Comparison

Adobe Scan vs PDF Editor

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Adobe Scan

Transform your mobile device into a powerful document scanner. Easily convert paper documents, receipts, and IDs into professional-looking PDFs or JPEGs. Enhance scans with automatic straightening, stain removal, and editable text conversion.

Highlights
  • High-speed bulk scanning
  • Convert paper to PDF/JPEG
  • Automatic straightening
  • Magic eraser for cleanup
  • Extract pages
  • Image to text OCR
  • Organize into folders
Read full description

Adobe Scan is free to download and turns your mobile device into a powerful PDF and document scanner that helps you create, save, and organize your paper documents as digital files. 6 WAYS TO USE ADOBE SCAN 1) Save time with a fast document scanner: Use High-speed scan to bulk scan documents and turn stacks into PDFs in seconds. 2) Clean up scans with Magic eraser: Auto-detect and remove thumbs, shadows, stains and creases so your document scans look clear and professional. 3) Make a PDF with your phone: Convert paper documents or printed images into PDFs or JPEGs with the mobile PDF and photo scanner. 4) Use the Extract pages tool to choose the pages you need from any multi-page scan and save them as a new PDF. 5) Turn images to text: Use the image-to-text feature to make words in your scans searchable and editable with OCR. 6) Scan anything: Receipts, IDs, notes, recipes, photos, business cards, whiteboards – scan documents into PDF or JPEG files you can work with on your phone, tablet, or computer. CAPTURE WITH PRECISION • The Straighten tool fixes pages that come out curved or tilted while you scan, even if all four corners aren’t visible in the scan. • Advanced scanning technology detects borders, sharpens content, and makes your scans editable and searchable. ENHANCE YOUR SCANS • Edit in text lets you scan words, and handwritten text, to make it editable. • The Modify tool helps you crop, rotate, resize, and adjust colors in your scans. • Reorder pages and preview before saving. • Adjust the brightness and contrast of your scans in just a few taps. ORGANIZE YOUR DOCUMENTS • Scan paperwork and create custom folders for work documents, personal files, school forms, or ID scans. • Contact details are pulled straight from business cards so you can save them to your phone contacts in seconds. • Scans are automatically saved to Adobe Document Cloud for instant access and sharing. • Set a password to keep that important scan secure while you send it. SMART LIBRARY • This powerful doc scanner finds documents and receipts in your photo library and turns them into PDFs. • Touch up scans or photos directly from your camera roll. REUSE & SHARE • Open PDFs directly in Adobe Scan, without leaving the app. Then use tools like Modify, Edit, and Share. • Make high-quality PDFs that unlock text from images – from scanned contracts to study notes – so you can copy, edit, and reuse. • Export your scans to Word, Excel, or PowerPoint for new formats, then share. DO MORE WITH ACROBAT READER • Open your PDF scan in Acrobat Reader to comment, highlight, fill forms, and sign documents. • Access and share securely across Scan, Reader, and Acrobat on web and mobile. IN-APP PURCHASE • Subscribe for even more scanning power. Subscriptions work across Scan and Reader mobile apps and Acrobat on the web. • Combine scans into one file so you can take multiple scans and consolidate into one document. • Increase OCR capacity from 5 to 100 pages so that you can find text in multiple images. Download this free mobile scanner to convert important photos and documents into PDF and JPEG files to help you stay organized. Adobe Scan is the PDF converter trusted by millions worldwide. Terms & Conditions: Your use of this application is governed by the Adobe General Terms of Use http://www.adobe.com/go/terms_linkfree_en and the Adobe Privacy Policy http://www.adobe.com/go/privacy_policy_linkfree_en Do not sell or share my personal information www.adobe.com/go/ca-rights-linkfree

About

PDF Editor

Edit text, images, and layout in PDF files without altering formatting. Convert PDFs to various formats, merge documents, and secure them with passwords. Offers cloud integration and user-friendly navigation for efficient document management.

