Comparison

Preview mini vs PDF Scan & Edit

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

Head to head
About

Preview mini

Edit and annotate images and PDFs with a desktop-like experience on your iPhone and iPad. Offers advanced features for viewing, converting, and managing files, inspired by macOS.

Highlights
  • Image editing and cropping
  • PDF annotation and editing
  • File conversion
  • Drag and drop support
  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Password protection for PDFs
Features
Read full description

Preview mini is a powerful tool for working with images and PDFs on iPhone and iPad. Inspired by macOS. Created for iOS.  Preview mini combines the convenience of editing images and PDFs into a single application, offering advanced features for viewing, annotating, and converting files. The macOS-inspired desktop experience, featuring the brand-new File Desktop, familiar window controls, drag and drop, keyboard interaction, and even more to fall in love with. IMAGE EDITING – Highlight and crop image fragments – Rotate, flip, and resize – Add text, notes, and shapes – Support for blank templates with resolution selection PDF HANDLING – Edit and annotate PDF documents – Highlight text and create custom annotations* – Duplicate, convert, and manage PDF pages* – Add and remove passwords to protect files* IMPORT, EXPORT, AND INTEGRATION – Export images in HD quality* – Export JPEG/PNG with file size preview* – Support for keyboard shortcuts and trackpad for convenient use* *Features available in the full version of the application. Using Preview mini significantly simplifies the processing of images and PDF documents. You can quickly edit files, highlight important details, fill out forms, and add signatures without the need to switch between different applications. This saves you time, increases productivity, and makes working with documents convenient and intuitive! Download Preview mini and manage images and PDFs with macOS convenience on your iPhone and iPad! ––– Legal notice This application is NOT an Apple product. Preview mini is an independent development, inspired by macOS but not affiliated with Apple Inc. Images in the screenshots are provided by artists: Pok Rie (https://www.pexels.com/de-de/@pok-rie-33563) Fabian Wiktor (https://www.pexels.com/de-de/@fabianwiktor)

About

PDF Scan & Edit

Transform your iPhone into a versatile document scanner and PDF editor. Capture documents, receipts, and IDs with your camera, then edit, sign, and share them as crisp PDFs. Optimize storage with document compression.

Highlights
  • Document scanning with camera
  • Auto edge detection
  • PDF and image export
  • Document compression
  • Edit, sign, and watermark PDFs
  • Clean interface
Features
Read full description

PDF Scan & Edit turns your iPhone into a powerful document scanner and PDF editor. Scan receipts, forms, contracts, IDs, notes, and paper documents with your camera, then save them as clean PDF files. Edit text and images, sign documents, convert files, compress PDFs, merge pages, and share polished documents in seconds. KEY FEATURES - Scan paper documents into crisp PDFs - Edit PDF text, images, highlights, and notes - Convert PDF, JPG, DOC, TXT, XLS, and more - Add signatures to forms and contracts - Compress, merge, organize, and share files Manage documents faster, without needing a laptop. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://promaxpdf.com/privacy

Screenshots

Preview mini4 screens
PDF Scan & Edit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is chart position: PDF Scan & Edit at #182 against Preview mini's unranked. Preview mini's advantage is ratings volume (212 vs 38). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Preview mini sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and PDF Scan & Edit sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for Preview mini against 4.2 for PDF Scan & Edit. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Preview mini has 212 ratings behind it against 38, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Preview mini ships an update every 10 days, PDF Scan & Edit weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
Preview mini versus PDF Scan & Edit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPreview miniPDF Scan & Edit
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (212 ratings) — better4.2 (38 ratings)
Positive reviews63.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings212 — better38
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#182 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size103 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarian KoenigNoox Media Ltd

Customer experience

Preview mini

All ratings212 ratings
Positive80.7%
Neutral4.7%
Negative14.6%
Written reviews68 reviews
Positive63.2%
Neutral10.3%
Negative26.5%

PDF Scan & Edit

All ratings16 ratings
Positive68.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative31.3%

Bugs and requests

Preview mini

Reported bugs

13 issues
  • Changes not saved when attaching to email
  • App errors out on large PDFs and crashes
  • App shuts down during photo editing, unsaved work lost
  • Cannot type the letter 'y' in documents
  • Payment issues with Apple, requires new credit card data
Show 8 more
  • Pro version not activated after deduction, amount not refunded
  • Errors when trying to buy the full version
  • Small glitch with 'cut' upon install
  • PDF cropping is not the same as Preview
  • Cannot paste as shown in preview videos
  • App hangs during PDF editing, lost entire work
  • No difference found between free and full version after purchase
  • File export only works with paid version

Requested features

27 requests
  • Split-screen or slide-over capability
  • Export PDF as picture (JPG, etc.)
  • Ability to paste one image on top of another
  • Ctrl-Z for quick undo
  • Straight line option for markup
Show 22 more
  • Tiled printing option
  • Export multiple edited images at once
  • Dark mode option
  • Advanced analytics dashboard
  • Ability to add PDF to share sheet
  • Copy & Paste transparent objects
  • More advanced image editing options
  • Slide show functionality
  • Presentation modes for PDFs
  • Ability to rotate and crop PDFs
  • Full screen slide mode
  • PDF filling functionality
  • Selectable fonts
  • Improve PDF cropping
  • Use in extension window for quick edits
  • Allow users to quickly edit inside the extension window
  • Support for share dialog
  • Improve light UI mode
  • Allow users to do to PDF what can be done to images (rotate, cut, add text)
  • Ability to change font size
  • Ability to remove highlighting
  • Better file management applet

PDF Scan & Edit

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Preview mini

One-time2
  • Preview mini PRO$4.99
  • Fullversion$8.99
6 purchases

PDF Scan & Edit

Subscriptions6
  • Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Weekly subscription3 Days trial$9.997 Days
  • Weekly subscription No Trial$9.997 Days
Show 3 more
  • Weekly subscription 123 Days trial$11.997 Days
  • Pro Yearly$29.991 Year
  • Yearly Subscription$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Preview mini free?
Preview mini is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PDF Scan & Edit free?
PDF Scan & Edit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Preview mini or PDF Scan & Edit?
Preview mini is rated higher. Preview mini averages 4.3 out of 5 from 212 ratings, while PDF Scan & Edit averages 4.2 from 38 ratings.
Do Preview mini or PDF Scan & Edit have ads?
Neither Preview mini nor PDF Scan & Edit shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Preview mini or PDF Scan & Edit?
Preview mini ships an update every 10 days, and PDF Scan & Edit weekly. Most recently, Preview mini was updated on October 27, 2026 and PDF Scan & Edit on October 25, 2026.

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