# PDF Reader vs PDF Scanner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PDF Scanner at none against PDF Reader's 3. PDF Reader's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

PDF Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, PDF Scanner every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Reader | PDF Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scanner-file-reader/id6771282051/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **6** |
| Positive reviews | — | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | — | Ad-supported |
| Size | 48 MB | 115 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dimster Design LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1865684637) | [Fuzhou Xuanlong Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895713245) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-scan-and-view/id6757312293)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Membership | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Membership | $2.99 | per month |
| Pro Membership | $29.99 | per year |


### PDF Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-scanner-file-reader/id6771282051)

Transform your iPhone into a powerful document studio. Scan, read, edit, merge, and manage all your PDF files with this all-in-one, ultra-fast, and intuitive application. Keep your documents confidential with local processing.

**Highlights:** Intelligent document scanning, PDF reading and annotation, Drawing and easy signing, Merge and organize PDFs, Ultimate file manager, Local data privacy

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

### Is PDF Scanner free?

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

### Do PDF Reader or PDF Scanner have ads?

Both PDF Reader and PDF Scanner show ads.

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

PDF Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, and PDF Scanner every 4 weeks. Most recently, PDF Reader was updated on October 2, 2026 and PDF Scanner on October 1, 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.*