In today’s world, it’s easy to spend hours scrolling through Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, or other social apps without realizing how much time has passed. But sometimes, the best way to relax, learn, or recharge is by reading a good book. And with an iPhone or iPad in hand, you don’t need to carry heavy books anymore—your entire library can fit in your pocket.
If you use your iPhone or iPad for work, study, or even personal organization, chances are you deal with PDF files every day. From ebooks and contracts to study notes and scanned documents, PDF apps make it easy to view, edit, sign, and share files on the go.
The App Store is full of PDF readers and editors, but not all of them are worth your time. Some are free with limited features, while others offer powerful paid upgrades. In this guide, we’ll explore the best PDF apps for iPad and iPhone, both free and paid, so you can find the perfect one for your needs.
Best Free PDF Reader Apps for iPad and iPhone
If you’re just starting out, there are plenty of free PDF readers for iPhone and iPad that make it easy to enjoy ebooks, study materials, and personal files without paying a cent. These apps offer clean interfaces, smooth reading modes, and essential features like annotations and bookmarks. Whether you’re looking for free PDF viewer apps or simple tools to read books on iOS, the following options will cover your needs perfectly.
Apple Books
Apple Books is the simplest way to start reading PDFs on your iPhone or iPad. Since it’s already preinstalled on iOS, you don’t need to download anything extra—just open your PDF file, and it will launch directly in Apple Books. You can highlight text, add notes, and organize your ebooks into custom collections. With iCloud sync, your progress stays updated across all Apple devices, making it one of the clean PDF apps for users who want a minimal, distraction-free reading experience.
Unlike many other apps, Apple Books focuses more on the reading side than on heavy editing. It feels natural to enjoy novels, study materials, or work documents in PDF format. For anyone looking for the best PDF readers for iPad and iPhone, Apple Books is a reliable and free choice. It may not include every pro feature like some Free PDF viewers or paid options, but for day-to-day reading, it’s lightweight, fast, and user-friendly.
PDF Viewer – Annotation Expert (PSPDFKit)
PDF Viewer by PSPDFKit is often praised as one of the most powerful free PDF viewers on iOS. It lets you open, annotate, and organize PDFs with ease. What makes it stand out is its advanced annotation tools—highlighting, underlining, free-hand drawing, and text markup all feel smooth, especially on iPad with Apple Pencil. It’s also cross-platform, syncing your files between iPhone, iPad, and Mac, so you can start a book on one device and continue on another without losing your place.
If you’re searching for the best PDF apps for iPhone and iPad that combine reading and productivity, PDF Viewer is a strong option. It offers professional-level tools without overwhelming the casual reader, making it both versatile and simple. While some users rely on Free VPN apps to unlock content from different regions, combining that with a clean and reliable PDF reader like this means you can access, download, and read books smoothly wherever you are.
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Adobe Acrobat is a household name in the PDF world, and its iOS version doesn’t disappoint. As a free PDF viewer, it allows you to open documents instantly, search through them, and even fill out forms or add comments. For book lovers, the reading mode is clean and comfortable, giving you a distraction-free environment. You also get cloud sync through an Adobe account, which helps when switching between devices.
What makes Acrobat one of the best PDF readers for iPhone and iPad is its balance of simplicity and credibility. Everyone recognizes the Adobe brand, and it guarantees compatibility with virtually every PDF file. Even though advanced editing requires a subscription, the free version is enough for those who mainly want to read ebooks and personal files. If you’re already using Adobe tools on desktop, this mobile app feels like a natural extension of your workflow.
Foxit PDF Reader
Foxit PDF Reader has long been popular on desktop, and its mobile version is just as impressive. It’s fast, lightweight, and works well even with larger files, making it one of the most efficient iOS PDF apps for readers. As a free PDF viewer, it includes features like text highlighting, annotations, bookmarks, and password protection. You can also integrate with cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox for easier file management.
For those who prefer clean PDF apps without unnecessary clutter, Foxit offers a streamlined interface that’s easy to navigate. It’s great for students downloading textbooks or professionals carrying reference materials. While some turn to Free VPN apps to access region-restricted books or study files, pairing that with Foxit gives you a smooth way to keep everything organized and secure.
Google Drive (Built-in PDF Viewer)
If you’re already using Google Drive, you don’t need an extra app for reading PDFs—the built-in viewer is surprisingly capable. Upload your PDF books or documents to Drive, and you can open them directly on your iPhone or iPad. This makes it one of the most convenient free PDF readers, especially for users who prefer cloud storage. You can also share files with a single link, which is useful for group study or team projects.
