# ExplainThisDoc vs PaperHero

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: PaperHero at 18.0 against ExplainThisDoc's 26.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ExplainThisDoc sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and PaperHero sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ExplainThisDoc ships an update every 3 days, PaperHero every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ExplainThisDoc | PaperHero |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 4 days |
| Size | 90 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Julian Heger](https://appshunter.io/developer/1874584074) | [blaumedia GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1832490554) |

## What reviewers say

### ExplainThisDoc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explainthisdoc-pdf-and-archive/id6758720729)

**Features:** iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5 Credits | $2.99 | one-time |
| 50 Credits | $24.99 | one-time |
| 200 Credits | $69.99 | one-time |


### PaperHero

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperhero-smart-documents/id6776386859)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PaperHero Small | $4.99 | per month |
| PaperHero Medium | $11.99 | per month |
| PaperHero Big | $24.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ExplainThisDoc free?

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

### Is PaperHero free?

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

### Do ExplainThisDoc or PaperHero have ads?

Neither ExplainThisDoc nor PaperHero shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ExplainThisDoc or PaperHero?

ExplainThisDoc ships an update every 3 days, and PaperHero every 4 days. Most recently, ExplainThisDoc was updated on November 9, 2026 and PaperHero on November 10, 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.*