# Scanner vs PDF Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Scanner at 100% against PDF Reader's 0%. Scanner also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs monthly) and ratings volume (26 vs 1). PDF Reader's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Scanner sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days and PDF Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Scanner has 26 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Scanner's written reviews are positive against 0% of PDF Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Scanner ships an update every 6 days, PDF Reader monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Scanner | PDF Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scanner-pdf-scanner/id6757798015/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-edit-and-sign/id6761097664/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **26** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 43 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Port Canyamel Sociedad Limitada](https://appshunter.io/developer/1868980950) | [Quynh Trang Pham Doan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1880613796) |

## What reviewers say

### Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scanner-pdf-scanner/id6757798015)

Transform your device into a powerful document scanner. Capture, edit, sign, and share PDFs and images quickly and efficiently. Features include OCR, electronic signatures, and secure storage for all your important documents.

**Highlights:** Smart document scanning with auto edge detection, Electronic signature functionality, Text recognition (OCR) for editable text, Dedicated ID and passport scanning mode, Advanced PDF editing tools, Secure storage with passcode protection

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $14.99 | per month |


### PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-reader-edit-and-sign/id6761097664)

Easily manage your PDF files on your phone with tools for reading, editing, signing, and converting documents. Import files, use the camera, and access recent documents quickly. Convert various file types to PDF and perform essential PDF management tasks like merging and splitting.

**Highlights:** Sign documents, Add text to PDFs, Highlight and underline content, Convert Docs/Excel/Img to PDF, Merge and split PDFs, Compress and extract PDFs

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Scanner free?

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

### Is PDF Reader free?

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

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

PDF Reader is rated higher. Scanner averages 4.5 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while PDF Reader averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Scanner or PDF Reader have ads?

Both Scanner and PDF Reader show ads.

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

Scanner ships an update every 6 days, and PDF Reader monthly. Most recently, Scanner was updated on October 16, 2026 and PDF Reader on October 18, 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.*