# PDF Reader vs AnyScan

The clearest difference is rating: AnyScan at 5.0 against PDF Reader's 4.5. PDF Reader's advantage is ratings volume (3.5K vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Reader sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and AnyScan sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

AnyScan holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Reader has 3.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, AnyScan monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | AnyScan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anyscan-document-scanner/id1629664335/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.5K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 80.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 190 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kdan Mobile Software LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/318936474) | [Marc Sigmund](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462168023) |

## 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


### AnyScan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anyscan-document-scanner/id1629664335)

Transform your device into a powerful document scanner. Quickly capture, convert, and share documents in PDF format. Ideal for students and professionals seeking to go paperless and enhance productivity.

**Highlights:** Scan documents to PDF in seconds, Combine multiple pages into one document, Add digital signatures, Share scanned documents easily, Print contracts and invoices, Upload to cloud services

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $9.49 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is AnyScan free?

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

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

AnyScan is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while AnyScan averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do PDF Reader or AnyScan have ads?

Neither PDF Reader nor AnyScan shows ads.

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

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, and AnyScan monthly. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on October 14, 2026 and AnyScan on October 1, 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.*