Verdict
GoodReader has been around a long time and most reviewers say it's fast to use and handles heavy PDF annotation well, but a real slice of users report that some features (like cloud sync) are pushed behind an extra subscription and that imports can crash or corrupt files.
Best for
Someone who already has a system of local PDF files and wants a fast one-time-purchase annotator on their iPad, not someone who needs seamless iCloud or Google Drive sync built in.
Dealbreaker
Several reviewers say that despite the one-time purchase, syncing (iCloud, Google Drive) and some other features are gated behind an additional subscription or 'Pro' tier, and importing large batches of files can cause crashes or file corruption.
The facts.
Pulled from the App Store, not written by hand.
Price
$6.99 once
In-app purchases
Unknown
Ads
Unknown
Platforms
iPhone, iPad
Rating
4.7★ (13,808)
Version
6.0.1238
Last updated
Oct 1, 2026
Released
May 7, 2014
Attributes
Native appOne-time purchaseNo subscription
Category
Productivity, Business
What reviews consistently say.
Themes grouped from 200 App Store reviews. Source feed ›
Praised for
Ease of use and design14 reviews
Sync and multi-device11 reviews
Subscription pricing and paywalls4 reviews
Battery and performance3 reviews
Value for money3 reviews
Import and export3 reviews
Complained about
Subscription pricing and paywalls14 reviews
Import and export7 reviews
Crashes and stability7 reviews
Sync and multi-device5 reviews
Customer support3 reviews
Where this comes from
14 of 200 recent reviews raised: Subscription pricing and paywallsApp Store reviews ›
14 of 200 recent reviews raised: Ease of use and designApp Store reviews ›
11 of 200 recent reviews raised: Sync and multi-deviceApp Store reviews ›
7 of 200 recent reviews raised: Import and exportApp Store reviews ›
7 of 200 recent reviews raised: Crashes and stabilityApp Store reviews ›
11 of 200 recent reviews raised: Sync and multi-deviceApp Store reviews ›
14 of 200 recent reviews raised: Subscription pricing and paywallsApp Store reviews ›
Listed at $5.99 once on the App StoreApp Store listing ›
Where we recommend it
PDF apps you buy once ›Readers and annotators with no monthly charge.
Alternatives with the same rule.
Every app here is a single purchase. None of them can start charging you monthly for what you already bought. Also with a catch.
$6.99 once · 4.9★ (30,281) · Updated Dec 18, 2020
Verdict. JotNot is a straightforward document scanner with a lot of export options, praised for ease of use, though a handful of reviewers report crashes when scanning longer batches of pages.
Best for. Someone who wants to scan paper documents to PDF on their iPhone or iPad without paying for a scanning subscription like Adobe Scan.
Dealbreaker. A few reviewers report the app crashing or becoming unusable when scanning more than a handful of pages at once.
$199.99 once · 4.8★ (2,942) · Updated Apr 19, 2026
Verdict. Reviewers consistently call it easy to use for scanning and filing documents, and several say the upgrade paid for itself. But a smaller group reports crashes, freezing, and iCloud sync that just won't cooperate, plus complaints about reaching customer service when something breaks.
Best for. Someone who scans paper documents and handwritten notes into PDFs regularly and mainly needs a simple, reliable capture tool rather than deep cloud sync.
Dealbreaker. A recurring group of reviews describes crashes, freezing during scans, and iCloud sync that repeatedly fails to save files, with little help from customer support when it happens.