# PDF Reader vs PDF Scanner

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PDF Reader at 81% against PDF Scanner's 10%. PDF Reader also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 52 months). PDF Scanner's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and rating (5.0 vs 4.5). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Reader sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. PDF Scanner asks for nothing beyond the download.

PDF Scanner holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Reader has 3.8K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 10% of PDF Scanner's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, PDF Scanner every 52 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | PDF Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scanner-unlimited/id1080213822/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.8K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **80.8% of reviews** | 10.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 52 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 190 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Kdan Mobile Software LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/318936474) | [Aishvarya Sadasivam](https://appshunter.io/developer/1062048241) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690)

Edit, convert, and manage PDF documents on your mobile device. This app allows you to directly edit text, scan documents, fill out forms, and secure your files with passwords and watermarks. It also supports OCR to extract text from scans and convert PDFs to various formats.

**Highlights:** Edit PDF text directly, Convert PDF to Word, Excel, PPT, images, OCR for text extraction from scans, Fill and sign PDF forms, Secure PDFs with passwords and watermarks, Annotate PDFs with highlights and notes, Merge and split PDF files

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| KDAN Cloud | $2.99 | per month |
| Deluxe Business Pack | $5.99 | per month |
| Creativity 365 | $9.99 | per month |
| Document 365 (Month) | $9.99 | per month |
| Deluxe PDF Pack for iPhone | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| Creativity 365 - 3 Months | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Document 365 (Quarter) | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Deluxe PDF Pack for iPhone | $39.99 | per year |
| Document 365 | $59.99 | per year |
| Upgrade to Premium | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 📚 Useful for reading PDFs
- 🔒 Secure file storage
- 💡 Helpful features like highlighting and annotation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔐 Locked files behind paywall
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 📢 Intrusive ads
- 🤯 Confusing and unintuitive UI

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to open or access saved files
- Syncing and backup issues
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Improved file management and organization
- Better integration with cloud storage services
- More customization options
- Enhanced accessibility features


### PDF Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scanner-unlimited/id1080213822)

Instantly scan multi-page documents, receipts, business cards, and more using your device's camera. Easily crop, adjust brightness, and save scans in color or grayscale. Share your documents via email or print them wirelessly.

**Highlights:** Scan multi-page documents, Crop and adjust brightness, Save in color or grayscale, Share via email, Print via AirPrint, Create unlimited documents

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is PDF Scanner free?

PDF Scanner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PDF Reader or PDF Scanner?

PDF Scanner is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 3.8K ratings, while PDF Scanner averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do PDF Reader or PDF Scanner have ads?

PDF Scanner shows ads; PDF Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Reader or PDF Scanner?

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, and PDF Scanner every 52 months. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on November 4, 2026 and PDF Scanner on November 2, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*