Comparison

Acrobat Reader vs uScan

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

Head to head
About

Acrobat Reader

This app is a powerful PDF tool for viewing, editing, annotating, and signing documents. It offers AI-powered features for summarizing and interacting with PDFs, along with robust conversion and security options. Collaborate on files and access your documents from anywhere.

Highlights
  • View, edit, and annotate PDFs
  • Sign and fill PDF forms
  • Convert files to and from PDF
  • AI-powered document summarization
  • Collaborate in PDF Spaces
  • Compress and secure PDFs
  • Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Features
Read full description

Major new updates: Collaborate and share your files in PDF Spaces, and turn your document summaries into podcast-style audio in Acrobat Studio. The world’s most trusted PDF reader, PDF editor, and PDF maker with more than 635 million installs. View, share, annotate, add comments, and sign documents - all in one app. You can store your files online and read documents anywhere. Get your 7-day free trial and try all the features of Acrobat Reader. Paid features: Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant • Work across multiple files in one place with PDF Spaces. Collaborate, store, and use AI Assistant across files • Use voice or text prompts with AI Assistant chatbot • Ask questions and get cited answers about details in your document, including charts, graphs, and tables with Figures Q&A • Easily share the responses you get • Try voice support to ask queries and have answers read aloud. • Use new Hands-free to keep the conversation flowing with voice only • Instantly generate summaries from your PDFs with Generative AI Summaries • Get content for emails, text, study notes, blogs, and more [Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant is a paid feature*, free for a limited time] Edit PDFs • With our PDF editor, edit text and images directly in your PDF (mobile only) • Fix typos or add paragraphs with the PDF editor • Easily add, delete, or rotate any image • Use this PDF signer and PDF viewer to get your docs just right Recognize text • Optical Character Recognition (OCR) turns scanned PDFs into searchable, editable text to use in other formats Merge & organize PDFs with PDF Converter • Split or combine multiple files into one PDF with PDF converter • Use the PDF editor to insert, delete, rotate, crop & reorder pages in your PDF file Create, convert & export PDFs • Easily convert to PDF from any file type including Microsoft, Google Docs, and images • Export and convert PDFs to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or various image files • Convert web pages to PDFs Compress & highly secure PDFs • Compress PDF files for easy saving and sharing • Password Protect PDF documents Have your PDF read aloud • Listen to your PDFs on the go, great for reading support • Choose free voices or upgrade for high-quality options Subscribe now to access all these features and use Acrobat across mobile and web platforms. Free-to-use features: PDF signer: Fill & Sign Adobe Fill & Sign is free & available in Acrobat Reader. A form filler and PDF signer that lets you fill, sign, and send Liquid mode in the optimal PDF viewer • Get the best PDF reading experience with this PDF viewer • Search, navigate & adjust font size or spacing to fit your screen Annotate PDFs • Add sticky notes, comments, and highlight text Store & manage files • Link online storage accounts like Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive • Star files to quickly open important documents Connect the PDF viewer and reader to Google Drive • A PDF creator that lets you edit, compress, and export Google Drive files with a subscription Work with scanned documents • Access scanned PDFs from Adobe Scan in Acrobat to fill, sign, and share The Acrobat Reader mobile app is designed to work with customers who have Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) enabled. *An Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant add-on plan is available to Acrobat Individual customers. iOS 16 or above required. Terms & Conditions: Your use of this application is governed by the Adobe General Terms of Use http://www.adobe.com/go/terms_linkfree_en and the Adobe Privacy Policy http://www.adobe.com/go/privacy_policy_linkfree_en Do not sell or share my personal information www.adobe.com/go/ca-rights-linkfree

About

uScan

Transform your phone into a portable scanner to digitize documents, receipts, and notes. Edit scanned files, extract text with OCR, and add electronic signatures. Create high-quality PDF or DOC files for easy sharing and management.

Highlights
  • Scan and edit any document
  • Convert image to editable text (OCR)
  • Add electronic signatures
  • High-quality PDF/DOC output
  • Multi-page scanning
  • File management with folders
Features
Read full description

uScan is a fast scanner app that will turn your phone into a portable scanner that fits in your pocket! Go paperless with our fast PDF scanner – keep high-quality documents handy. Become more productive with our powerful free scanner app: 1. SCAN & EDIT ANY DOCUMENT Scan anything you need, including receipts, contracts, paper notes, fax papers and books. Save, and share any document in just a few taps as multipage PDF or JPEG files. A must-have for accountants, realtors, managers, small business owners, lawyers or students. 2. CONVERT IMAGE INTO EDITABLE TEXT Extract text from any scanned page or image, edit it, and save as a new text document. Our highly accurate OCR scanner recognizes all popular languages. 3. SIGN DOCUMENTS IN JUST ONE TAP Add an electronic signature to your contracts, invoices or bills and send them to business partners, colleagues, or clients on the go. 4. GET HIGH-QUALITY PDF or DOC files Our advanced scanning technology removes shadows, corrects perspective and distortion. Scan anything and get a professional looking PDF or DOC file. Keep the entire office in your pocket and increase your productivity at work, use scanner pro features to manage all your paperwork with ease. Additional features: - Smart image editor - Variety of filters B&W, grayscale or color - Easy sharing options - Multi Page scanning - Automatic shutter and border detection for any scannable object - File manager with folders and drag & drop - Built-in storage - Offline mode PRO scanner features: - Unlimited number of scans and folders - Text Recognition (OCR) - Signature Information about auto-renewal of subscription: - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. - Subscriptions can be managed by the user and auto-renewal can be turned off by going to the user’s Account Settings after purchase. - Any unused portion of the free trial period will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription. - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. - An account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. The amount charged will depend on the selected plan. Privacy Policy: https://lopofist.limited/scanner/privacy.html Terms Of Service: https://lopofist.limited/scanner/tos.html Subscription Terms: https://lopofist.limited/scanner/subscription.html

