# SmartScan AI vs Text Reader

The clearest difference is ads: Text Reader at none against SmartScan AI's shown. Text Reader also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). SmartScan AI's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 20 months) and ratings volume (94 vs 22). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SmartScan AI sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Text Reader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. 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 SmartScan AI against 4.3 for Text Reader. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 94 and 22 respectively.

SmartScan AI ships an update every 2 months, Text Reader every 20 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartScan AI | Text Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartscan-ai/id1393471734/reviews)** | [4.3 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-reader-image-to-text/id6473078890/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **94** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | 54.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 20 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 17 MB | 102 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Naveen Vijay](https://appshunter.io/developer/1275020392) | [Bhavinkumar Satashiya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1361485921) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartScan AI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartscan-ai/id1393471734)

Effortlessly extract text from images using advanced AI. Translate content into over 150 languages, summarize complex information, and export editable files or professional PDFs. This intelligent assistant helps you work faster and smarter by digitizing notes and documents.

**Highlights:** Handwritten and printed text OCR, AI-powered translation to 150+ languages, AI assistant for summarization and insights, Text-to-speech functionality, Editable file and PDF export, Scan history and editing tools

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 75 Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 175 Credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| 500 Credits | $4.99 | one-time |


### Text Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-reader-image-to-text/id6473078890)

Extract and translate text from images, PDFs, and handwritten notes in over 100 languages. Features include text-to-speech and offline access, ideal for students, travelers, and professionals. Simplify your workflow and break language barriers.

**Highlights:** Advanced OCR text extraction, 100+ language translations, Text-to-speech functionality, Offline mode access, Share and save extracted text, User-friendly interface

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Upgrade to Premium! | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartScan AI free?

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

### Is Text Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SmartScan AI or Text Reader?

SmartScan AI is rated higher. SmartScan AI averages 4.4 out of 5 from 94 ratings, while Text Reader averages 4.3 from 22 ratings.

### Do SmartScan AI or Text Reader have ads?

SmartScan AI shows ads; Text Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, SmartScan AI or Text Reader?

SmartScan AI ships an update every 2 months, and Text Reader every 20 months. Most recently, SmartScan AI was updated on October 14, 2026 and Text Reader on October 5, 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.*