Comparison

Doc Scan vs PDF Hero

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Doc Scan

Transform your device into a portable scanner and PDF editor. Easily capture documents, extract text with OCR, fill forms, sign, and share in various formats. Organize, secure, and even fax your files.

Highlights
  • High-quality scanning with auto-detection
  • OCR text extraction (TXT, DOCX)
  • Edit, annotate, and sign PDFs
  • Password encryption for security
  • Share via email, fax, cloud storage
  • QR code scanning
  • Fax sending and receiving
Features
Read full description

Scan, OCR, Edit & Share PDF Documents with Ease Transform your iPhone or iPad into a powerful pocket scanner, PDF editor, and business card scanner. Quickly scan multi-page documents, recognize text, edit PDFs, fill forms, sign documents, scan business cards, and share files anytime, anywhere. Key Features ● High-Quality Scanning & OCR • Auto-detect document borders and correct perspective distortion • Enhance images by removing shadows and sharpening text • Extract text from scanned images with OCR and export as TXT or DOCX • Smart Formatting: The OCR function detects and restores font styles and colors on a line-by-line basis. ● Business Card Scanner • Scan business cards and automatically extract contact information with OCR • Save scanned business cards as searchable digital contacts within the app • Export contacts directly to the iOS Contacts app with a single tap ● Edit & Annotate • Fill out forms, highlight important details, or sign documents • Add text, lines, and images to scanned documents • Merge multiple scans into a single PDF ● Organize & Secure Your Documents • Easily search and manage files with folders and custom naming rules • Protect sensitive documents with password encryption ● Seamless Sharing & Cloud Integration • Share scans as PDF, JPEG, TXT, or DOCX via email, fax, SMB, WebDAV, and cloud storage (iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, Evernote, and more) • Print with AirPrint or save directly to Photos ● Advanced Features • Photo Collage: Combine multiple pages into a single sheet (for example, both sides of an ID card on one A4 page) • QR Code Scanner: Scan from the camera or photo library to open URLs, call phone numbers, send emails, or add contacts • Fax Anywhere: Send and receive faxes worldwide with real-time delivery status notifications ● Import & Export • Import PDFs and JPEGs from other apps or cloud storage • Export searchable PDFs • Export documents to iTunes, Reminders, and Apple, Google, or Outlook Calendars ● Receive Faxes (Non-Renewing Subscription) • Purchase a dedicated fax number to receive faxes • Disable fax reception whenever you no longer need to receive faxes Subscription Plans Unlock premium features with Bronze, Silver, or Gold plans, including: • Cloud Backup & Restore: Access previous versions of your documents anytime • Flexible monthly and annual subscription options • Subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period • Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period. The renewal price depends on the selected plan • You can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal in your Account Settings after purchase • Any unused portion of a free trial will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription before the trial ends Terms of Service: https://ifunplay.com/legal.html

About

PDF Hero

Edit, create, and manage PDF documents on your mobile device. Annotate, fill forms, sign, and share files with ease. Offers advanced features like OCR and compression for enhanced document control.

Highlights
  • Create PDFs from scratch
  • Edit text and annotate documents
  • Fill and sign PDF forms
  • Convert images/documents to PDF
  • OCR for editable text
  • Compress and merge PDFs
  • Password-protect sensitive data
Features
Read full description

Looking for a convenient and easy-to-use PDF editor? View and edit PDF files on the go with PDF Hero! The app works on iPhone and iPad. PDF Hero helps you take control of your papers and run your business in the ever-changing digital world. Create and read PDFs, then annotate, edit, fill and sign forms, or share files. Manage paperwork hassle-free from anywhere – the office, remotely, or from home. There’s no need for printed copies when you can access and edit the docs you need, on the go – all in an app. Stay one step ahead when it comes to document management. CREATE & VIEW - Create PDFs from scratch. - Open and view any PDF file. - Zoom in and out while reading. - Search to find the necessary information using text search. - Read PDFs easier with Read Mode by creating bookmarks and navigating conveniently. EDIT & ANNOTATE - Edit text in your PDF files, fix typos, and correct paragraphs. - Add comments and annotations using text notes. - Write on PDFs with your finger or stylus. - Fill PDF forms. - Highlight key ideas and add shapes. - Insert images, crop, resize, or change the angle if necessary. MANAGE & STORE - Import files from your device or online storage services like iCloud and Dropbox. - Delete pages from a multi-page PDF document. - Share PDF files with or without annotations for further reading and commenting. - Print files right from your device. Level up with Premium features! PRO EDITING - Convert images and documents to PDF files. - Sign docs right on the screen of your device. - Add stamps to PDF documents. - Transform PDF files into editable text with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology. PRO MANAGEMENT - Compress PDFs and share them as ZIP files. - Manage PDF pages: add pages, rotate, and reorder them. - Share selected pages of a multi-page PDF file. - Merge two or more PDF pages into a single document. - Password-protect sensitive data. *To digitize printed copies and transform them into editable PDF scans, try our Scan Hero app! Subscription payments will be charged to your App Store account at confirmation of your purchase. Subscriptions will automatically renew and you will be charged unless auto-renew is turned off or unless you cancel at least 24 hours prior to the end of the current subscription or trial period. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a premium subscription during the free trial period. The cost of renewal depends on the Subscription Plan you choose. Subscriptions and auto-renewal may be managed by going to Account Settings after purchase or by contacting Customer Support. Privacy Policy: https://support.bendingspoons.com/privacy.html?app=1512973255 Terms of Service: https://support.bendingspoons.com/tos.html?app=1512973255 Got questions or suggestions? Please don’t hesitate to email us at pdfhero@bendingspoons.com