Screenshots

Acrobat Reader4 screens
uScan4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Acrobat Reader at none against uScan's shown. Acrobat Reader also leads on ratings volume (654K vs 15K) and chart position (#2 vs #190). uScan's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.3). On price, rating, review sentiment 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. Acrobat Reader sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and uScan sells 10 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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Acrobat Reader against 4.6 for uScan. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Acrobat Reader has 654K ratings behind it against 15K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 49% of Acrobat Reader's written reviews are positive against 47% of uScan's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Acrobat Reader ships an update every 9 days, uScan every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Acrobat Reader versus uScan: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAcrobat ReaderuScan
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (654K ratings)4.6 (15K ratings)
Positive reviews49.2% of reviews — better47.0% of reviews
Number of ratings654K — better15K
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#2 — better#190
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.315.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size522 MB179 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAdobe Inc.Lopofist Limited

Customer experience

Acrobat Reader

All ratings654,141 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral2.4%
Negative6.2%
Written reviews3,096 reviews
Positive49.2%
Neutral4.4%
Negative46.4%

uScan

All ratings15,107 ratings
Positive90.3%
Neutral2.9%
Negative6.8%
Written reviews564 reviews
Positive47.0%
Neutral2.8%
Negative50.2%

User reviews

Acrobat Reader

From 654K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 🔒 Secure document storage
  • 👍 Convenient for reading and annotating PDFs
  • 👍 Useful for students and professionals

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
  • 🔒 Overly intrusive login requirements
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 👎 Counterintuitive user interface changes
  • 🔍 Poor search and organization features

uScan

From 15K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Fast and convenient
  • 💡 Helpful for work and personal needs
  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🚀 Efficient scanning

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription fees
  • 🐛 Inconsistent scanning quality
  • 🐛 Crashes and freezes
  • 💰 Hidden/unclear pricing
  • 🐛 Difficulty cancelling subscription

Bugs and requests

Acrobat Reader

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent crashes and freezes
  • Inconsistent behavior when editing PDFs
  • Inability to open or save certain file types
  • Sync issues between mobile and desktop versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add erase tool for annotations
  • Improve palm rejection for Apple Pencil
  • Allow direct text editing in PDFs
  • Provide better cloud integration and sync
  • Offer more customization options

uScan

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Scans not properly aligned or cropped
  • App shuts down when scanning large documents
  • Inconsistent performance across devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Integration with cloud storage services
  • Ability to label/organize scanned documents
  • Handwriting recognition
  • Option to use app without subscription

In-app purchases

16 purchases

Acrobat Reader

Subscriptions16
  • Acrobat Premium - Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Adobe Acrobat Premium$4.991 Month
  • AI Assistant for Acrobat$6.991 Month
Show 13 more
  • Acrobat Premium$7.497 Days
  • Acrobat Premium - Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Acrobat Premium - Weekly$9.997 Days
  • PDF Pack - Doc Creator$9.991 Month
  • Premium - Edit & Create PDF$9.991 Month
  • PDF Edit and Convert Monthly7 Days trial$12.991 Month
  • Acrobat Premium - Monthly$12.991 Month
  • Acrobat Premium - Monthly$14.991 Month
  • Acrobat Reader Plus - Yearly$19.991 Year
  • Adobe ExportPDF$23.991 Year
  • Adobe Acrobat Pro$24.991 Month
  • Acrobat Premium - Yearly7 Days trial$48.991 Year
  • Acrobat Premium - Yearly7 Days trial2 variants$69.991 Year
10 purchases

uScan

Subscriptions9
  • Unlimited access$3.997 Days
  • Unlimited access7 Days trial$6.997 Days
  • Unlimited access3 Days trial$6.997 Days
Show 6 more
  • Unlimited access + PDF editor$6.997 Days
  • Unlimited access + PDF editor$7.997 Days
  • Unlimited access$9.991 Month
  • Unlimited access7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Unlimited access7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Unlimited access7 Days trial$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$59.99

Questions

Is Acrobat Reader free?
Acrobat Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is uScan free?
uScan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Acrobat Reader or uScan?
Acrobat Reader and uScan are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 654K and 15K ratings respectively.
Do Acrobat Reader or uScan have ads?
uScan shows ads; Acrobat Reader does not.
Which is updated more often, Acrobat Reader or uScan?
Acrobat Reader ships an update every 9 days, and uScan every 3 weeks. Most recently, Acrobat Reader was updated on September 25, 2026 and uScan on September 24, 2026.
Which is more popular, Acrobat Reader or uScan?
Acrobat Reader currently peaks at #2 in the App Store charts, and uScan at #190. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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