ProperPDF is an offline PDF app for iPhone and iPad (iOS 17 or later). It scans, merges, splits, organizes, converts, compresses, signs, fills and password-protects PDFs on the device, without uploading them and without an account. Scanning, merging, splitting, organizing, converting and the on-device AI chat are free; compress, sign, fill and lock need Pro. It doesn't edit the existing text in a PDF and doesn't have highlighting or annotation yet.
| Tool | iPhone and iPad | Android |
|---|---|---|
| Scan to PDF | Free | Free, with watermark |
| Merge PDF | Free, with watermark | Free, with watermark |
| Split PDF | Free, with watermark | Free, with watermark |
| Organize pages (reorder, rotate, delete) | Free | Free, with watermark |
| Image to PDF | Free | Free, with watermark |
| PDF to image (PNG or JPEG) | Free | Free, with watermark |
| Edit metadata | Free | Free |
| PDF viewer and document library | Free | Free |
| Compress PDF | Pro | Pro |
| Sign PDF | Pro | Pro |
| Fill PDF forms | Pro | Pro |
| Lock and unlock PDF (password) | Pro | Pro |
| AI chat and summary (on-device) | Free | Pro |
"With watermark" means files saved with that tool carry a ProperPDF watermark. Pro removes it.
A typical workflow
Scan the paper pages, or import a PDF into the library. Merge it with any attachments, drop the pages nobody needs with Split or Organize Pages, sign it, then share it from the share sheet. Each step saves a new copy, so the original stays available.
What it doesn't do
ProperPDF can't change the existing text in a PDF, convert PDF to Word, or add highlights, comments and drawings. If you need those, PDF Expert or Adobe Acrobat Reader are better fits. Both annotate for free, and both charge for text editing. On iOS 26 and later, Apple's built-in Preview app can also highlight and draw on PDFs.
Offline, with one exception
The PDF tools need no internet connection at all. The on-device AI chat and summary may need a one-time model download on some devices before it can work offline.
Questions
Does ProperPDF work without internet on iPhone?
Yes. All PDF tools run on the device. The AI feature may need a one-time model download first on some devices.
Is ProperPDF free on iPhone?
The app is free to download. Scan, merge, split, organize, convert and AI chat are free; merge and split add a watermark unless you have Pro. Compress, sign, fill forms and lock need Pro.
Can ProperPDF edit the text inside a PDF?
No. It works with whole pages, signatures, form fields and passwords, not with the existing text.