# PaperScan vs PDF Scanner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PaperScan at none against PDF Scanner's 3. PDF Scanner's advantage is review sentiment (94% vs 71%) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Scanner sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. PaperScan asks for nothing beyond the download.

PaperScan holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 758 and 259 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 71% of PaperScan's written reviews are positive against 94% of PDF Scanner's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PaperScan ships an update every 4 months, PDF Scanner every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PaperScan | PDF Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (758 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperscan/id670210933/reviews)** | [4.6 (259 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scanner-doc-scan-and-sign/id1153294175/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **758** | 259 |
| Positive reviews | 70.9% of reviews | **93.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 23 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DocuWare GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/411884967) | [vijay kachhadiya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1137194501) |

## What reviewers say

### PaperScan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperscan/id670210933)

Easily digitize various paper documents like invoices, receipts, and recipes. Automatically crop, straighten, and enhance scans for outstanding quality. Upload to cloud storage or share via email and print.

**Highlights:** Automatic document recognition and capture, Automatic cropping and straightening, Scans various document types, High scan quality in any lighting, Creates PDF files, Batch upload to cloud storage, Share via email, print, and AirDrop

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 📄 Automatic edge detection and document alignment
- 🚀 Fast scanning and processing
- 💾 Multiple export options (PDF, email, Dropbox, DocuWare)
- ✨ High-quality document capture

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent edge detection accuracy
- ⚠️ Forced flash usage in good lighting
- 🖼️ Automatic brightness adjustment issues
- 🎨 Unattractive UI/skin design
- ⏱️ Slow autoscan feature

**Reported bugs**

- Image disappears after scanning instead of displaying
- App freezes and requires multiple restarts to show scans
- Edge detection fails 50% of the time
- DocuWare integration not transferring documents properly
- Autoscan unreliable and inconsistent

**Requested features**

- Direct save to Photos app instead of Files only
- Improved edge detection algorithm
- Better autoscan reliability and speed
- Manual brightness control options
- UI/design improvements


### PDF Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scanner-doc-scan-and-sign/id1153294175)

Transform your device into a powerful digital scanner. Easily capture, edit, and save documents as high-resolution PDFs or JPEGs. Organize your mobile office and share files instantly via email, social media, or cloud services.

**Highlights:** Scan documents to PDF and JPEG, High-resolution scanning, Automatic color detection and adjustment, Image cropping and filtering, Multi-page document scanning, Share via email, social media, and cloud

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Week | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Month | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast scanning
- ✨ Great clarity and precision
- 💯 Useful for college/nursing school
- 📱 Keeps documents accessible

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Too many ads
- 🐌 Ads slow down usage

**Reported bugs**

- Does not work (reported by one user)

**Requested features**

- Add facsimile capability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PaperScan free?

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

### Is PDF Scanner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PaperScan or PDF Scanner?

PaperScan is rated higher. PaperScan averages 4.8 out of 5 from 758 ratings, while PDF Scanner averages 4.6 from 259 ratings.

### Do PaperScan or PDF Scanner have ads?

Neither PaperScan nor PDF Scanner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PaperScan or PDF Scanner?

PaperScan ships an update every 4 months, and PDF Scanner every 6 weeks. Most recently, PaperScan was updated on October 23, 2026 and PDF Scanner on October 29, 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.*