# PDF Archiver: Scan & Archive — Paperless documents, offline

> Scan, tag, and organize documents locally with intelligent text recognition and iCloud sync. (iPhone/iPad app by Julian Kahnert.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-archiver-scan-and-archive/id1433801905 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Julian Kahnert](https://appshunter.io/developer/1352719749)
- Category: Productivity, Utilities
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 9 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.0 · 32 MB
- Languages: American English, German (Germany)
- Released: 2018-10-17
- Data updated: 2026-09-25
- Monetization: subscription
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-archiver-scan-and-archive/id1433801905/reviews.md

## What is PDF Archiver?

An archive that outlasts the app. Your documents are PDFs in folders sorted
by year — with the date, a description and tags written into the filename.
Readable on any machine, with or without this app.

HOW IT WORKS

• Point your iPhone at the page. The scan lands in your inbox, cropped and
  straight.
• Apple Intelligence suggests the date, a description and tags — on your
  device.
• Check them, fix what's off, save. The document is renamed and moved to your
  archive.
• Find it again in PDF Archiver, in Spotlight, in the Finder, or in whatever
  file manager you happen to open — because the search terms are part of the
  filename.

Already have PDFs? Drop them in — from your scanner, a mail attachment, your
downloads folder.

WHY PDF ARCHIVER

• Everything stays on your device. Text recognition and suggestions run
  locally. There is no PDF Archiver server.
• No account. No sign-up, no password, no email address.
• You choose where files live: iCloud Drive, a local folder, or any folder
  you point the app at.
• No lock-in. Your archive is a folder of PDFs. Copy it to a backup drive, a
  NAS, a Windows machine — it stays readable.
• Open source. The code is on GitHub.
• A person answers. Questions go to one developer, not a ticket queue. Most
  get a reply within a few hours.

ON EVERY DEVICE

iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro. Widgets show what's still untagged.
Shortcuts automate what you do often. The share sheet takes documents from
any other app.

BUILT SINCE 2018

First release in February 2018, still shipping updates today. One developer,
eight years.

"The Mac app uses a simple file name convention, which simply notes keywords,
data and descriptions in the file name of the documents and can therefore be
used largely independently of the operating system, cloud provider and Mac or
PC application." — iFun

TRY IT, THEN BUY IT

Two weeks free, no account and no credit card. After the trial you can
subscribe — or buy the lifetime licence and keep the app. Prices are listed
at the top of this page.

Cancel whenever you like. Your documents stay readable either way — they are
just PDFs in a folder.

QUESTIONS

Answers to the most common ones: pdf-archiver.io/faq
Write to us: support@pdf-archiver.io
The code is at github.com/PDF-Archiver/PDF-Archiver

Privacy policy: pdf-archiver.io/privacy
Terms of use: pdf-archiver.io/terms

## Key features

- 100% Open Source
- Intelligent Text Recognition (OCR)
- On-device text processing (no cloud)
- iCloud Drive synchronization
- Customizable search by tag and description
- Document naming convention for easy searching

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $6.99 | per year |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime License | $26.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (2 of 2)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-archiver-scan-and-archive/id1433801905/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Frefire

*2026-03-08*

Frefire

### 4/5 — Useful organiser of pdf files

*2023-10-15*

Ideal app for organising my pdf library. However, I use a lot of tags, so would be nice if these could be sorted into a hierarchy, for example.

## Frequently asked questions about PDF Archiver

### What is PDF Archiver?

PDF Archiver is an open-source application designed to help you scan, tag, and organize your documents digitally. It utilizes on-device text recognition and synchronizes your files via iCloud Drive for private and accessible storage.

### How does PDF Archiver handle my data privacy?

PDF Archiver prioritizes your privacy by processing text recognition entirely on your iPhone or iPad, meaning no cloud involvement for this sensitive data. The app also avoids advertising platforms.

### What are the subscription options for PDF Archiver?

PDF Archiver offers a 2-week free trial. After the trial, you can choose a monthly subscription for $1.99 USD or a yearly subscription for $7.49 USD. Prices may vary by country.

### Can I cancel my PDF Archiver subscription?

Yes, you can turn off auto-renewal for your subscription at any time by going to your settings in the iTunes Store after purchase. Your subscription will remain active until the end of the current billing period.

### What devices is PDF Archiver compatible with?

PDF Archiver is available for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, allowing you to manage your documents across multiple Apple devices.

### How often is PDF Archiver updated?

The latest version of PDF Archiver is 4.4.1, last updated on March 21, 2026. This indicates a commitment to ongoing development and improvements.

### How does PDF Archiver's search functionality work?

You can search your archived documents by tag (starting with '_'), by description (starting with '-'), or by any general search term. This flexible system is based on the app's unique naming convention.

### Is PDF Archiver suitable for business use?

Yes, PDF Archiver's robust organization features, on-device processing for privacy, and iCloud synchronization make it a suitable tool for managing business documents and records.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.6.0 — 2026-09-12

This release is a clean-up — it fixes the problems reported most often.

Fixed
• Documents are no longer filed twice.
• Documents still being processed when the app quits are no longer lost. They finish on the next launch.
• The app stays responsive while text recognition runs.
• On the Mac, ⌘S saves from the document window again.
• The suggestion cache kept filling up even when switched off.
• In the custom prompt, input beyond 500 characters was silently discarded although the field allowed more.
• A folder that was deleted and recreated is watched again.

Improved
• Tag suggestions fit better: no duplicates, nothing already on the document, at most four, sorted alphabetically.
• PDFs with a damaged text layer are detected and recognised again, so the "Searchable" mark is accurate.
• Tagging no longer waits when there are no suggestions.

Questions or requests? Write to us: support@pdf-archiver.io

### 4.5.0 — 2026-03-31

Fixed an issue where documents repeatedly appeared in the inbox. Improved Siri Shortcuts integration and further bug fixes.

### 4.4.1 — 2026-03-21

New: Text layer indicator in toolbar shows whether a PDF has searchable text
New: Detected date is highlighted in the document detail view
Fix: Widgets now display the correct layout for their size
Fix: Small widget no longer truncates document counts

### 4.4.0 — 2025-12-04

Multi-tag selection improvements and enhanced testing

### 4.3.2 — 2025-11-06

• Apple Intelligence Caching: Significantly faster document processing through intelligent caching of AI
   results
  • Background Processing: Automatic preparation of untagged documents in the background for instant
  tagging suggestions
  • Cache Management: New settings to control and manage Apple Intelligence cache
  • Filename Preservation: Already-tagged PDFs retain their tags and descriptions when imported via Share
  Extension
  • PDF Metadata: Tags are now written directly to PDF metadata
  • Optimized Design: More modern, transparent appearance of Share Extension
  • Improved Performance: More consistent loading indicators and optimized user interface

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## More apps by Julian Kahnert

- [Roommate Albert](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roommate-albert/id1617545224)

All apps by Julian Kahnert: https://appshunter.io/developer/1352719749

## Related topics

[julian kahnert](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/julian-kahnert) · [pdf archiver](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/pdf-archiver) · [document archiver](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/document-archiver) · [archive documents](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/archive-documents)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-25.*