# Pal Chat vs Open Scanner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Open Scanner at none against Pal Chat's 2. Open Scanner also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (83% vs 59%). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pal Chat sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Open Scanner asks for nothing beyond the download.

Open Scanner holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 435 and 205 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Pal Chat's written reviews are positive against 83% of Open Scanner's.

Pal Chat ships an update every 3 weeks, Open Scanner every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pal Chat | Open Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (435 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pal-chat-ai-chat-client/id6447545085/reviews) | **[4.7 (205 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-scanner-pdf-scanning/id6578414558/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **435** | 205 |
| Positive reviews | 59.0% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 104 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pulkit Agarwal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1723503441) | [Pencil Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473063859) |

## What reviewers say

### Pal Chat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pal-chat-ai-chat-client/id6447545085)

This app acts as a universal AI chat client, supporting a wide range of models and features like image input, image generation, and offline capabilities. It offers a private and secure experience with no data collection and no ads.

**Highlights:** Supports all major AI models, Image input and generation, Offline local model support, Save prompts and history, Stream responses, Full Markdown and LaTeX support

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pal Chat Pro | $6.99 | per month |
| Pal Chat Pro Annual | $68.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent app design
- 🔒 Allows use of own API keys
- 👍 Customizable prompts and instructions
- 🚀 Efficient token usage tracking
- 👍 Responsive developer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes with OpenRouter models
- 🐛 Keyboard lag and UI issues
- 💰 Subscription model for previously free features
- 🐛 Rendering issues with mathematical formulas
- 🐛 Inconsistent UI indicators for model outputs

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to change AI provider
- Freezing on long responses
- Unavailability of certain models (e.g., GPT-4o-mini)

**Requested features**

- Conversation history search
- Support for local/self-hosted models
- Multimodal support (vision, audio)
- Ability to edit/delete messages in conversation
- Dynamic model listing from providers


### Open Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-scanner-pdf-scanning/id6578414558)

Transform your device into a powerful document scanner. Quickly capture papers, automatically recognize text, and organize your scans with AI-powered features. Seamlessly share and edit your documents in various formats.

**Highlights:** Automatic text recognition (OCR), Automatic document naming, Location-based tagging, Add saved signatures, Organize and re-order pages, iCloud sync, Annotate and edit scans, Export as PDF

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pal Chat free?

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

### Is Open Scanner free?

Open Scanner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pal Chat or Open Scanner?

Open Scanner is rated higher. Pal Chat averages 4.3 out of 5 from 435 ratings, while Open Scanner averages 4.7 from 205 ratings.

### Do Pal Chat or Open Scanner have ads?

Neither Pal Chat nor Open Scanner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pal Chat or Open Scanner?

Pal Chat ships an update every 3 weeks, and Open Scanner every 10 days. Most recently, Pal Chat was updated on October 24, 2026 and Open Scanner 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.*