The GoodReader app has been around for practically a decade now, and its latest incarnation is GoodReader 5. That alone is enough to easily appraise the quality of this app. Its success is unsurprising as it’s practically what anyone who needs a good document viewer and file manager on iOS, particularly on an iPad, would need.

MS Office documents, for instance, are still widely used in various professional fields, and it’s one of the files that GoodReader supports. The same can be said for PDF and TXT files. The PDF reader is certainly worth highlighting as it’s one of the main features of the app. Unlike other cookie-cutter apps about file viewing out there, GoodReader really goes the limit in PDF viewing and editing.

It doesn’t go for the simplicity route. Instead, it makes sure that PDF viewing on an iOS device is as efficient and appropriate as possible. The updated UI only optimizes all the features to deliver faster and perennially convenient PDF viewing. It excises dividing the PDF into pages, which is practically what really made GoodReader stand on a loftier pedestal than the thousands of PDF apps on iOS.

This allows you to scroll through the entire PDF document without having to wait for the page to load. Annotation is another feature that makes GoodReader a high-quality app for PDF users. Imagine being able to add bits of your thoughts and extra info on the PDF file. You can easily do this, as well as the ability to highlight certain portions of text. This is very useful when doing collaborations or when presenting in PDF.

You can even open two files at the same time and view them simultaneously with the Split Screen feature. Take note that this is only made available on the Pro version, like other features that make the app a very powerful PDF viewer that’s also ideal for file management. That being said, it’s highly recommended that you don’t skimp on getting the Pro version, which only costs $5.99 as it’s the only way for you to make the most of what the app really has to offer.

The said version not only unlocks extra layers of security (through password setting and encryption of files, for instance) and this is also complemented by the ability to place your files into password-protected ZIP files. That being said, the Pro version is largely about security. Nonetheless, it also doesn’t add must-have features (like the Split Screen capability said above) as well as the ability to extract specific frames in GIFs (which the app also happens to support).

The management side of the app is equally worth praising for the app allows you to view all your files in various modes. Like in a desktop computer, you have the freedom to view them with small or large icons, for instance, or have them be listed into multiple columns. There is also the drag-n-drop capability that practically allows you to transfer files into the proper folders in seconds. In short, GoodReader gives file management apps a run for their money too. That being said,

GoodReader really brings PDF viewing to a whole new level. It surpasses its competition with the massive amounts of features that it includes, all of which are guaranteed to aid the user in doing his work on the go using an iOS device

Price: $5.99