# CamScanner vs PDF Reader

The clearest difference is rating: CamScanner at 4.8 against PDF Reader's 4.4. CamScanner also leads on ratings volume (1.9M vs 316) and review sentiment (60% vs 42%). On price, update cadence, ads 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 Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 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 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CamScanner has 1.9M ratings behind it against 316, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of CamScanner's written reviews are positive against 42% of PDF Reader's.

CamScanner ships an update weekly, PDF Reader every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CamScanner | PDF Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camscanner-pdf-scanner-app/id388627783/reviews)** | [4.4 (316 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-ocr-scan-edit/id6754001880/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.9M** | 316 |
| Positive reviews | **60.1% of reviews** | 42.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | #88 |
| Size | 382 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INTSIG Information Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/344077850) | [Fuzhou Jiange Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1821346905) |

## What reviewers say

### CamScanner

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

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Grossing · Productivity, #26 Top Free · Productivity, #138 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 Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-ocr-scan-edit/id6754001880)

**Currently charting:** #88 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

This mobile app acts as a PDF office assistant, offering features for editing, scanning, and optical character recognition. It allows for easy document management, page manipulation, and conversion of images and paper documents into editable digital files.

**Highlights:** PDF Editing, Image to PDF conversion, Import PDF files, OCR Text Recognition, Add, delete, rearrange pages, Filters, highlights, annotations

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Reader Ad-Free | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Reader Ad-Free | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CamScanner free?

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

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

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

CamScanner is rated higher. CamScanner averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.9M ratings, while PDF Reader averages 4.4 from 316 ratings.

### Do CamScanner or PDF Reader have ads?

Both CamScanner and PDF Reader show ads.

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

CamScanner ships an update weekly, and PDF Reader every 10 days. Most recently, CamScanner was updated on October 17, 2026 and PDF Reader on October 15, 2026.

### Which is more popular, CamScanner or PDF Reader?

CamScanner currently peaks at #7 in the App Store charts, and PDF Reader at #88. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*