# CamScanner vs PDF Scan

The clearest difference is ratings volume: CamScanner at 2M against PDF Scan's 44. CamScanner also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). PDF Scan's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 60%). 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 Scan sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CamScanner holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CamScanner has 2M ratings behind it against 44, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 60% of CamScanner's written reviews are positive against 75% of PDF Scan's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

CamScanner ships an update weekly, PDF Scan every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CamScanner | PDF Scan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camscanner-pdf-scanner-app/id388627783/reviews)** | [4.5 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scan-max-scanner/id1438590887/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2M** | 44 |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 375 MB | 116 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INTSIG Information Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/344077850) | [Govarthani Rajesh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1225032526) |

## What reviewers say

### CamScanner

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

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Grossing · Productivity, #27 Top Free · Productivity, #146 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, iPhone Duo support

**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 Scan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scan-max-scanner/id1438590887)

Transform your phone into a powerful document scanner. Easily scan paper documents, receipts, and IDs, converting them into searchable PDFs. Extract text from images using OCR and manage your files with cloud sync and various PDF tools.

**Highlights:** Document scanning with edge detection, OCR for text extraction from images, Image to PDF conversion, Cloud sync with Google Drive, PDF editing and signing, PDF compression, merging, and splitting

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Scans Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Scans Yearly | $60.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CamScanner free?

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

### Is PDF Scan free?

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

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

CamScanner is rated higher. CamScanner averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2M ratings, while PDF Scan averages 4.5 from 44 ratings.

### Do CamScanner or PDF Scan have ads?

Both CamScanner and PDF Scan show ads.

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

CamScanner ships an update weekly, and PDF Scan every 3 weeks. Most recently, CamScanner was updated on October 26, 2026 and PDF Scan on October 24, 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.*