# ScanCam vs Basic Scan

ScanCam and Basic Scan both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 95% of Basic Scan's written reviews are positive against 74% of ScanCam's. Basic Scan also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ScanCam sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Basic Scan sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for ScanCam against 4.5 for Basic Scan. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 469 and 294 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 74% of ScanCam's written reviews are positive against 95% of Basic Scan's.

ScanCam ships an update every 2 months, Basic Scan every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ScanCam | Basic Scan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (469 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scancam-scanner-for-iphone/id1278581763/reviews) | **[4.5 (294 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-scan-pdf-scanner-ocr/id1437323368/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **469** | 294 |
| Positive reviews | 73.6% of reviews | **95.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Size | 35 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [People Talent Tech Sdn. Bhd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1276114260) | [INWARD INSIGHT LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437323367) |

## What reviewers say

### ScanCam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scancam-scanner-for-iphone/id1278581763)

Transform your device into a portable scanner. Capture, edit, and sign any document, then share it as a PDF or JPEG. Supports single and batch scanning with automatic border detection and various save options.

**Highlights:** Scan documents and images, Add e-signatures, Export as PDF or JPEG, Batch scanning mode, Automatic border detection, Cloud service integration, Print via Wi-Fi

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Week Pro Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| 1 Month Pro Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| 3 Months Pro Subscription | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| 6 Months Pro Subscription | $29.99 | per 6 months |
| 1 Year Pro Subscription | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient scanning
- 💡 Useful signature feature
- 🔒 Secure document storage
- 👍 User-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Cropping issues
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔍 Lack of updates
- 📢 Excessive ads

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes during multi-page scanning
- Inconsistent document quality

**Requested features**

- Improved cropping controls
- Cross-platform sharing
- More language support
- Better free version functionality


### Basic Scan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-scan-pdf-scanner-ocr/id1437323368)

Easily capture, scan, and share documents, receipts, and notes. Convert images to high-quality PDFs or PNGs, and extract text using OCR for easy searching. Sign documents and organize your scanned files efficiently.

**Highlights:** Document scanning with edge detection, Image filters for readability, OCR text recognition (20 languages), Digital signature tool, Export as PNG, PDF, or TXT, Organize and manage scanned pages

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| اشتراك Premium شهري | $4.99 | per month |
| Basic Scan Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| اشتراك ربع سنوي | $11.99 | per 3 months |
| Basic Scan Premium | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| اشتراك Premium سنوي | $39.99 | per year |
| Basic Scan Premium | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 💡 Great for scanning documents
- 💡 Convenient for making PDFs

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❓ Difficulty canceling subscription
- 🐛 Edges not always cropped properly

**Reported bugs**

- Manual edge selection can be difficult

**Requested features**

- Automated document naming (time/location)
- AI-powered naming based on paper content
- Automatic edge detection for documents


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ScanCam free?

ScanCam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Basic Scan free?

Basic Scan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ScanCam or Basic Scan?

Basic Scan is rated higher. ScanCam averages 4.4 out of 5 from 469 ratings, while Basic Scan averages 4.5 from 294 ratings.

### Do ScanCam or Basic Scan have ads?

Neither ScanCam nor Basic Scan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ScanCam or Basic Scan?

ScanCam ships an update every 2 months, and Basic Scan every 3 weeks. Most recently, ScanCam was updated on September 29, 2026 and Basic Scan on October 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*