# CamScanner vs PDF Pro

The clearest difference is monetization model: CamScanner at free with in-app purchases against PDF Pro's subscription. CamScanner also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (1.9M vs 6.9K). PDF Pro's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CamScanner sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and PDF Pro sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for CamScanner against 4.7 for PDF Pro. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CamScanner has 1.9M ratings behind it against 6.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 61% and 60% positive.

CamScanner ships an update weekly, PDF Pro every 2 months. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | CamScanner | PDF Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camscanner-pdf-scanner-app/id388627783/reviews)** | [4.7 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-pro-reader-editor-forms/id454936656/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.9M** | 6.9K |
| Positive reviews | **61.1% of reviews** | 60.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 383 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INTSIG Information Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/344077850) | [Dominic Rodemer](https://appshunter.io/developer/309872333) |

## 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, #129 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 Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-pro-reader-editor-forms/id454936656)

Edit, annotate, and read PDF documents on your iPhone and iPad. Highlight text, add notes, shapes, voice recordings, and photos. Search your entire PDF library, fill out forms, and sign documents.

**Highlights:** Edit and annotate PDFs, Highlight text and add notes, Embed audio and photo annotations, Full-text search of PDF library, Fill out and sign PDF forms, Organize PDFs with folders and tags, Import from cloud storage

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Offer - Monthly - macOS | $1.99 | per month |
| Offer - Monthly - iOS | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium - Monthly - iOS | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium - Monthly - macOS | $4.99 | per month |
| Offer - Annual - iOS | $12.99 | per year |
| Offer - Annual - macOS | $22.99 | per year |
| Premium  - Annual - iOS | $24.99 | per year |
| Offer - macOS + iOS | $24.99 | per year |
| Offer - iOS + macOS | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium - Annual - macOS | $44.99 | per year |
| Premium - iOS + macOS | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium - macOS + iOS | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 💡 Excellent PDF management features
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 🎨 Great annotation tools

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔍 Inconsistent search functionality
- 📖 Loses last read position
- 🖋️ Unreliable handwriting support

**Reported bugs**

- Annotations and highlights randomly disappearing
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Corrupted PDF files after editing
- Slow performance on older devices
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between PDFs

**Requested features**

- Improved bookmarking and note-taking
- Seamless iCloud/cloud storage integration
- Customizable keyboard shortcuts
- Advanced text editing and OCR capabilities
- Better organization and folder management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CamScanner free?

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

### Is PDF Pro free?

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

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

CamScanner is rated higher. CamScanner averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.9M ratings, while PDF Pro averages 4.7 from 6.9K ratings.

### Do CamScanner or PDF Pro have ads?

CamScanner shows ads; PDF Pro does not.

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

CamScanner ships an update weekly, and PDF Pro every 2 months. Most recently, CamScanner was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDF Pro on September 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*