# PDF Reader vs PDF Scanner™

The clearest difference is rating: PDF Reader at 4.5 against PDF Scanner™'s 3.7. PDF Reader also leads on ratings volume (3.5K vs 3) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). 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 PDF Scanner™ sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Reader has 3.5K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, PDF Scanner™ monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | PDF Scanner™ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-editor-and-viewer/id368377690/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scanner/id6749044957/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.5K** | 3 |
| 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 | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kdan Mobile Software LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/318936474) | [SOLAR NETWORKS LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1736434990) |

## 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/id6749044957)

Transform your iPhone into a powerful PDF scanner and editor. Easily scan, modify, sign, merge, and compress documents. This free, all-in-one tool simplifies document management for work, study, and daily tasks.

**Highlights:** Scan documents to PDF, Edit and annotate PDFs, Add handwritten signatures, Merge multiple PDFs, Compress PDF files, Fill and save PDF forms, Convert photos to PDF

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Scannova PDF (1 Week) | $9.99 | per 7 days |


## 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 in-app purchases available.

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

PDF Reader is rated higher. PDF Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while PDF Scanner™ averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

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

Neither PDF Reader nor PDF Scanner™ shows ads.

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

PDF Reader ships an update every 2 months, and PDF Scanner™ monthly. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on September 27, 2026 and PDF Scanner™ on September 20, 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.*