# CamScanner vs PDF Editor

The clearest difference is rating: CamScanner at 4.8 against PDF Editor's 4.3. CamScanner also leads on review sentiment (61% vs 33%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). PDF Editor's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CamScanner sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and PDF Editor sells 3 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 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CamScanner has 1.9M ratings behind it against 57, 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 Editor's.

CamScanner ships an update weekly, PDF Editor every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CamScanner | PDF Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camscanner-pdf-scanner-app/id388627783/reviews)** | [4.3 (57 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-pdf-readersigner/id6469578160/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.9M** | 57 |
| Positive reviews | **61.1% of reviews** | 33.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 383 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INTSIG Information Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/344077850) | [AppDash LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1795398749) |

## 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 Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-pdf-readersigner/id6469578160)

Edit, sign, and annotate PDF documents with ease. This app allows you to fill forms, add stamps, manage pages, and even chat with your PDFs for content understanding and translation.

**Highlights:** Marking and annotation tools, Signature creation and saving, Stamp insertion and customization, Page editing (merge, split, rotate), Form filling (standard and interactive), PDF chat for content analysis, Bookmark management

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Month Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| PDF Year Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient PDF management
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 💡 Versatile digital companion
- 🚀 Time-saving features
- 👍 Personalized digital workspace

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔒 Subscription-based model
- 👎 Difficult to edit PDFs
- 👎 Limited free features
- 👎 Confusing user experience

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when searching PDFs
- Inability to restore purchases
- Repeated prompts to purchase despite being a paid user
- Locked PDFs after making edits
- Incompatibility with certain devices

**Requested features**

- Improved PDF text editing capabilities
- Seamless integration with cloud storage
- Customizable view settings and defaults
- Ability to disable link highlighting
- Clear save button and auto-save functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CamScanner free?

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

### Is PDF Editor free?

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

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

CamScanner is rated higher. CamScanner averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.9M ratings, while PDF Editor averages 4.3 from 57 ratings.

### Do CamScanner or PDF Editor have ads?

CamScanner shows ads; PDF Editor does not.

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

CamScanner ships an update weekly, and PDF Editor every 6 weeks. Most recently, CamScanner was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDF Editor on September 23, 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.*