# CamScanner vs Simple Scan

The clearest difference is ads: Simple Scan at none against CamScanner's shown. Simple Scan also leads on review sentiment (87% vs 61%). CamScanner's advantage is ratings volume (1.9M vs 660) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, 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 Simple Scan sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. 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 4.9 for Simple Scan. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CamScanner has 1.9M ratings behind it against 660, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of CamScanner's written reviews are positive against 87% of Simple Scan's.

CamScanner ships an update weekly, Simple Scan every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CamScanner | Simple Scan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camscanner-pdf-scanner-app/id388627783/reviews) | **[4.9 (660 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-scan-quick-scanner/id6477965455/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.9M** | 660 |
| Positive reviews | 61.1% of reviews | **87.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 383 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INTSIG Information Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/344077850) | [Agile Tortoise](https://appshunter.io/developer/331942785) |

## 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


### Simple Scan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-scan-quick-scanner/id6477965455)

Easily convert paper documents into searchable PDFs or images in seconds. This app offers a streamlined scanning experience without cluttering your existing notes, with options to share directly via email, messages, or other applications. Enjoy private, on-device processing with no ads.

**Highlights:** Scan documents to PDF or JPEG, Searchable PDFs with OCR, Share scans via email, messages, or system share sheet, Custom file destinations, File naming suggestions (Apple Intelligence required), On-device processing, No ads

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro - Annual | $9.99 | per year |
| Pro - Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great interface
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 No ads or privacy concerns
- 💡 Customizable workflows
- 👍 Simple and straightforward

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🔧 Cropping could be improved
- 🔧 Inability to name scans before saving

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on multi-page scans for some users
- Issues with importing files from other apps

**Requested features**

- Ability to tag scans
- Favorite file/app destination options
- More image adjustment tools


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CamScanner free?

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

### Is Simple Scan free?

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

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

Simple Scan is rated higher. CamScanner averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.9M ratings, while Simple Scan averages 4.9 from 660 ratings.

### Do CamScanner or Simple Scan have ads?

CamScanner shows ads; Simple Scan does not.

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

CamScanner ships an update weekly, and Simple Scan every 3 weeks. Most recently, CamScanner was updated on September 24, 2026 and Simple Scan on September 21, 2026.

---

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