# CamScanner vs PDF Viewer

The clearest difference is ads: PDF Viewer at none against CamScanner's shown. PDF Viewer also leads on review sentiment (89% vs 61%). CamScanner's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (1.9M vs 235). 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 PDF Viewer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 4.8 for PDF Viewer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CamScanner has 1.9M ratings behind it against 235, 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 89% of PDF Viewer's.

CamScanner ships an update weekly, PDF Viewer every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CamScanner | PDF Viewer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camscanner-pdf-scanner-app/id388627783/reviews) | [4.8 (235 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-viewer-reader-and-editor/id6720703022/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.9M** | 235 |
| Positive reviews | 61.1% of reviews | **89.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 383 MB | 11 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) | [Andrew Lee](https://appshunter.io/developer/1206652057) |

## 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 Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-viewer-reader-and-editor/id6720703022)

Easily convert various file formats to PDF and back again. This app supports conversions from images, documents, and presentations, allowing you to manage and share your files efficiently. It also offers OCR capabilities to convert photos into editable text.

**Highlights:** Convert JPG, Word, Excel, PPT to PDF, Convert PDF to other formats, Share and save converted files, Access conversion history, Pull files from iCloud or gallery, Convert Photos to Text (OCR)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Converter: Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| PDF Converter: Premium | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy and intuitive to use
- 🚀 Fast and efficient conversion
- 💰 Free or affordable pricing
- 📄 Excellent PDF conversion and merging capabilities
- 🎨 Clean and simple interface design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Forced review prompt before app usage
- ❌ Missing file deletion option
- 📸 No in-app camera scanning capability
- ⚙️ No file size customization options
- 🔄 Inconsistent performance across devices

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't function on iPad mini (current model)
- Forced review requirement blocks app access
- Document quality issues when converting images to PDF
- Occasional glitches during operation

**Requested features**

- Add file deletion functionality
- Implement in-app camera scanning feature
- Add page merge and delete options
- Include file size/quality customization
- Support for more device types (iPad compatibility)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CamScanner free?

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

### Is PDF Viewer free?

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

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

CamScanner and PDF Viewer are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.9M and 235 ratings respectively.

### Do CamScanner or PDF Viewer have ads?

CamScanner shows ads; PDF Viewer does not.

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

CamScanner ships an update weekly, and PDF Viewer every 3 months. Most recently, CamScanner was updated on September 25, 2026 and PDF Viewer on September 8, 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.*