# CamScanner vs PDF Reader

The clearest difference is rating: CamScanner at 4.8 against PDF Reader's 3.5. CamScanner also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 9 months) and review sentiment (61% vs 33%). PDF Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CamScanner sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and PDF Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CamScanner holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CamScanner has 1.9M ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of CamScanner's written reviews are positive against 33% of PDF Reader's.

CamScanner ships an update weekly, PDF Reader every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CamScanner | PDF Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camscanner-pdf-scanner-app/id388627783/reviews)** | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-docs-viewer/id1240773558/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.9M** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **60.6% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 383 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INTSIG Information Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/344077850) | [小玲 白](https://appshunter.io/developer/1166875754) |

## What reviewers say

### CamScanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camscanner-pdf-scanner-app/id388627783)

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Grossing · Productivity, #25 Top Free · Productivity, #114 Top Grossing (US App Store)

Transform your mobile device into a powerful portable scanner. Instantly scan, edit, and share documents in various formats like PDF, JPG, Word, and TXT. Features include OCR, e-signatures, and secure file management.

**Highlights:** Mobile document scanning, Text recognition (OCR), PDF conversion, E-signature creation, Secure file management, Cloud storage integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Account | $4.99 | per month |
| CamScanner Premium(1 week) | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| CamScanner Premium | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Account(1 Month) | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Account (1 month) | $9.99 | per month |
| CamScanner Premium(1 week) | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| CamScanner Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| CamScanner Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium Account (1 year) | $59.99 | per year |
| Premium Account(1 year) | $59.99 | per year |
| Premium Account(1 year) | $69.99 | per year |
| CamScanner Premium | $69.99 | per year |
| One-page Fax | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient scanning and document management
- 📁 Convenient cloud storage and backup
- 🔍 Powerful OCR and document enhancement features
- 🔧 Customizable scanning and editing options
- 🏫 Useful for school and work applications

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Concerns about data privacy and security
- 🤖 Inconsistent OCR and text recognition accuracy
- 💰 Aggressive upselling and subscription model
- 🔌 App crashes and performance issues
- 📤 Difficulties with sharing and exporting files

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes during scanning and editing
- Syncing and backup issues causing data loss
- Compatibility problems with newer devices
- Unexpected charges and subscription renewals
- Unreliable performance and frequent updates

**Requested features**

- Improved OCR and text recognition accuracy
- More flexible export and sharing options
- Customizable storage and backup settings
- Enhanced security and privacy controls
- Streamlined subscription and pricing model


### PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-docs-viewer/id1240773558)

Easily view PDF documents on your mobile device or tablet. Upload files via WiFi, open encrypted PDFs with a password, and enjoy adaptive screen sizing for comfortable reading. Protect your documents with app lock and gesture passwords.

**Highlights:** View PDF documents, WiFi file upload, Encrypted PDF support, Adaptive screen size, Read Word, Excel, PPT, App lock and gesture password

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Permanently remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CamScanner free?

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

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

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

CamScanner is rated higher. CamScanner averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.9M ratings, while PDF Reader averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do CamScanner or PDF Reader have ads?

Both CamScanner and PDF Reader show ads.

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

CamScanner ships an update weekly, and PDF Reader every 9 months. Most recently, CamScanner was updated on September 25, 2026 and PDF Reader on September 14, 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.*