Screenshots

Doc Scan4 screens
PDF Hero4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Doc Scan at 91% against PDF Hero's 18%. Doc Scan also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6). PDF Hero's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#193 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Doc Scan sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and PDF Hero sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Doc Scan holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14K and 10K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Doc Scan's written reviews are positive against 18% of PDF Hero's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Doc Scan ships an update fortnightly, PDF Hero every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 1, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Doc Scan versus PDF Hero: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDoc ScanPDF Hero
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (14K ratings) — better4.6 (10K ratings)
Positive reviews91.3% of reviews — better17.8% of reviews
Number of ratings14K — better10K
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#193 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size282 MB536 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperIFUNPLAY CO., LTD.Mosaic S.r.l.

Customer experience

Doc Scan

All ratings14,085 ratings
Positive95.7%
Neutral1.7%
Negative2.6%
Written reviews458 reviews
Positive91.3%
Neutral2.2%
Negative6.6%

PDF Hero

All ratings10,328 ratings
Positive90.4%
Neutral2.4%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews247 reviews
Positive17.8%
Neutral5.3%
Negative76.9%

User reviews

Doc Scan

From 14K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 👍 Convenient scanning
  • 📂 Effective file organization
  • ✉️ Seamless emailing
  • 🖨️ Reliable faxing

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes
  • 🔍 Difficult navigation after updates
  • 💰 Paid features behind paywall
  • 🖼️ Subpar image processing
  • 🗂️ Disorganized file management

PDF Hero

From 10K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💡 Useful PDF editing features
  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 👍 Signature functionality

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and malfunctions
  • 🐛 Inconsistent behavior and glitches
  • 🔋 High subscription cost
  • 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
  • 👎 Poor text editing capabilities

Bugs and requests

Doc Scan

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Lost files after updates
  • Unreliable faxing
  • Inconsistent scanning quality

Requested features

5 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Improved OCR capabilities
  • Batch scanning and processing
  • Integration with cloud storage
  • Advanced annotation tools

PDF Hero

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Text disappearing or jumping around during editing
  • Inability to save or transfer edited documents
  • App crashing or freezing during use
  • Incorrect rendering of PDF content

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved text editing and manipulation
  • Better file management and organization
  • Seamless integration with other apps
  • Clearer subscription and cancellation policies

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Doc Scan

Subscriptions3
  • DocScan Pro BRONZE (Monthly)$3.991 Month
  • DocScan Pro SILVER (Monthly)$5.991 Month
  • DocScan Pro GOLD (Monthly)$7.991 Month
One-time7
  • Fax Pack 1$0.99
  • 1 Fax Credit$0.99
  • 5 Fax Credit$4.99
Show 4 more
  • Fax No. For One Month$5.99
  • 10 Fax Credit$7.99
  • 20 Fax Credit$14.99
  • Upgrade to DocScan Pro$39.99
12 purchases

PDF Hero

Subscriptions12
  • Weekly with free trial7 Days trial$3.997 Days
  • Weekly Subscription$3.997 Days
  • Weekly Premium$5.997 Days
Show 9 more
  • Weekly Premium with Free Trial7 Days trial$5.997 Days
  • PDF Hero Premium 1 Month$9.991 Month
  • PDF Hero Premium 1 Month3 Days trial$10.991 Month
  • PDF Hero Premium 1 Month3 Days trial2 variants$11.991 Month
  • Convert & Merge PDF Documents3 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • PDF Hero Premium 3 Months3 Days trial$19.993 Months
  • PDF Hero Premium 1 Year3 Days trial$34.991 Year
  • PDF Hero Premium 1 Year3 Days trial$89.991 Year
  • PDF Hero Premium 1 Year3 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Doc Scan free?
Doc Scan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PDF Hero free?
PDF Hero is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Doc Scan or PDF Hero?
Doc Scan is rated higher. Doc Scan averages 4.8 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while PDF Hero averages 4.6 from 10K ratings.
Do Doc Scan or PDF Hero have ads?
Doc Scan shows ads; PDF Hero does not.
Which is updated more often, Doc Scan or PDF Hero?
Doc Scan ships an update fortnightly, and PDF Hero every 3 weeks. Most recently, Doc Scan was updated on October 1, 2026 and PDF Hero on October 1, 2026.

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