Highlights
  • Edit text and images
  • Convert to multiple formats (Word, PPT, JPG, PNG)
  • Resize PDFs
  • Merge PDF files
  • Secure with password encryption
  • Add watermarks, headers, footers
  • Cloud integration
Features
Read full description

Edit a PDF and get back the file you expected. Many PDF editors move your fonts, your spacing and your layout. PDF Editor is built to keep them where they are. Open a PDF, change the text, the images and the pages, export it, and the document still looks like the original. If a file ever does not come out right, message us from inside the app: we reply within one business day and fix import, editing and font problems as a priority, keeping you posted until it is done. Built in Australia. Your documents stay yours. What you can do • Edit PDF text: change words, font, size and color directly on the page. • Edit PDF images: replace, crop, resize or delete any image. • Sign PDF: draw or type your signature once and place it on any document. • Fill PDF forms: complete a form, save it and send it. • Merge PDF: combine several PDF files into one. • Split PDF: separate one PDF into smaller files. • Compress PDF: reduce the file size for email and upload. • Convert PDF to JPG or PNG: turn any page into an image. • Turn images into a PDF: combine photos or scans into one document. • Open Word, PowerPoint and Illustrator files: edit them as a PDF and export. • Organize pages: reorder, rotate, duplicate, delete, crop and number pages. • Annotate PDF: highlight and underline what matters. • Redact PDF: black out text that must not be shared. • Scan to text (OCR): turn a scanned page into text you can edit. • Unlock PDF: remove a password you own. • Watermark PDF: add a watermark, a header or a footer. • Resize PDF: change the page format without losing quality. Read and annotate any PDF Open any PDF file, read it and highlight what matters. Large files stay sharp when you zoom. Edit PDF text properly Tap a paragraph and type. PDF Editor keeps the font, the line breaks and the spacing you already have, so you do not have to rebuild the page after every change. Sign and fill without printing Draw or type a signature, place it, save it. Fill in a contract, an invoice or an application form and send it back the same day. No printer needed. Merge, split and compress Combine a set of files into one report. Pull three pages out of a long contract. Compress a large PDF so it fits an email limit. All from your phone. Convert and export Save as PDF for print or for web. Export a page as JPG or PNG for a message or a slide. Turn a set of photos into one PDF. Open a Word, PowerPoint or Illustrator file and work on it as a PDF. Start from a template Do not start from an empty page. Open a ready-made invoice, report, proposal, contract, letter, resume, flyer or business card, then change the parts you need. Every template is editable and exports as a PDF. Phone, tablet and web Your documents sync, so you can start on a phone and finish on a laptop. What is free and what is paid Every month a free account includes 5 PDF edits and 20 PDF tool operations such as merge, split, compress or rotate. Subscriptions raise these allowances and more: monthly AI credits and extra storage are included. Common questions Can I change text in a file someone else made? Yes. Open it and tap the text. Can I put two files together? Yes, use Merge. Can I make a file smaller? Yes, use Compress. Can I turn a scan into text? Yes, use Scan to text. Do I need an account? Merge, split, compress, rotate and the other page tools work without one. Editing text, signing, filling forms and watermarks need a free account. Does it work offline? Merge, split, compress, sign, fill forms and the other page tools run on your device and work offline. Editing PDF text in the full editor, scan to text and the AI tools need an internet connection. Something did not import or export correctly. What now? Send it to us from Settings → Feedback & Support. We reply within one business day. Download PDF Editor and fix the PDF properly, the first time.

Screenshots

Adobe Scan4 screens
PDF Editor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Adobe Scan at 83% against PDF Editor's 22%. Adobe Scan also leads on ratings volume (1.6M vs 330) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). PDF Editor's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Adobe Scan sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and PDF Editor sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Adobe Scan holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Adobe Scan has 1.6M ratings behind it against 330, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Adobe Scan's written reviews are positive against 22% of PDF Editor's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Adobe Scan ships an update fortnightly, PDF Editor every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Adobe Scan versus PDF Editor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAdobe ScanPDF Editor
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (1.6M ratings) — better4.6 (330 ratings)
Positive reviews82.6% of reviews — better22.3% of reviews
Number of ratings1.6M — better330
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#11 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size398 MB191 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAdobe Inc.Desygner Pty Ltd

Customer experience

Adobe Scan

All ratings1,586,882 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral1.3%
Negative1.1%
Written reviews3,809 reviews
Positive82.6%
Neutral2.9%
Negative14.4%

