# PDF Scanner App vs PDF Reader

The clearest difference is ads: PDF Scanner App at none against PDF Reader's shown. PDF Scanner App also leads on ratings volume (27K vs 129) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Scanner App sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and PDF Reader sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $14.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Scanner App holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Scanner App has 27K ratings behind it against 129, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Scanner App | PDF Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scanner-app-tapscanner/id1382564905/reviews)** | [4.4 (129 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-scanner-app/id6739529347/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **27K** | 129 |
| Positive reviews | 36.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#66** | — |
| Size | 175 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SMART MEDIA INTERNET MARKETING LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/718353904) | [Tech Nest](https://appshunter.io/developer/1703040252) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Scanner App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scanner-app-tapscanner/id1382564905)

**Currently charting:** #66 Top Grossing · Business (US App Store)

Transform your mobile device into a powerful scanner. Easily capture documents, receipts, and more, convert them to PDF, and edit them with advanced tools. Secure your files with passwords and share them effortlessly.

**Highlights:** Scan documents to PDF, Edit scans with OCR, Add e-signatures, Enhance scans with filters, Split and merge PDFs, Convert between PDF and JPG/Word, Compress PDF files, Password protect PDFs

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Scanner App to PDF PRO Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Scan to PDF App PRO Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited access | $19.99 | per year |
| Unlimited access | $39.99 | per year |
| Document Scanner App Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Unlimited access | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF Scanner App Pro | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 User-friendly
- 🚀 Convenient scanning
- 👍 Great features
- 👍 Intuitive navigation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Buggy app
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🐛 Unreliable scanning
- 🐛 Mixes up pages

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes during scanning
- Subscription issues
- Unable to save scans properly
- Compatibility problems with new devices

**Requested features**

- Option to reorder pages
- Ability to cancel subscription easily
- Support for older devices
- Improved customer service


### PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-scanner-app/id6739529347)

Scan, convert, and manage documents on your mobile device. Easily transform images into PDFs, extract text with OCR, and share or print your files. Streamline your document workflow with this all-in-one scanner and editor.

**Highlights:** Image to PDF conversion, Document scanning, Text extraction (OCR), Email document sharing, Print from device, PDF editing, Add/manage pages

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Rader Pro Experience | $14.99 | per 7 days |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Scanner App free?

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

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PDF Scanner App or PDF Reader?

PDF Scanner App is rated higher. PDF Scanner App averages 4.7 out of 5 from 27K ratings, while PDF Reader averages 4.4 from 129 ratings.

### Do PDF Scanner App or PDF Reader have ads?

PDF Reader shows ads; PDF Scanner App does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Scanner App or PDF Reader?

PDF Scanner App ships an update every 2 weeks, and PDF Reader every 2 weeks. Most recently, PDF Scanner App was updated on September 25, 2026 and PDF Reader on September 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.*