Comparison

PDF Document Scanner vs PDFelement

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PDF Document Scanner

Transform your device into a high-quality mobile scanner. Easily convert documents to PDF, sign them, and extract text with OCR. Share your scanned files quickly via email or cloud services.

Highlights
  • High-quality mobile scanning
  • Convert documents to PDF
  • Sign PDFs directly
  • Automatic text recognition (OCR)
  • Share via email and cloud
  • Scan multiple document types
Features
Read full description

FREE DOCUMENT SCANNER & PDF CONVERTER - Turn your iPhone & iPad into a FREE & HIGH-QUALITY Mobile Scanner - Quick, Easy & Professional: Create PDFs, Sign & OCR - Share within minutes by email or cloud - High-Quality Mobile Scanner with automatic text recognition (OCR) - Easy convert to PDF, sign - Strong privacy & 24/7 customer service - FREE for limited time only - Get it Now while it is FREE! EASY SCAN ANY TYPE OF DOCUMENTS INTO PDF QUICKLY CONVERT TO PDF, SIGN, OCR, SHARE AND MUCH MORE ... **** Trusted by 1000s of small businesses ***** HIGH-QUALITY OCR TECHNOLOGY Automatically recognize & extract text inside scanned documents & photos QUICK, EASY AND 100% PROFESSIONAL A MUST-HAVE FOR BUSINESS OWNERS AND STUDENTS The PDF Document Scanner & PDF Converter is a must-have iPhone app for - Small business owners like realtors, lawyers, managers & accountants - Home office and Remote work - Homeschooling - Students and more ... EASY SCAN ANY TYPE OF DOCUMENTS INTO PDF Easy scan any type of documents into clear & sharp PDFs & email within minutes in PDF, Image or Text format EASY PDF CONVERTER Convert and create PDF from various documents SAVE TIME AND MONEY How to scan documents to PDF on iPhone? Point camera to document, take a shot, follow the interactive tips FEATURE-RICH MOBILE SCANNER APP FOR IPHONE - Clear & sharp High-quality PDFs and images - Scan any documents like passport, ID card, bill, invoice, receipt, book, business card, word text documents, form, etc. - PDF signer: Sign PDFs directly on your iPhone - Share to all major clouds like Google Drive,Dropbox,Box,Evernote,Microsoft OneDrive - Share to common messengers like WhatsApp,Facebook Messenger,WeChat,QQ Mobile,Telegram,Snapchat,Viber,LINE,IMO,Discord,KakaoTalk - Easy send per email - Automatic cropping - Premium color adjustment - High-quality OCR: Easy extract Text from Photos and document scan - Multiple pages into one PDF - Business cards: Turbo scan as pictures and save instantly to contacts - Quality QR code scanner and ID scanner - Portable scanner for images and paper documentation - Really easy to use YOUR BENEFITS: - High quality portable scanning - Easily increase business productivity with the best PDF scanning app - Ready to use ID card scanner, business card scanner, passport scanner, photo image scanner, receipt scanner and book scanner - Mobile QR code reader - E-sign documents on the go: signing documents is fast, easy and highly secure. Signature by hand or extract from Photo or Camera - Professional genius scan app for iPhone - Fast & Free iOS PDF creator: make PDF format from any paper document - Create PDF with watermark - Clean scannable quality - PDF editor - A must have tiny camera scanner for Home Office, Students and Remote Work Get it Now while it is FREE! UNLIMITED ACCESS MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION – You can subscribe for unlimited access to all features within the app – Subscriptions are billed weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually at the rate selected depending on the subscription plan – Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase – Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period – The account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period at the then-current price - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off and cancelled by going to your Account settings after purchase - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription Privacy Policy & Terms of Use: www.pdfdocumentscannerapp.com Not happy with our service? We are sorry that you are not happy with our service. Can we help? If you have any complaints or questions, please let us know, we will do our best to solve your issue as soon as possible. Here you will find further help, FAQ and a form to contact us directly www.pdfdocumentscannerapp.com

About

PDFelement

This application offers comprehensive PDF management, including advanced editing, AI-powered summarization and translation, and efficient scanning with OCR. It helps organize, convert, and secure documents for work, study, and personal use.