While it doesn’t have advanced annotation tools like other best PDF readers for iPad, Google’s viewer keeps things simple and clean. It’s perfect if your main goal is to read books on an iPhone without downloading additional apps. Combined with Drive’s strong collaboration features, it’s also handy for managing documents across work and personal life. Add in a Free VPN app, and you can securely access your stored PDFs from anywhere in the world.
Best Paid and Premium PDF Apps for iPad and iPhone
For power users who need more than the basics, upgrading to paid PDF apps for iOS unlocks advanced tools like editing, signing, merging, and deep annotation. These premium PDF readers are designed for professionals, students, and researchers who want full control over their documents. If you’re ready to take your reading and productivity to the next level, here are the best professional PDF apps for iPhone and iPad.
PDF Expert by Readdle
PDF Expert is one of the most trusted paid PDF apps for iPhone and iPad. With this premium tool, you can go beyond simple reading—you can edit text, images, and links directly inside a PDF. It also supports merging documents, adding signatures, filling out forms, and even securing your files with passwords. The interface is smooth and optimized for iOS, making it easy to jump between documents and manage your library.
As a premium PDF reader, PDF Expert shines for professionals and business users who need a reliable solution for contracts, reports, and work documents. It’s also excellent for anyone who wants a polished experience when reading ebooks in PDF format. If you’ve tried free apps and want something more powerful, PDF Expert is often considered the gold standard among professional PDF tools for Apple devices.
GoodNotes 6
GoodNotes 6 is more than just a note-taking app—it’s one of the best paid PDF apps for students and learners. With Apple Pencil, you can annotate textbooks, write directly on lecture slides, and highlight key points. Its notebook-style organization makes it easy to keep study materials in one place, and everything syncs seamlessly across iPhone and iPad with iCloud.
This premium PDF app is especially popular with those who prefer handwritten notes over typed annotations. It transforms PDFs into interactive learning materials, making studying more engaging. For students who want more than just a simple reader, GoodNotes combines reading, writing, and organization into one powerful PDF app for iOS.
Notability
Notability combines the power of a premium PDF reader with advanced note-taking features. You can import any PDF, annotate it with Apple Pencil, and even record audio while studying or attending meetings. When you play back the audio, your notes and highlights sync with the timeline, creating an interactive learning or review experience.
As one of the top paid PDF apps for iPad, Notability is perfect for students, teachers, and professionals. It allows you to keep your books, notes, and recordings in one clean app. While free PDF apps cover the basics, Notability delivers a professional PDF tool that makes learning, teaching, and working more effective.
MarginNote 3
MarginNote 3 is designed for deep reading and advanced study, making it one of the most unique paid PDF apps on iOS. You can create mind maps, outlines, and flashcards directly from your PDFs, which is extremely useful for researchers, lawyers, and students preparing for exams. It’s a full study system wrapped into a professional PDF app.
Unlike basic PDF readers, MarginNote 3 focuses on active learning. You can extract highlights, connect them into a visual mind map, and turn them into flashcards for memorization. This makes it a powerful premium PDF reader for anyone who needs more than just reading—ideal for knowledge-intensive work and academic research.
LiquidText
LiquidText takes a completely different approach to working with PDFs. It’s one of the most innovative professional PDF tools available, letting you pull out excerpts, connect ideas, and create a workspace for research. Instead of flipping through endless pages, you can organize and compare multiple sections side by side.
As a paid PDF app, LiquidText is loved by lawyers, consultants, and researchers who work with complex documents. It transforms reading into an interactive process where you don’t just consume content—you actively work with it. For those who want more than a standard premium PDF reader, LiquidText is a must-have tool for deep document analysis.
Whether you’re a casual reader or a professional who works with documents every day, choosing the right PDF app can completely change the way you read and manage files on iPhone and iPad. Free options like Apple Books or Adobe Acrobat Reader are perfect for simple reading, while paid PDF apps such as PDF Expert or GoodNotes unlock powerful editing and annotation tools.
The best part is that you don’t have to stick with just one app—many users keep a lightweight free PDF viewer for everyday reading and a premium PDF reader for advanced tasks like signing, merging, or deep study. Try out a few of the apps above and see which one fits your reading style, productivity needs, and budget.