# PDF Export vs PDF Scan

PDF Export and PDF Scan both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of PDF Scan's written reviews are positive against 46% of PDF Export's. PDF Export's advantage is ratings volume (1.8K vs 44). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Export sells 12 one-off in-app purchases and PDF Scan sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 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 — 4.7 for PDF Export against 4.5 for PDF Scan. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Export has 1.8K ratings behind it against 44, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 46% of PDF Export's written reviews are positive against 75% of PDF Scan's.

PDF Export ships an update fortnightly, PDF Scan every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Export | PDF Scan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-export-editor-and-converter/id633275113/reviews)** | [4.5 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scan-max-scanner/id1438590887/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 44 |
| Positive reviews | 46.4% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 217 MB | 116 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LiveBird Technologies Private Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/551521372) | [Govarthani Rajesh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1225032526) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Export

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-export-editor-and-converter/id633275113)

This app provides comprehensive tools for creating, editing, converting, and organizing PDF files on your mobile device. It offers features like scanning documents, merging files, adding watermarks, and even transcribing audio to text, all without requiring an internet connection.

**Highlights:** Convert Word, Excel, JPG to PDF, Convert PDF to Word, Excel, PPT, Edit PDF text and images, Annotate and sign documents, Merge and split PDFs, Scan documents with OCR, Compress and secure PDFs

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Fax Credit | $0.99 | one-time |
| Convert 5 Documents Online | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 Fax Credit | $3.99 | one-time |
| PDF Export Pro Plus | $3.99 | one-time |
| PDF Export Pro | $3.99 | one-time |
| Convert 30 Documents Online | $4.99 | one-time |
| 10 Fax Credit | $5.99 | one-time |
| 20 Fax Credit | $9.99 | one-time |
| Convert 70 Documents Online | $9.99 | one-time |
| PDF Export Full Access | $12.99 | one-time |
| 50 Fax Credit | $19.99 | one-time |
| Convert 150 Documents Online | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent PDF conversion capabilities
- 🚀 Fast and efficient performance
- 💡 Comprehensive set of PDF tools
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 👍 Helpful for personal and professional use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 💰 Paid features required for basic functionality
- 🔒 Confusing in-app purchase and upgrade process
- 🔍 Poor discoverability of features
- 🗂️ Lack of cloud sync and cross-device support

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening certain PDF files
- Formatting issues when converting documents to PDF
- Inability to restore previous purchases

**Requested features**

- Improved PDF splitting and merging capabilities
- Annotation and editing tools for PDFs
- Better integration with other productivity apps
- Clearer pricing and feature structure
- Enhanced user interface and navigation


### PDF Scan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scan-max-scanner/id1438590887)

Transform your phone into a powerful document scanner. Easily scan paper documents, receipts, and IDs, converting them into searchable PDFs. Extract text from images using OCR and manage your files with cloud sync and various PDF tools.

**Highlights:** Document scanning with edge detection, OCR for text extraction from images, Image to PDF conversion, Cloud sync with Google Drive, PDF editing and signing, PDF compression, merging, and splitting

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Scans Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Scans Yearly | $60.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Export free?

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

### Is PDF Scan free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PDF Export or PDF Scan?

PDF Export is rated higher. PDF Export averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while PDF Scan averages 4.5 from 44 ratings.

### Do PDF Export or PDF Scan have ads?

Both PDF Export and PDF Scan show ads.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Export or PDF Scan?

PDF Export ships an update fortnightly, and PDF Scan every 3 weeks. Most recently, PDF Export was updated on October 29, 2026 and PDF Scan on October 24, 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.*