# Collections Database vs Simple Scan

The clearest difference is rating: Simple Scan at 4.9 against Collections Database's 4.6. Simple Scan also leads on ratings volume (660 vs 187). Collections Database's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.4). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Collections Database sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Simple Scan sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simple Scan holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 187 and 660 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 87% and 87% positive.

Collections Database ships an update fortnightly, Simple Scan every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Collections Database | Simple Scan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (187 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/collections-database/id1568395334/reviews) | **[4.9 (660 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-scan-quick-scanner/id6477965455/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 187 | **660** |
| Positive reviews | 87.3% of reviews | 87.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 25 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matteo D'Ignazio](https://appshunter.io/developer/634863524) | [Agile Tortoise](https://appshunter.io/developer/331942785) |

## What reviewers say

### Collections Database

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/collections-database/id1568395334)

Organize anything with a personal database app. It offers over 20 field types, customizable layouts, and pre-built templates for common uses like books or expenses. Advanced features and iCloud sync are available.

**Highlights:** 20+ field types (text, number, picture, barcode, etc.), Customizable fields and display styles, Pre-built templates (books, contacts, expenses, etc.), Organize with collections and subcollections, Password, Face ID, and Touch ID protection, iCloud synchronization across devices, Advanced fields and calculations (Pro version)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Collections Ultra (Upgrade) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Collections Pro | $7.99 | one-time |
| Collections Ultra | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Flexible and customizable
- 🚀 Powerful and feature-rich
- 💡 Excellent integration with Apple ecosystem
- 🔒 Secure and private data storage
- 💰 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and sync issues
- 📚 Lacking comprehensive documentation
- 🔍 Limited search and filtering capabilities
- 🔀 Difficulty moving/copying data between collections

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard issues when using search
- Inconsistent behavior between iOS and macOS versions

**Requested features**

- Collaborative features for sharing databases
- More advanced reporting and visualization options
- Improved import/export functionality
- Ability to customize the appearance and layout


### Simple Scan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-scan-quick-scanner/id6477965455)

Easily convert paper documents into searchable PDFs or images in seconds. This app offers a streamlined scanning experience without cluttering your existing notes, with options to share directly via email, messages, or other applications. Enjoy private, on-device processing with no ads.

**Highlights:** Scan documents to PDF or JPEG, Searchable PDFs with OCR, Share scans via email, messages, or system share sheet, Custom file destinations, File naming suggestions (Apple Intelligence required), On-device processing, No ads

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro - Annual | $9.99 | per year |
| Pro - Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great interface
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 No ads or privacy concerns
- 💡 Customizable workflows
- 👍 Simple and straightforward

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🔧 Cropping could be improved
- 🔧 Inability to name scans before saving

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on multi-page scans for some users
- Issues with importing files from other apps

**Requested features**

- Ability to tag scans
- Favorite file/app destination options
- More image adjustment tools


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Collections Database free?

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

### Is Simple Scan free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Collections Database or Simple Scan?

Simple Scan is rated higher. Collections Database averages 4.6 out of 5 from 187 ratings, while Simple Scan averages 4.9 from 660 ratings.

### Do Collections Database or Simple Scan have ads?

Neither Collections Database nor Simple Scan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Collections Database or Simple Scan?

Collections Database ships an update fortnightly, and Simple Scan every 3 weeks. Most recently, Collections Database was updated on September 22, 2026 and Simple Scan on September 21, 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.*