ScanPDF vs ScanWave Pro
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ScanPDF
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ScanPDF turns your iPhone or iPad into a fast, simple document scanner. SCAN IN SECONDS Point your camera at any document. ScanPDF automatically detects edges, corrects perspective, and crops perfectly. MULTI-PAGE PDF Scan receipts, business cards, contracts, invoices, or ID cards. Combine multiple pages into a single PDF file. SHARE INSTANTLY Send your scanned PDF via email, AirDrop, Messages, or any app. No extra steps needed. SIMPLE BY DESIGN No bloat, no clutter. ScanPDF focuses on one thing — turning paper into PDF, fast. PERFECT FOR - Scanning receipts and invoices for expense tracking - Digitizing business cards and contracts - Tax document preparation - Going paperless at work or home Open. Scan. Share. That's it.
ScanWave Pro
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Scanwave Pro is a scanner you buy once and own forever — no subscriptions, no monthly fees, no "unlock pro" pop-ups. Built for the Japanese practice of copying ID cards onto A4 paper. Capture an ID and lay it onto a page in Actual Size or Fill Page layout — the standard formats for Residence Card, Driver's License, and Health Insurance Card copies that landlords, banks, and city halls ask for every day. ONE-TIME PAYMENT • Pay once, use forever • No subscription, no in-app purchases • All updates included for life • No "free trial that auto-renews" tricks DOCUMENT MODE • Multi-page capture with automatic edge detection • Manual corner adjustment with magnifier loupe • Filters: Original, Grayscale, Black & White, Enhance • Drag-to-reorder pages, retake, swipe-to-delete • Multi-page PDF export with 1-up, 2-up, or 4-up layouts ID MODE • Front-only or front + back capture • Composed onto A4 in actual size or fill-page layout EXPORT • Save as JPEG or PNG to Photos • Save as PDF to Files (visible under On My iPhone → ScanWave) • Share to AirDrop, Mail, Messages, or any installed app • Multi-select on the Home screen for bulk share or delete PRIVACY • All processing on device • No cloud, no account, no analytics, no tracking • No third-party SDKs • Photos and documents stay on your iPhone or iPad LANGUAGES English, 日本語, नेपाली. Switch any time from the globe button on the Home screen.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: ScanWave Pro at none against ScanPDF's shown. ScanWave Pro also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ScanPDF ships an update every 6 weeks, ScanWave Pro every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ScanPDF | ScanWave Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 41 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Shuto Nishiyama | Bhupesh Gurung |
In-app purchases
ScanPDF
No in-app purchases
ScanWave Pro
No in-app purchases





