# PaperScan vs Smart PDF Document Scanner

The clearest difference is ads: PaperScan at none against Smart PDF Document Scanner's shown. PaperScan also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (747 vs 10). Smart PDF Document Scanner's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 71%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

PaperScan holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PaperScan has 747 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 71% of PaperScan's written reviews are positive against 100% of Smart PDF Document 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, Smart PDF Document Scanner every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PaperScan | Smart PDF Document Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (747 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperscan/id670210933/reviews)** | [4.4 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-pdf-document-scanner/id1181147140/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **747** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | 70.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 23 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [DocuWare GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/411884967) | [Qrayon, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/354980265) |

## 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


### Smart PDF Document Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-pdf-document-scanner/id1181147140)

Transform your phone into a powerful document scanner. Capture, enhance, and organize your important papers with tack-sharp scans and a color-coded tagging system. Easily share PDFs for business or personal use.

**Highlights:** Tack-sharp document scanning, Automatic edge detection and perspective correction, Color, grayscale, and black-and-white scan options, FlashAssist for low-light scanning, Color-coded tagging system for organization, Quickly scan and share PDFs

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PaperScan free?

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

### Is Smart PDF Document Scanner free?

Smart PDF Document Scanner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

PaperScan is rated higher. PaperScan averages 4.8 out of 5 from 747 ratings, while Smart PDF Document Scanner averages 4.4 from 10 ratings.

### Do PaperScan or Smart PDF Document Scanner have ads?

Smart PDF Document Scanner shows ads; PaperScan does not.

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

PaperScan ships an update every 4 months, and Smart PDF Document Scanner every 5 months. Most recently, PaperScan was updated on September 30, 2026 and Smart PDF Document Scanner on September 25, 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.*