# CamScanner vs LightPDF Scanner

The clearest difference is rating: CamScanner at 4.8 against LightPDF Scanner's 4.0. CamScanner also leads on ratings volume (2M vs 14) and chart position (#7 vs unranked). LightPDF Scanner's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (79% vs 60%). On price, update cadence, 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 LightPDF Scanner sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CamScanner holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CamScanner has 2M ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 60% of CamScanner's written reviews are positive against 79% of LightPDF Scanner's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

CamScanner ships an update weekly, LightPDF Scanner every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CamScanner | LightPDF Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camscanner-pdf-scanner-app/id388627783/reviews)** | [4.0 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightpdf-scanner-scan-pdf/id1516561385/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2M** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | 59.9% of reviews | **79.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 11 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 375 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INTSIG Information Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/344077850) | [Wangxu Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1254320291) |

## 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, #131 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


### LightPDF Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightpdf-scanner-scan-pdf/id1516561385)

Transform your mobile device into a powerful scanner. Easily capture documents, photos, and papers, converting them into high-quality PDFs or other formats. Edit, extract text with OCR, and create professional ID photos on the go.

**Highlights:** Scan documents, photos, and papers, Convert to PDF, Word, Excel, TXT, JPG, Extract text with OCR (20+ languages), Edit PDFs: annotate, e-sign, merge, Create and edit ID photos, Remove handwriting from papers, Batch scanning

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly Bundle Plan | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly Bundle Plan | $9.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| Apowersoft Scanner （3 Years） | $19.99 | one-time |
| 3-year Membership | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CamScanner free?

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

### Is LightPDF Scanner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CamScanner or LightPDF Scanner?

CamScanner is rated higher. CamScanner averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2M ratings, while LightPDF Scanner averages 4.0 from 14 ratings.

### Do CamScanner or LightPDF Scanner have ads?

CamScanner shows ads; LightPDF Scanner does not.

### Which is updated more often, CamScanner or LightPDF Scanner?

CamScanner ships an update weekly, and LightPDF Scanner every 11 days. Most recently, CamScanner was updated on October 30, 2026 and LightPDF Scanner on October 16, 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.*