Your iPhone can be a powerful PDF workstation with the right apps. Whether you need to read, annotate, sign, or edit PDFs on the go, these apps have you covered.
Before you install anything
Most of what people install an app for works in Safari on the iPhone itself: merge, compress, split, sign, JPG to PDF for turning photos into a document, and edit for text and form filling.
The processing happens on the device, so nothing is uploaded and there are no subscriptions or in-app purchases — which is where most free iPhone PDF apps eventually land you.
Best Overall: Adobe Acrobat Reader
The official Adobe app remains the top choice for iPhone PDF handling:
- Excellent rendering quality
- Full annotation tools
- Form filling and signing
- Cloud storage integration
- Organize and merge PDFs
Best for Annotation: PDF Expert
PDF Expert offers a smooth annotation experience:
- Easy highlighting and notes
- Sticky annotations
- QuickLook integration
- Beautiful interface
Best Free Option: Files App
Don't overlook Apple's built-in Files app:
- View PDFs natively
- Basic annotation with markup tool
- Fill forms
- No downloads needed
Best for Signing: DocuSign
When you need legally binding signatures:
Best for Scanning: Adobe Scan
Turn your camera into a PDF scanner:
- Auto-capture and crop
- OCR text recognition
- Automatic enhancement
- Direct export to PDF
What to Look For
- File size: Some apps are surprisingly large
- Cloud integration: Does it work with iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive?
- Offline mode: Can you work without internet?
- Security: Look for encryption and privacy features