PDF Annotation Apps

PDFs have become the default format for sharing formatted documents across platforms. If you only want to read PDFs, iBooks will likely meet your needs. But, if you want to modify or annotate your PDFs, you’ll need a different app with a larger toolkit. The App Store has many options, but they all have such similar descriptions that it can be difficult to determine which one has the features you need. At the very least, all PDF annotators should allow users to underline, highlight, or strikethrough text, add a note, and write on the PDF (preferably via both keyboard text and handwriting). This AppGuide includes apps that do all of that and more, so that your iPad can be your first choice when you need to annotate a PDF.

Essential Apps

Notable Apps

Decent Apps

Note Takers With PDF Annotation

  • $6.99

    DocAS - PDF Converter, Annotate PDF, Take Notes and Good Reader

    by 9 Square LLC

  • $5.99

    CaptureNotes 2

    by G8R Software LLC

  • $4.99

    Note Taker HD

    by Software Garden

  • $2.99

    Notability

    by Ginger Labs

  • $4.99

    UPAD

    by PockeySoft

Other Apps