# PaperScan vs AirScan

The clearest difference is rating: PaperScan at 4.8 against AirScan's 4.4. AirScan's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 747 and 455 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 71% of PaperScan's written reviews are positive against 73% of AirScan'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, AirScan every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PaperScan | AirScan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (747 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperscan/id670210933/reviews)** | [4.4 (455 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airscan-docs-scanner-to-pdf/id803059426/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **747** | 455 |
| Positive reviews | 70.9% of reviews | **73.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 23 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DocuWare GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/411884967) | [airSlate, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/565493707) |

## 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


### AirScan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airscan-docs-scanner-to-pdf/id803059426)

Easily digitize paper documents into high-quality PDFs using your mobile device. Recognize text in multiple languages, edit scans, and convert them to various file formats. Securely store important documents like IDs and licenses within the app.

**Highlights:** Scan documents to PDF, Text recognition (OCR) in 8 languages, Convert to DOCS, XLS, PPT, Edit and enhance scans, Add digital signatures, Email and print scans, Securely store IDs and licenses

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Quick document scanning and sharing
- 📧 Seamless email integration
- 💼 Great for business professionals on-the-go
- 🆓 No excessive in-app purchase prompts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📏 Limited document size compatibility
- 🖼️ Results similar to basic camera photos
- 🐛 Photos disappear after editing
- 📤 Unreliable email sending
- 🔧 Limited editing features

**Reported bugs**

- Email validation errors preventing app access
- Cursor placement issues when entering information
- App freezing on iPhone 6s Plus
- Incompatibility between app and PDF Filler after updates
- Email sending failures

**Requested features**

- Support for multiple document sizes
- Android version availability
- Advanced PDF editing features
- Built-in printing capability
- Improved photo persistence during editing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PaperScan free?

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

### Is AirScan free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PaperScan or AirScan?

PaperScan is rated higher. PaperScan averages 4.8 out of 5 from 747 ratings, while AirScan averages 4.4 from 455 ratings.

### Do PaperScan or AirScan have ads?

Neither PaperScan nor AirScan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PaperScan or AirScan?

PaperScan ships an update every 4 months, and AirScan every 2 months. Most recently, PaperScan was updated on October 16, 2026 and AirScan on October 13, 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.*