Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Acrobat Reader vs iLovePDF

Acrobat Reader 4.7★ · Free to download 60
Winner iLovePDF
iLovePDF 4.8★ · Free + IAP 75

iLovePDF is the better choice for users seeking a more versatile and user-friendly PDF solution, especially for tasks beyond basic reading, despite some free-tier limitations.

Full reviews: Acrobat Reader · iLovePDF

Acrobat Reader, while a long-standing name, is criticized for being slow, buggy, and having aggressive monetization tactics, making many features paid. iLovePDF offers a broader range of features and is generally considered more user-friendly, though its free version is limited and some users report billing issues.

Head to head

Features edge: iLovePDFR2R12R27R41
Acrobat Reader Acrobat Reader is praised for its core PDF reading capabilities and being a 'great tool' for professional and personal use R2. However, many advanced features are paywalled, leading to user frustration R41R49R53. Users also report issues with specific features like checkboxes not appearing after updates R12 and poor AI features R27.
iLovePDF iLovePDF is lauded for offering a wide array of PDF features, with users stating it 'has almost every PDF feature I need' and 'does it all' . It excels in tasks like merging, converting, and extracting pages . However, some users find its editing capabilities weak, lacking basic functions like cut and paste or the ability to edit existing text R64R82.
Ease of Use edge: iLovePDFR9R10R18R22
Acrobat Reader Many users find Acrobat Reader slow and not user-friendly R10R18. It's described as 'difficult' and a 'frustrating mess' to use R9. Some users also struggle with installation instructions R22 and signing in .
iLovePDF iLovePDF is frequently praised for being 'user friendly' and 'easy to use' . Users appreciate its speed and simplicity for tasks like compressing and merging . However, some find the workflow confusing, especially when multiple actions create new files R70.
Reliability edge: Acrobat ReaderR10R18R21R33
Acrobat Reader Acrobat Reader is plagued with reports of freezing, glitches, and being slow to open documents R10R18R21. Users also report issues with files not saving or being deleted upon app uninstallation R21R33.
iLovePDF iLovePDF generally performs well, with users noting its effectiveness in tasks like OCR conversion on large, non-English documents where other apps failed . However, some users experience crashes, particularly after upgrading to premium , and issues with the scanning feature .
Price/Value tieR7R13R16R25
Acrobat Reader Acrobat Reader is heavily criticized for its aggressive monetization. Users feel 'trapped' into subscriptions R13 and are 'bombarded' with upgrade prompts R41. Many essential features are paywalled, making simple tasks expensive R25R49R53. There are numerous complaints about being charged after canceling free trials or subscriptions R7R16R57R59.
iLovePDF iLovePDF's free version is seen as very limited, with users complaining about being unable to use basic features without paying R61R67R74R80. Like Acrobat, there are reports of unexpected charges after free trials or cancellations R70. However, paying users often find the subscription 'worth every penny' due to the app's comprehensive features .
Support edge: Acrobat ReaderR7R19R47R70
Acrobat Reader Acrobat Reader users report extremely poor customer service, with one user stating it's 'hard to put into words the dissatisfaction' R19. Another user mentioned being charged after canceling and not finding a way to contact support R7, and another couldn't get access to purchased services with 'absolutely no customer service' R47.
iLovePDF Reviews do not provide specific feedback on iLovePDF's customer support. Complaints about billing issues R70 imply a lack of satisfactory resolution, but direct comments on support quality are absent.
Pick Acrobat Reader if

Pick Acrobat Reader if you primarily need a reliable PDF reader for basic viewing and annotation, and your company or workflow already relies on the Adobe ecosystem .

Pick iLovePDF if

Pick iLovePDF if you need a versatile tool for a wide range of PDF manipulations like merging, converting, and compressing, and are willing to pay for a subscription to access its full feature set .

Evidence note: Evidence for support for iLovePDF is indirect, inferred from billing complaints rather than direct comments on support quality.

Frequently asked

Is Acrobat Reader truly free?
Acrobat Reader is free to download, but many users report that essential functionalities for editing, converting, and saving documents are locked behind a paid subscription, with some finding it expensive at around $14 a month R25R41R53.
Does iLovePDF have a free version?
Yes, iLovePDF has a free version, but users frequently report it is very limited, often allowing only a few free actions before requiring a premium subscription, which some find misleading R61R67R74R80.
Which app is better for editing PDF text?
Neither app receives strong praise for text editing; Acrobat Reader's editing features are often paywalled R41R49, while iLovePDF is criticized for its 'weak editor' that struggles with basic tasks like cut and paste, and doesn't allow editing existing text R64R82.
Are there billing issues with either app?
Yes, both apps have significant user complaints about billing issues, including being charged after canceling free trials or subscriptions (Acrobat Reader: R7, R16, R57, R59; iLovePDF: R70, , , ).