Highlights
  • AI Chat with PDF
  • Scan and OCR
  • PDF to Office Conversion
  • Edit PDF like Word
  • Password Protection
  • Compress PDF
Features
Read full description

PDFelement is optimized for the latest Liquid Glass experience, with a more refined interface, clearer navigation, and smoother interactions for your PDF workflow. AI PDF Editor, PDF Reader, PDF Scanner, PDF Converter, PDF Signer. One app for work, study, and everyday life. Customize Your Toolbar Arrange your PDF tools the way you work. Reorder, show, or hide toolbar items to keep your favorite actions within easy reach and create a cleaner, faster, and more efficient workspace. AI PDF • Chat with PDF: Ask questions and get instant, accurate answers from your PDFs. • AI Summarize PDF: Turn lengthy contracts, reports, and documents into concise key points. • AI Translate: Translate selected text instantly across 60+ languages. • Generate Mind Map: Transform PDF content into clear visual mind maps. • AI Record: Record, transcribe, and convert voice notes into editable text for efficient note-taking. Edit PDF Like Word • Edit PDF: Edit PDF text, images, links, and watermarks with ease. • Font Editing: Keep the original font, erase content, and adjust font size, spacing, and formatting effortlessly. Professional PDF Reader • Liquid Mode: Optimize PDFs for comfortable reading on any screen. • Bookmarks: Save and jump to important pages instantly. • Read Aloud: Listen to PDFs with your preferred voice and playback speed. Scan & OCR • PDF Scanner: Scan receipts, invoices, contracts, IDs, and certificates into high-quality PDFs. • OCR: Extract editable text from scanned documents and images. • Multi-Page Scan: Combine multiple scans into a single PDF. PDF Converter • PDF to Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Images: Convert PDFs into editable Office files or JPG, PNG, and more. • Create PDF: Convert Microsoft Office documents and images into PDFs. Annotate PDF • Markup & Notes: Highlight, underline, draw, and add sticky notes. • Comments: Review documents with professional commenting tools. • Measure: Measure distance, perimeter, and area directly inside PDFs. Create PDF • Blank PDF: Start with customizable paper templates. • Image to PDF: Create PDFs from photos or camera scans. Manage PDF • Compress PDF: Reduce file size while maintaining quality. • Merge PDF: Combine multiple PDFs into one document. • Organize Pages: Add, delete, rotate, extract, split, and rearrange PDF pages. Fill & Sign • Fill PDF Forms: Complete interactive PDF forms quickly and accurately. • E-Sign PDF: Add typed or handwritten signatures. • Custom Stamps: Create reusable stamps with text, drawings, or images. Store & Share PDF • PDFelement Cloud: Access your PDFs anytime, anywhere across your devices. • Protect PDF: Secure sensitive files with passwords and encryption. • Share PDF: Share documents via links, email, AirDrop, or social apps. PDF Templates • Professional Templates: Browse resumes, invoices, planners, contracts, invitations, and more. • Easy Customization: Personalize colors, fonts, and layouts in seconds. • Business & Education Ready: Create polished documents for work, school, and everyday use. MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account upon confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.wondershare.com/company/terms_conditions.html Privacy Policy: https://www.wondershare.com/privacy.html

