# CS Scanner vs SiYuan

The clearest difference is rating: CS Scanner at 4.8 against SiYuan's 3.9. CS Scanner also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 67%) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CS Scanner sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and SiYuan sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CS Scanner holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 78 and 30 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of CS Scanner's written reviews are positive against 67% of SiYuan's.

CS Scanner ships an update every 8 days, SiYuan weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CS Scanner | SiYuan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (78 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cs-scanner-pdf-scanner-app/id1377121820/reviews)** | [3.9 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/siyuan/id1583226508/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **78** | 30 |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 22 MB | 434 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Shanghai Yijing Network Technology Company Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1711515384) | [Yunnan Liandi Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1583226510) |

## What reviewers say

### CS Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cs-scanner-pdf-scanner-app/id1377121820)

Digitize paper documents with efficient scanning and smart management. This app uses advanced image processing for high-definition scans, OCR text recognition, and various document format conversions. It offers AI-powered renaming and privacy features for organized and secure document handling.

**Highlights:** High-definition scanning with auto edge detection, OCR text recognition and one-click copying, Convert scans to PDF and JPG, AI intelligent renaming of documents, Custom watermarks for privacy, Batch scanning for multiple pages

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Membership Service Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Membership Service Yearly | $39.99 | per year |


### SiYuan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/siyuan/id1583226508)

A privacy-focused personal knowledge management system that allows offline use and encrypted data synchronization. It combines blocks, outlines, and bidirectional links to help users organize and refine their thoughts.

**Highlights:** Privacy-first design, Offline data storage, End-to-end encrypted sync, Block-based organization, Outline structuring, Bidirectional linking

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO Features | $79.99 | one-time |
| Subscription | $188.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CS Scanner free?

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

### Is SiYuan free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CS Scanner or SiYuan?

CS Scanner is rated higher. CS Scanner averages 4.8 out of 5 from 78 ratings, while SiYuan averages 3.9 from 30 ratings.

### Do CS Scanner or SiYuan have ads?

Neither CS Scanner nor SiYuan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CS Scanner or SiYuan?

CS Scanner ships an update every 8 days, and SiYuan weekly. Most recently, CS Scanner was updated on October 7, 2026 and SiYuan on October 23, 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.*