PDF Editor

All ratings330 ratings
Positive91.5%
Neutral0.3%
Negative8.2%
Written reviews139 reviews
Positive22.3%
Neutral2.9%
Negative74.8%

User reviews

Adobe Scan

From 1.6M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 👍 Intuitive interface
  • 🚀 Quick scanning
  • 👍 Convenient for on-the-go
  • 🚀 High-quality scans

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
  • 🐛 Issues with auto-cropping and alignment
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns around cloud storage
  • 💰 Expensive premium features

PDF Editor

From 330 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✏️ Comprehensive PDF editing capabilities
  • 🎨 Advanced image editing features (logos, backgrounds, signatures)
  • ⚡ Fast processing speed for document editing
  • 👍 User-friendly interface for most users
  • 🔧 Multiple editing tools and options available

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription pricing ($7-99/month)
  • 🚫 Limited free trial (3 days, not 7 as advertised)
  • 📏 Output files are extremely small and illegible after export
  • 🐢 Very slow file uploads and processing
  • ❌ Text editing features unavailable in trial version

Bugs and requests

Adobe Scan

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Scans not saving properly
  • Compatibility issues with older devices
  • Problems with multi-page document scanning

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add option to save scans locally without cloud sync
  • Improve edge detection and auto-cropping accuracy
  • Implement multi-language OCR support
  • Allow manual control over scan settings and adjustments

PDF Editor

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • App crashes when importing PDFs
  • Exported PDFs render at extremely small, unreadable sizes
  • Text editing causes font changes and formatting loss
  • Duplicate function creates multiple unwanted copies or deletes originals
  • App won't open or gets stuck on logo screen
Show 9 more
  • Email verification not sending or sending to wrong address
  • Zoom functionality resets when attempting edits
  • Saved documents disappear from app after restart
  • File upload fails or gets stuck indefinitely
  • Black and white checkered screen replacing PDF content
  • Large chunks of text deleted when leaving text editor open
  • Pages display as blank after export
  • Subscription information not displaying correctly
  • App crashes when clicking add/import button

Requested features

8 requests
  • Better zoom functionality without distorting document sections
  • Ability to edit files across multiple devices with same account
  • Improved text editing capabilities
  • Document rotation (not just flip) functionality
  • Better font compatibility and handling
Show 3 more
  • Offline editing capability
  • Improved file saving and persistence
  • Cross-device synchronization

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Adobe Scan

Subscriptions12
  • Adobe Scan Premium$3.991 Month
  • Adobe Scan Plus - Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Adobe PDF Pack$9.991 Month
Show 9 more
  • Adobe Scan Premium - Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Adobe Scan Premium$9.991 Month
  • Scan premium - monthly$14.991 Month
  • Adobe Scan Plus - Yearly$19.991 Year
  • Adobe Scan Premium7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Adobe Scan Premium7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Adobe Scan Premium7 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • Adobe Scan Premium1 Year trial$69.991 Year
  • Adobe PDF Pack$89.991 Year
13 purchases

PDF Editor

Subscriptions9
  • Weekly$2.997 Days
  • Pro+ Weekly Subscription 2$4.997 Days
  • Pro+ Weekly Subscription7 Days trial$6.997 Days
Show 6 more
  • Pro+ Monthly Subscription$9.951 Month
  • Monthly3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Pro+ Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Pro+ Annual Subscription 2$83.991 Year
  • Annual3 Days trial$89.991 Year
  • Pro+ Annual Subscription$99.991 Year
One-time4
  • Credit pack: 5 credits$4.99
  • Credit pack: 10 credits$7.99
  • Special credit pack$7.99
Show 1 more
  • Credit pack: 30 credits$19.99

Questions

Is Adobe Scan free?
Adobe Scan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PDF Editor free?
PDF Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Adobe Scan or PDF Editor?
Adobe Scan is rated higher. Adobe Scan averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.6M ratings, while PDF Editor averages 4.6 from 330 ratings.
Do Adobe Scan or PDF Editor have ads?
Both Adobe Scan and PDF Editor show ads.
Which is updated more often, Adobe Scan or PDF Editor?
Adobe Scan ships an update fortnightly, and PDF Editor every 3 days. Most recently, Adobe Scan was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDF Editor on September 21, 2026.

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