# PDF Hero vs uScan

The clearest difference is ads: PDF Hero at none against uScan's shown. uScan's advantage is review sentiment (47% vs 18%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Hero sells 20 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and uScan sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 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 — 4.6 for PDF Hero against 4.6 for uScan. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10K and 15K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 18% of PDF Hero's written reviews are positive against 47% of uScan's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Hero | uScan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-hero-pdf-editor-and-reader/id1512973255/reviews) | **[4.6 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uscan-pdf-document-scanner/id1546202752/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10K | **15K** |
| Positive reviews | 17.8% of reviews | **47.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 536 MB | 179 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mosaic S.r.l.](https://appshunter.io/developer/570748343) | [Lopofist Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1546202754) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Hero

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-hero-pdf-editor-and-reader/id1512973255)

Edit, create, and manage PDF documents on your mobile device. Annotate, fill forms, sign, and share files with ease. Offers advanced features like OCR and compression for enhanced document control.

**Highlights:** Create PDFs from scratch, Edit text and annotate documents, Fill and sign PDF forms, Convert images/documents to PDF, OCR for editable text, Compress and merge PDFs, Password-protect sensitive data

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (20)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium with Free Trial | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly with free trial | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium with Free Trial | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Sub with Free Trial | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Month | $9.99 | per month |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Month | $10.99 | per month |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Month | $11.99 | per month |
| Convert & Merge PDF Documents | $14.99 | per month |
| PDF Hero Premium 3 Months | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Year | $34.99 | per year |
| Yearly with Free Trial | $69.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $69.99 | per year |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Year | $89.99 | per year |
| Yearly Bundle | $99.99 | per year |
| Yearly Bundle with Free Trial | $99.99 | per year |
| PDF Hero Premium 1 Year | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Useful PDF editing features
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Signature functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and malfunctions
- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior and glitches
- 🔋 High subscription cost
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 👎 Poor text editing capabilities

**Reported bugs**

- Text disappearing or jumping around during editing
- Inability to save or transfer edited documents
- App crashing or freezing during use
- Incorrect rendering of PDF content

**Requested features**

- Improved text editing and manipulation
- Better file management and organization
- Seamless integration with other apps
- Clearer subscription and cancellation policies


### uScan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uscan-pdf-document-scanner/id1546202752)

Transform your phone into a portable scanner to digitize documents, receipts, and notes. Edit scanned files, extract text with OCR, and add electronic signatures. Create high-quality PDF or DOC files for easy sharing and management.

**Highlights:** Scan and edit any document, Convert image to editable text (OCR), Add electronic signatures, High-quality PDF/DOC output, Multi-page scanning, File management with folders

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited access | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access + PDF editor | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access + PDF editor | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited access | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited access | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited access | $39.99 | per year |
| Unlimited access | $59.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and convenient
- 💡 Helpful for work and personal needs
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Efficient scanning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription fees
- 🐛 Inconsistent scanning quality
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 💰 Hidden/unclear pricing
- 🐛 Difficulty cancelling subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Scans not properly aligned or cropped
- App shuts down when scanning large documents
- Inconsistent performance across devices

**Requested features**

- Integration with cloud storage services
- Ability to label/organize scanned documents
- Handwriting recognition
- Option to use app without subscription


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Hero free?

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

### Is uScan free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PDF Hero or uScan?

uScan is rated higher. PDF Hero averages 4.6 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while uScan averages 4.6 from 15K ratings.

### Do PDF Hero or uScan have ads?

uScan shows ads; PDF Hero does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Hero or uScan?

PDF Hero ships an update every 3 weeks, and uScan every 3 weeks. Most recently, PDF Hero was updated on October 25, 2026 and uScan on October 25, 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.*