Backlit! vs OpenAirScan
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Backlit!
Scan documents directly from your iPhone or iPad to a SANE server. Wirelessly connect, configure your device, and save or share your scanned files.
- Wireless SANE server connection
- Device configuration
- Scan documents from iPhone/iPad
- Save to Camera Roll
- Share via other apps
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Backlit allows you to connect wirelessly to your SANE server, configure your device and scan a document on your iPhone or iPad! How to use Backlit: - download from the AppStore - add the hostname or IP address of your SANE server - tap your device - scan! Scanned documents can be saved to the iOS Camera Roll and shared via apps available on your device!
OpenAirScan
This app connects to any network-enabled scanner using the ESCL (AirScan) protocol. It allows you to create scans in various formats, working with most scanners from the last decade. It is designed to be vendor-agnostic.
- Connects to ESCL/AirScan scanners
- Vendor-agnostic compatibility
- Supports various scan formats
- Works with network-enabled scanners
- Compatible with most modern scanners
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OpenAirScan connects to any ESCL(a.k.a. AirScan)-capable scanner on your network and creates scans in various formats. It is entirely vendor-agnostic and should work with nearly all network-enabled scanners built in the past ten years.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: OpenAirScan at Free against Backlit!'s $1.99. OpenAirScan also leads on rating (2.7 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 9 months). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
OpenAirScan is free to download; Backlit! costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
OpenAirScan holds the better App Store score, 2.7 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 50% and 50% positive.
Backlit! ships an update every 9 months, OpenAirScan every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and August 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Backlit! | OpenAirScan |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) | 2.7 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 3 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Stanislas Chevallier | Leo Wehrfritz |
Customer experience
Backlit!
OpenAirScan
In-app purchases
Backlit!
No in-app purchases
OpenAirScan
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Backlit! free?
Is OpenAirScan free?
Which has better reviews, Backlit! or OpenAirScan?
Do Backlit! or OpenAirScan have ads?
Which is updated more often, Backlit! or OpenAirScan?
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