Screenshots

PDF Document Scanner4 screens
PDFelement4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: PDFelement at every 10 days against PDF Document Scanner's every 3 months. PDFelement also leads on ratings volume (7.6K vs 16). PDF Document Scanner's advantage is review sentiment (98% vs 76%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. PDF Document Scanner sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and PDFelement sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PDF Document Scanner holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDFelement has 7.6K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 98% of PDF Document Scanner's written reviews are positive against 76% of PDFelement's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Document Scanner ships an update every 3 months, PDFelement every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
PDF Document Scanner versus PDFelement: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF Document ScannerPDFelement
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (16 ratings) — better4.6 (7.6K ratings)
Positive reviews98.0% of reviews — better76.1% of reviews
Number of ratings167.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size72 MB196 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperChili Marketing LtdWondershare Technology Group Co.,LTD

Customer experience

PDF Document Scanner

All ratings16 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews51 reviews
Positive98.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.0%

PDFelement

All ratings7,572 ratings
Positive90.7%
Neutral2.4%
Negative6.9%
Written reviews836 reviews
Positive76.1%
Neutral3.6%
Negative20.3%

User reviews

PDF Document Scanner

From 16 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use and navigate
  • 🚀 Fast and efficient scanning
  • ✨ High-quality scans
  • 📄 Converts documents to PDF
  • 💡 Powerful features like OCR, watermarking, signing

Room to improve

  • ⚠️ Ads in free version
  • ✈️ Airplane mode ad blocking doesn't work

PDFelement

From 7.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Efficient PDF editing
  • 💡 Comprehensive feature set
  • 🔒 Secure document handling
  • 👍 Intuitive interface

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 🔒 Mandatory account required
  • 🔒 Unclear licensing and subscription model
  • 🐛 Syncing issues between devices

Bugs and requests

PDF Document Scanner

Requested features

1 request
  • Face ID for free version functionality

PDFelement

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login issues and inability to restore purchases
  • Corrupted scanned files or loss of progress
  • Inconsistent behavior when editing PDF text
  • Compatibility problems with older devices or OS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add dark mode option
  • Improve cloud integration and file management
  • Enhance OCR accuracy and capabilities
  • Introduce multi-tab support for better workflow
  • Add more customization options for toolbars and UI

In-app purchases

6 purchases

PDF Document Scanner

Subscriptions6
  • PDF Doc Scanner PRO (40% OFF)3 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • PDF Scanner - 1 Month3 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • PDF Scanner(40% OFF): 6 Months3 Days trial$17.996 Months
Show 3 more
  • PDF Doc Scanner PRO (60% OFF)3 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • PDF Scanner - 6 Months3 Days trial$29.996 Months
  • PDF Scanner - 12 Months3 Days trial$49.991 Year
18 purchases

PDFelement

Subscriptions16
  • Monthly Subscription (AI)$3.991 Month
  • PDF Editor& Converter& Scanner$6.991 Month
  • PDF Editor & Scanner Pro(iOS)$6.991 Month
Show 13 more
  • Weekly Subscription (iOS)$6.997 Days
  • Quarterly Subscription (iOS)$9.993 Months
  • Weekly Subscription (iOS)7 Days trial$9.997 Days
  • Weekly Subscription (iOS)$9.997 Days
  • Monthly Subscription (All)$19.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription (iOS)$24.991 Year
  • PDF Editor & Scanner Pro7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription (iOS)2 variants$29.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription (iOS)3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Quarterly Subscription (All)$39.993 Months
  • Annual Subscription (iOS+Win)$99.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription (iOS+Mac)$99.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription (All)$109.991 Year
One-time2
  • PDF Editor & Scanner Pro$39.99
  • iOS$39.99

Questions

Is PDF Document Scanner free?
PDF Document Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PDFelement free?
PDFelement is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PDF Document Scanner or PDFelement?
PDF Document Scanner is rated higher. PDF Document Scanner averages 4.8 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while PDFelement averages 4.6 from 7.6K ratings.
Do PDF Document Scanner or PDFelement have ads?
Both PDF Document Scanner and PDFelement show ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Document Scanner or PDFelement?
PDF Document Scanner ships an update every 3 months, and PDFelement every 10 days. Most recently, PDF Document Scanner was updated on October 13, 2026 and PDFelement on October 17, 2026.

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