# PDF Merger vs ScanMate

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ScanMate at none against PDF Merger's 3. ScanMate also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 9 months) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). PDF Merger's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Merger sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. ScanMate asks for nothing beyond the download.

PDF Merger ships an update every 9 months, ScanMate every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Merger | ScanMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Size | 2 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ahmet Bostancklioglu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1780554362) | [梦 肖](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896473502) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Merger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-merger-combine-and-split/id6738798786)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro — Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro — Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| PDF Merger Lifetime | $59.99 | one-time |


### ScanMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scanmate-pdf/id6767583407)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Merger free?

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

### Is ScanMate free?

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

### Do PDF Merger or ScanMate have ads?

ScanMate shows ads; PDF Merger does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Merger or ScanMate?

PDF Merger ships an update every 9 months, and ScanMate every 3 weeks. Most recently, PDF Merger was updated on October 7, 2026 and ScanMate on October 16, 2026.

---

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