AppTierList › PDF Annotation › Preview › Alternatives

10+ Best Preview Alternatives for iPhone (2026)

Preview is F tier, #16 of 16 in PDF annotation. Here is everything that competes with it on iPhone, in tier order.

1. 1
   Noteful: Notes & PDF MarkupShigher tier

   Free + IAP · ★ 4.8 · 24,113 ratings · score 95

   Note-taking app for iPad with Apple Pencil handwriting, PDF and Office import, annotation layers, and tag-based.
2. 2
   CollaNote: Notes & PDF MarkupShigher tier

   Free download · ★ 4.7 · 14,147 ratings · score 94

   Note-taking app with PDF, PPT, DOC and image markup, planners, flashcards and handwriting tools for Apple Pencil.
3. 3
   Drawboard PDF Annotate, MarkupShigher tier

   Free download · ★ 4.8 · 1,972 ratings · score 92

   PDF annotation app for marking up, drawing, adding text and images, and converting JPG and PNG files to PDF.
4. 4
   iAnnotate 4 - PDFs & moreShigher tier

   $9.99 · ★ 4.7 · 8,933 ratings · score 91

   Reads, annotates, and shares PDFs, Office files, images and web pages on iPhone and iPad.
5. 5
   PDF Gear - PDF Editor & ReaderShigher tier

   Free · ★ 4.7 · 8,871 ratings · score 91

   Free iOS app for viewing, printing, annotating, editing pages, filling forms and signing PDF files.
6. 6
   PDF Pro - Reader Editor FormsShigher tier

   Free + IAP · ★ 4.7 · 6,945 ratings · score 91

   Reads, edits, annotates and fills PDF documents on iPhone and iPad, with full-text search across a PDF library.
7. 7
   Noteshelf: AI Notes & PDFAhigher tier

   Free download · ★ 4.6 · 7,060 ratings · score 90

   Note-taking app for iPad, iPhone and Mac with handwriting, PDF annotation, audio recording, planner templates and AI.
8. 8
   Kilonotes-Notes & Mark up PDFAhigher tier

   Free + IAP · ★ 4.6 · 4,963 ratings · score 87

   Handwritten notes and PDF markup app with notebooks, cards, OCR, reading tools and an AI assistant.
9. 9
   Element NoteAhigher tier

   Free + IAP · ★ 4.6 · 2,619 ratings · score 86

   Handwriting note-taking and PDF annotation app with pen and brush tools, on-device search, and iCloud sync.
10. 10
    Scriptation: PDF for Film & TVAhigher tier

    Free download · ★ 4.8 · 3,553 ratings · score 86

    Script annotation app for film and TV with notes, breakdown tags, lining tools, and rehearsal features.
11. 11
    PDF Converter - PDF Editor・Bhigher tier

    Free + IAP · ★ 4.4 · 5,997 ratings · score 77

    Free PDF toolkit for merging, splitting, compressing, converting, editing, annotating and reading PDF files.
12. 12
    Notes Writer: PDF, Voice, AIBhigher tier

    Free download · ★ 4.5 · 7,326 ratings · score 76

    Notes app for iPad and iPhone with handwriting, PDF annotation, voice recording, Math Notebooks and AI writing tools.
13. 13
    Prodrafts - Infinite NotesChigher tier

    Free download · ★ 4.8 · 3,887 ratings · score 68

    Handwritten notes, PDF annotation, an infinite canvas, paged notebooks and mind maps in one productivity app.
14. 14
    Notes Writer Browser: NautilusChigher tier

    Free download · ★ 4.6 · 3,236 ratings · score 67

    Notes, PDF markup, a built-in browser and AI help for writing, reading and research on iPad and iPhone.
15. 15
    Add Text to PDF - Fill FormsChigher tier

    Free + IAP · ★ 5.0 · 4 ratings · score 63

    Adds typed text, captions and a digital signature to PDF documents and photos, with files saved automatically.

Questions people ask

What is the best alternative to Preview on iPhone?

Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup, S tier, #1 in PDF annotation.

Is there a free alternative to Preview?

Yes: Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup (S tier, #1) is free to download, with in-app purchases.

Does anything rank above Preview?

Yes. 15 apps rank above it in PDF annotation: Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup (#1), CollaNote: Notes & PDF Markup (#2), Drawboard PDF Annotate, Markup (#3) and more.

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