# Scanner vs Scanner Air

The clearest difference is monetization model: Scanner Air at free with in-app purchases against Scanner's subscription. Scanner Air also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 8 months) and review sentiment (75% vs 55%). Scanner's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Scanner sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Scanner Air sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scanner Air holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Scanner Air has 5.2K ratings behind it against 267, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Scanner's written reviews are positive against 75% of Scanner Air's.

Scanner ships an update every 8 months, Scanner Air every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Scanner | Scanner Air |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (267 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scanner/id668230227/reviews) | **[4.8 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scanner-air-scan-documents/id1490084790/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 267 | **5.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 54.5% of reviews | **75.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 103 MB | 179 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TapMedia Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/359632753) | [Air Apps Systems](https://appshunter.io/developer/1316153435) |

## What reviewers say

### Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scanner/id668230227)

Transform your mobile device into a powerful scanner. Easily capture documents, notes, and receipts, converting them into high-quality PDF files. Features include automatic border detection, advanced image processing, and OCR for text recognition.

**Highlights:** High-resolution scanning, Advanced image processing, Automatic border detection, OCR scanned documents, Batch scanning, Share as PDF or images, Upload to cloud storage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TapMedia PRO - 1 Month | $4.99 | per month |
| Upgrade | $0.99 | one-time |


### Scanner Air

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scanner-air-scan-documents/id1490084790)

Transform your phone into a powerful document scanner. Easily digitize, edit, sign, and share PDFs, IDs, and receipts from anywhere. Organize and convert files with advanced OCR and smart file management.

**Highlights:** Fast document scanning, Scan to PDF & convert, Edit and sign documents, Smart file management, On-the-go sharing & printing, OCR text extraction

**Features:** Apple Wallet, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Air Apps One - 1 Week | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Air Apps One - 1 Week | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Air Apps One Starter - 1 Week | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Air Apps Pro - 1 Week | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Air Apps One - 1 Week | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Air Apps One Welcome - 1 Week | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Air Apps One - 1 Month | $19.99 | per month |
| Air Apps Pro - 1 Month | $19.99 | per month |
| Air Apps Pro - 1 Year | $69.99 | per year |
| Air Apps One - 1 Year | $69.99 | per year |
| Air Apps One - 1 Month | $199.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient scanning
- 💡 Convenient for important documents
- 🚀 Accurate scanning
- 👍 Portable and accessible

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with color/focus
- 💰 Subscription model concerns
- 🔒 Security/privacy worries

**Reported bugs**

- Difficulty unsubscribing
- Occasional crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- Ability to adjust color/lighting settings
- One-time purchase option
- More transparency on subscription details


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Scanner free?

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

### Is Scanner Air free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Scanner or Scanner Air?

Scanner Air is rated higher. Scanner averages 4.6 out of 5 from 267 ratings, while Scanner Air averages 4.8 from 5.2K ratings.

### Do Scanner or Scanner Air have ads?

Neither Scanner nor Scanner Air shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Scanner or Scanner Air?

Scanner ships an update every 8 months, and Scanner Air every 8 days. Most recently, Scanner was updated on October 1, 2026 and Scanner Air on October 2, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*