45.

Pick Acrobat Reader if

You primarily need a dedicated PDF reader and editor for forms and documents, and are prepared to deal with performance issues and a push towards paid features R65.

Evidence note: Both apps have a significant number of recent negative reviews, particularly concerning their subscription models and changes to previously free features. The evidence for customer support is limited for Documents.

Frequently asked

Are Documents and Acrobat Reader truly free?
Both Documents and Acrobat Reader are free to download, but users report that many core features, especially advanced PDF editing and file management, are locked behind monthly subscription paywalls, with Documents costing around $16 per month and Acrobat Reader around $14.99 per month R1R7R52R61.
Do these apps have issues with subscriptions and billing?
Yes, both apps have numerous complaints about subscription and billing issues; Documents users report undisclosed fees after a free trial and features moving behind a paywall, while Acrobat Reader users frequently claim they were charged after canceling free trials R1R7R25R61.
Which app is better for PDF editing?
Acrobat Reader is designed as a dedicated PDF solution and is used for filling out and uploading PDF forms, but users complain that many editing features require a paid subscription R65R118R81. Documents also offers PDF tools, but recent updates have moved basic functions like rotating and extracting pages behind its subscription R25.
Do these apps have performance or stability issues?
Yes, both apps have reported performance and stability issues; Documents users experience crashes with heavy PDFs and when playing music, while Acrobat Reader users report the app being slow, freezing, and crashing frequently R3R40R49R72.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R5] Documents 5/5 · US Great app: I have been using this app for years and with confidence I can say this app is one of the greatest apps ever made and it’s perfect for downloading and listening to music for free 10/10 app
  2. [R8] Documents 5/5 · US So Great~: Important~ documents and files in one place ISo extremely Convenient~too .
  3. [R45] Documents 3/5 · GB Great App overall: This is truly the best app for downloading music; it is what I use it mostly for. However I do have a few complaints; such as not being able to order songs in a file in the order I want, the limited colour options when highlighting a folder, and also that downloaded mp3 files cannot be displayed with the album covers instead of a file icon. Nonetheless, this is my favourite app,
  4. [R27] Documents 3/5 · GB Where is AirDrop: I used to AirDrop to my other phone and now the feature is gone please bring it back. The speech was cool. I don’t know why you remove it so please bring AirDrop back
  5. [R3] Documents 3/5 · US Bug: Bug for pdfreader heavy pdf’s, always crash and dont delete
  6. [R40] Documents 1/5 · US Music Player Seems to app crashing: Whenever I use the app for playing music after 3 or 4 minutes app crashes and close.
  7. [R49] Documents 2/5 · US Music and videos: I don't know how many times I have to write this to finally get through to you. The app crashes when I'm listening to music, and what the hell? Why do videos open in *this* app when I select them in the Files app?
  8. [R12] Documents 3/5 · US Hard to save files: Cannot move files from recent to docs regular file
  9. [R1] Documents 1/5 · US Undisclosed Fees After First 7 Days!: Listing in AppStore said only “In-App Purchases,” implying that it’s a free app with possibly optional add-ons that would cost extra; standard model I’ve encountered in MANY APPS over years. Instead, when I opened your Documents app, I was summarily informed that I had 7 days free trial period, after which I would be charged monthly fees!! I never agreed to th
  10. [R7] Documents 1/5 · US Did not say they want to charge monthly fee: I do not know if the product works well or not. However, I did not see anything that stated it was a subscription service until after I had downloaded and installed the application. I seldom use ZIP files on my phone and that was the only reason I was looking. Disappointed they “hid the ball” when it comes to a monthly subscription fee - particularly w
  11. [R25] Documents 1/5 · US Legacy paid users are being squeezed for features they already had: I purchased Documents by Readdle more than 10 years ago and paid for features that were part of the app experience at the time. After years of using the app, I opened the current version. I found that basic PDF tools like rotating and extracting pages, features I previously had access to, are now being pushed behind a subscription
  12. [R31] Documents 1/5 · US Mid: Used to be good, then they gave it a paywall
  13. [R38] Documents 5/5 · US My account: I recently deleted this app to update this my phone I have not been able to recover my videos or files everything is gone how do I recover my Account I love this app so much
  14. [R70] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US Customer service is lacking: Is there any way to get in touch with someone at Adobe? I have questions about my account and can’t find a way to contact them on their website. If it’s there, they did a good job of hiding it. Pretty maddening.
  15. [R76] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US Horrible Experience: I cannot log into my Acrobat Account. Cannot even find it!!! Adobe Reader is all I Have access to, WHICH I DOWNLOADED ERRANTLY, expecting that I was downloading Acrobat. I cannot edit/fill out forms in Reader (which I wish a refund for) ANDDDddd I cannot access or even log into my Acrobat account. “Because when I try to log into Acrobat the system redirects me back to this hid
  16. [R101] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US Tries to temporarily cancel: It would be hard to put into words the dissatisfaction in my experience with customer service for this product. I intended to shut it off temporarily, but, now, I will not go back and I will do my best to avoid Adobe products of any kind in the future.
  17. [R52] Documents 2/5 · US Yet another monthly subscription: This is overpriced and not worth paying $16 per month. I would not have wasted my time downloading it if I had known.
  18. [R61] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US DO NOT TRY THE FREE TRIAL!!!: I tried the free trial, canceled the same day and the company charged me $14.99 anyway.
  19. [R65] Acrobat Reader 5/5 · US I accomplished what I needed to: Thanks to the adobe reader, I downloaded a form and put it in the adobe reader and filled it out professionally and was able to then upload it to a link
  20. [R118] Acrobat Reader 5/5 · US Perfect PDF Reader/Editor: I love Adobe Acrobat ReaderPDF Editor, even though I don’t have the full package, it alone is a big help.
  21. [R81] Acrobat Reader 3/5 · GB Ai and paid: The ai features aren’t good and you have to pay for most of the good features. There are better alternatives.
  22. [R72] Acrobat Reader 3/5 · GB Soooo slow!: App itself is fine and works well, but takes an age to open (like 20+ seconds to open a small sized standard PDF document). Seriously, what is the app doing to take so long to load - I can open the same documents in other PDF reader apps virtually instantly…

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store