Comparison

ScanPDF vs ScanWave Pro

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ScanPDF

Features
Read full description

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.

About

ScanWave Pro

Features
Read full description

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

ScanPDF4 screens
ScanWave Pro4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard3 real differences · 3 level
ScanPDF versus ScanWave Pro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScanPDFScanWave Pro
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShuto NishiyamaBhupesh Gurung

In-app purchases

None

ScanPDF

No in-app purchases

None

ScanWave Pro

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ScanPDF free?
ScanPDF is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ScanWave Pro free?
ScanWave Pro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ScanPDF or ScanWave Pro have ads?
ScanPDF shows ads; ScanWave Pro does not.
Which is updated more often, ScanPDF or ScanWave Pro?
ScanPDF ships an update every 6 weeks, and ScanWave Pro every 2 weeks. Most recently, ScanPDF was updated on September 22, 2026 and ScanWave Pro on September 8, 2026.

Other comparisons