# CamScanner vs PDF Scanner

The clearest difference is update cadence: CamScanner at weekly against PDF Scanner's every 2 months. CamScanner also leads on ratings volume (1.9M vs 27) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). PDF Scanner's advantage is review sentiment (82% vs 61%). 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 Scanner sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. 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 1.9M ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 61% of CamScanner's written reviews are positive against 82% of PDF Scanner's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

CamScanner ships an update weekly, PDF Scanner every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CamScanner | PDF Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camscanner-pdf-scanner-app/id388627783/reviews)** | [4.5 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scanner-document-scan/id1559840634/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.9M** | 27 |
| Positive reviews | 61.1% of reviews | **82.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 383 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INTSIG Information Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/344077850) | [AOS INTERNET CO., LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1559840636) |

## What reviewers say

### CamScanner

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

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Grossing · Productivity, #24 Top Free · Productivity, #166 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 Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scanner-document-scan/id1559840634)

Transform paper documents, notes, and photos into digital PDFs or PNGs. Extract editable text from images using OCR technology. Share your scanned files and extracted text easily via various cloud services and messaging apps.

**Highlights:** Smart PDF scanning, Edge detection and auto crop, Batch scanning, Image to text OCR, Handwritten note recognition, Document organization and security, Cloud synchronization

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Scanner24_weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Scanner App Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Scanner24_yearly | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and agile
- 📄 Scans and sends as PDF
- 💯 Excellent functionality
- 🌟 Very good app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription cost is high
- 💸 Forcing to buy Pro version
- 😩 Annoying ads
- 📉 Poor editing quality
- ❌ Not automatically framing documents

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 App keeps crashing
- 🐛 Crashes when scanning many pages
- 🐛 Errors when sending files
- 🐛 App closes unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- Automatic document framing
- Lower subscription cost


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CamScanner free?

CamScanner 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, CamScanner or PDF Scanner?

CamScanner is rated higher. CamScanner averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.9M ratings, while PDF Scanner averages 4.5 from 27 ratings.

### Do CamScanner or PDF Scanner have ads?

Both CamScanner and PDF Scanner show ads.

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

CamScanner ships an update weekly, and PDF Scanner every 2 months. Most recently, CamScanner was updated on September 25, 2026 and PDF Scanner on September 22, 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.*