PDF Expert review
by Readdle · in PDF Editors, AI PDF Assistants
Apple-only PDF editor for Mac, iPhone and iPad with a built-in AI Copilot
Prices verified October 30, 2026 on the vendor's site
Overview
PDF Expert by Readdle is a PDF reader and editor built only for Apple devices: Mac, iPhone and iPad. The app is a free download with a Premium upgrade, sold either as a yearly subscription that covers all three device types or as a one-time Lifetime license that covers the Mac app only. Premium unlocks editing of text, images and links, conversion to Word, Excel and PowerPoint, OCR, signing, translation and PDF Copilot. Copilot is an assistant that summarizes documents, lists key points with page references and answers questions inside the app. Lifetime buyers get bug fixes and support, but Readdle says some future features may cost extra. A business edition adds seat management and Jamf/Intune deployment. There is no Windows, Android or browser version, which rules it out for mixed-platform teams. In the US, Premium costs $79.99 a year, or $139.99 once for the Mac-only Lifetime licence.
Who it's for
Mac users who want a native, lightweight alternative to cross-platform suites, iPad users who annotate and sign documents on the go, and small Apple-only teams that deploy apps through Jamf or Intune. Students and researchers who want quick AI summaries of long papers on a Mac or iPad are another natural fit.
PDF Expert pricing
| Plan | Price | Billing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Yearly | $79.99/year billed annually (shown as $1.53/week) | annual | iPhone, iPad and Mac versions; PDF Copilot, translate, convert to Word/Excel/PPT, OCR, sign, edit text, images and links |
| Premium Lifetime | $139.99 one-time payment | one-time | Mac version only |
Source: pdfexpert.com pricing page, checked October 30, 2026. Prices are in USD, before tax, as shown to US visitors; vendors change them often, so confirm before buying.
Features
- Edit text & images: yes
- Convert to/from Office: yes
- E-signatures: yes
- OCR (scan to text): yes
- AI assistant: yes
- Chat with PDF: yes
- AI summaries: yes
- Redaction: yes
- Fillable forms: yes
- Team admin console: yes
- Works offline (desktop app): yes
- Mobile app: yes
Not confirmed on the vendor's site (so not credited in the score): Compare documents, Batch processing.
Platforms
- Mac
- iOS
Good to know
- The Yearly plan covers iPhone, iPad and Mac versions; the Lifetime plan is Mac version only. source
- Both Premium plans carry a 30-day money-back guarantee. source
- The Mac app requires macOS Monterey or later. source
- PDF Copilot summarizes a PDF or its annotations, lists main points with page references and answers questions inside the app. source
- Lifetime buyers get continuous support and bug fixes, but additional new features may come at an extra cost. source
- PDF Expert for Business offers seat and billing management and Jamf & Intune MDM-ready deployment. source
- A student and educator special offer is available. source
Pros and cons
What we like
- Native apps for Mac, iPhone and iPad with one yearly subscription
- One-time Lifetime option for the Mac app
- PDF Copilot summaries and Q&A with page-referenced answers
- 30-day money-back guarantee on Premium plans
Watch out for
- No Windows, Android or web version
- Lifetime license is Mac-only and some future features may cost extra
- Pricing shown varies by region; US price not confirmed here
How we scored PDF Expert
Features: 6 of 8 key pdf editors features confirmed. Overall 3.8/5. Same formula for every product — read the methodology.
PDF Expert alternatives
Budget-friendly cross-platform PDF editor with perpetual and multi-year options
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Browser-first PDF toolkit with AI chat, e-signing and a 7-day Pro trial
OCR-first PDF editor with 198 recognition languages and cross-format document comparison