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. [R2] Acrobat Reader 5/5 · US Genial: Está app es excelente. Abre toda clase de documentos recomendablemente 100%
  2. [R12] Acrobat Reader 3/5 · US New update: My check boxes are not appearing on my phone when using a form, but They appear on the desktop. It was there before but not after this update.
  3. [R27] 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.
  4. [R41] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US Great, if you want to spend $$$: You immediately are bombarded with “opportunities” to upgrade, upgrade, upgrade. You have options to export to Word…but, wait! That requires upgrade for $$$$. You can’t use half the functionality without (wait for it!) upgrade $$$$. If you are reminiscent of hucksters at carnivals and circuses, offering one thing and then fleecing you out of your money, then this i
  5. [R9] Acrobat Reader 3/5 · US Sucks: Promises wonderful things, but it’s so difficult to what it says it will do that. It’s almost to work on. They’re real frustrating mess.
  6. [R10] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US Slow and hard to use: This app is slow, often glitches and is not user friendly
  7. [R18] 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…
  8. [R22] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US How to use: Instructions on how to install acrobat app on PC laptop and use the product are very poor
  9. [R21] Acrobat Reader 3/5 · GB Acrobat: The app is great but it keep freezes and unable to type and get you out of the app and won’t save your files it is a shame been using this app for years for my work , the app has soo many bugs that need fixing .
  10. [R33] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US Files Deleted: When the app is deleted, all your associated pdfs go with it and there is no way to recover them.
  11. [R7] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US Charged after Canceling subscription: I canceled 2 months after that the company charged me $29.99… I didn’t find some mail to write message to them. Thank you.
  12. [R13] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US Traps People: Adobe traps you into their universe so they can charge a bunch of money. Not cool.
  13. [R16] Acrobat Reader 2/5 · US Billing Scam: I signed up for a 7 day free trial and cancelled it the same day (I have proof) and was still charged $14.99. After speaking with Apple, they said that I may have had a subscription in the past which is definitely not the case. Presenting consumers with a trial that is not honored is a deceptive practice.
  14. [R25] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US Money !?: I just don’t have $14 to view and save one document that I need to rent an apartment. If I ran a business or was a regular writer I could justify $14 a month, but that’s a lot outa small pocket
  15. [R19] 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.
  16. [R47] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US Don’t buy: Purchased service so I could use decent voices. Still unable to get access to that service. Absolutely no customer service. Complete waste of money.
  17. [R70] iLovePDF 1/5 · US Won’t refund an Annual Sub after 1 day.: I signed up for iLovePDF Premium expecting a streamlined PDF workflow, but the product is surprisingly frustrating to use. Almost every action exports a new file, forces you into a new folder, and breaks your workflow by opening new tabs and restarting the process. Instead of allowing compound actions or efficient editing, it constantly generates multiple v
  18. [R53] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US Garbage: You have to pay to do simple tasks
  19. [R61] iLovePDF 1/5 · US Why did you remove the free trials? · translated
  20. [R67] iLovePDF 1/5 · US Can’t use basic features anymore after they added premium subscription.: Devs sold out
  21. [R74] iLovePDF 1/5 · US Paid: I wrote a review earlier, but this app sucks you get two free things. Complete Joke
  22. [R80] iLovePDF 2/5 · US Free version is quite limited: Can’t really do much w/o shelling out $50 a year for the “premium” product. Not a surprise, I guess, but really should say so on the tin.
  23. [R49] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US Overly Complicated: Absolutely horrible experience trying to get a simple task done. They also have the audacity to charge for every single extension, tool, or service within the app it’s self because paying a monthly fee isn’t enough for them!
  24. [R64] iLovePDF 2/5 · US Weak Editor: Couldn’t do simple tasks like cut and paste and color picker picked different colors!
  25. [R82] iLovePDF 1/5 · US Doesn’t actually edit.: Cannot edit a text component. Just highlight or draw upon it.
  26. [R57] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US Cancellation is not allowed after trial: Cancel
  27. [R59] Acrobat Reader 1/5 · US 6/15/26: LUDICROUS: 1️⃣Terrible functionality. 2️⃣They force you into yearly plans & then hit you with a huge cancellation fee. 3️⃣You MUST pay the yearly $$$$ Ransom Note or lose all access to your documents. 4️⃣Adobe Execs should have to live behind the cat litter isle for a year.

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