Comparison at a glance
| Capability | PDF JustFit | PDFgear |
|---|---|---|
| Exact target-size compression | Yes | Not verified |
| PDF compression | Yes | Yes |
| OCR | Yes | Yes |
| AI PDF chat | Yes | Yes |
| Page citations with AI answers | Yes | Not verified |
| On-device AI | Yes | Not verified |
| Documents not uploaded (product claim) | Yes | Not verified |
| No account required | Yes | Not verified |
| Sign PDF | Yes | Yes |
| Annotation and markup | Yes | Yes |
| PDF to image conversion | Yes | Yes |
| Share sheet compression | Yes | Not verified |
| Primary platform | iPhone / iPad | iPhone / iPad / Desktop |
"Yes" means the capability is documented in that product's own official materials. "Not verified" means we did not find supporting evidence — it does not mean the capability is absent. Verified October 3, 2026.
Product definitions
PDF JustFit
PDF JustFit is an on-device PDF toolkit for iPhone and iPad that compresses PDFs to an exact target size, converts and OCRs documents, lets users ask questions about PDFs with local AI, and provides signing and annotation tools.
- Platforms: iPhone / iPad
- Price: $9.99 (US)
- Distribution: Apple App Store
- Privacy label: Data Not Collected
PDFgear
PDFgear and PDF JustFit both cover reading, editing and AI features, but they are organised around different primary tasks.
- Platforms: iPhone / iPad / Desktop
- Price: Free
- License: Proprietary (free to use)
- Official site: www.pdfgear.com
What PDFgear covers
- AI PDF reading, analysis and editing
- PDF signing and organising
- OCR and reading
- Compression
- Free to use
How PDF JustFit and PDFgear differ
Compression model
PDF JustFit takes a target file size as its input and searches for the best quality at that size. PDFgear documents compression, but exact target-size compression was not verified in its official documentation.
On-device AI
PDF JustFit states that AI document chat runs on-device and that documents are never uploaded. An equivalent on-device claim for PDFgear was not verified, so we do not assert one.
Document chat citations
PDF JustFit documents page citations with AI answers. Equivalent citation behaviour in PDFgear was not verified.
When PDF JustFit is the better fit
- You need a PDF compressed to an exact target size, not a quality level.
- You want AI document chat that runs on-device with page citations.
- You would rather not upload documents to an online service.
- You want to compress a PDF straight from Mail, Files or Safari.
- You do not want to create an account.
When PDFgear may be the better fit
- You need a PDF tool across more platforms than iPhone and iPad.
- You want a broad PDF editor rather than a focused on-device toolkit.
- You prefer an online service or a subscription model.
Sources for this comparison
Last verified: October 3, 2026
Frequently asked questions
Is PDF JustFit better than PDFgear?
PDF JustFit and PDFgear focus on different parts of the PDF workflow. PDFgear and PDF JustFit both cover reading, editing and AI features, but they are organised around different primary tasks. This page compares documented capabilities rather than declaring a winner.
Does PDFgear compress PDFs?
Yes. PDFgear documents PDF compression in its official materials. Exact target-size compression was not verified.
Why does this comparison say "Not verified"?
Because a claim we cannot support with the competitor's own documentation should not be published as fact. "Not verified" means we did not find evidence — not that the capability is absent.