JustPDF vs FairScan
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
JustPDF
A minimalist PDF reader for local document storage and offline viewing. Import PDFs from various sources into a private library designed for focus. Enjoy a clean, ad-free experience with a one-time purchase for unlimited access.
- Offline PDF reading
- Private on-device storage
- Clean PDF viewer
- No ads
- No account or cloud dependency
- Fast access to library
- One-time purchase
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JustPDF is a minimalist PDF reader for people who want one simple place for the PDFs that matter. Import PDFs from Files, Mail, Safari, AirDrop, or other apps and keep them stored locally on your device. Read offline, zoom naturally, scroll without clutter, and reopen documents from a quiet private library built for focus. Why people choose JustPDF: • Offline PDF reader • Private on-device storage • Clean PDF viewer with no ads • No account and no cloud dependency • Fast access to your personal PDF library • One-time purchase, no subscription Start free with your first 3 PDFs. When you need more, unlock unlimited imports with a single lifetime purchase. JustPDF is built for reading, not for bloat. If you want a calm, local PDF reader that stays out of your way, this is it.
FairScan
Transform your device into a private document scanner. Capture, enhance, and save documents as searchable PDFs locally. Offers features like ID card scanning, password protection, and redaction.
- On-device scanning and OCR
- Searchable PDF creation
- ID card scanning mode
- Password-protected PDFs
- Quick scan integrations
- Document organization and signing
- Redaction of sensitive information
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FairScan turns your iPhone into a fast, private document scanner. Point, capture, and get a clean, searchable PDF — kept on your device, where it belongs to you. FairScan is built privacy-first: your pages are scanned and their text is recognised entirely on your iPhone using Apple's Vision framework. Your documents are never uploaded. There's no account to create and no cloud to trust. NEW IN 1.8 - Searchable PDFs: the text in your scans is stored inside the PDF, so you can search it in Files, Preview and Mail. - ID card mode: scan the front and back of a card onto one page, printable at actual size. - Password-protected PDFs: lock a copy with a password before you share it. - Quick scan from your Lock Screen, Control Center (iOS 18), the Action Button or Siri. HOW IT WORKS 1. Tap to capture — edge detection frames the page automatically. 2. Adjust — crop, straighten and enhance for a crisp scan. 3. Save — a multi-page PDF, ready to share. ON-DEVICE PRIVACY - Scanning and text recognition (OCR) run locally on your iPhone. - No account, no sign-up, no cloud storage. - Your documents stay on your device unless you share them yourself. - App Lock keeps your library behind Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. WHAT YOU CAN DO - Scan multi-page documents into one PDF, or import PDFs and images from Files. - Organize documents into folders and search the text inside every scan. - Sign documents with your finger. - Redact sensitive info — black boxes are burned permanently into the PDF. - Merge, compress and reorder pages. - Share to Files, Mail, Messages or any app you like. START FREE, THEN CHOOSE WHAT FITS Keep up to 10 documents free — no account, no sign-up. When you need unlimited documents and the full toolkit, choose what suits you: - A monthly plan. - A yearly plan. - A one-time lifetime purchase if you'd rather own it for good. Prices are shown clearly in the app before you commit. Some tools require FairScan Pro. HONEST NOTE FairScan is a productivity and document tool. It is not a substitute for professional, legal, or medical advice, and automatic text recognition may not be perfect — always double-check important documents. SUPPORT Questions or feedback? Email dark2torch@gmail.com — a real person reads every message. Terms (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://moathothman.github.io/ExploringIdeas-legal/fairscan/privacy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
JustPDF and FairScan are too close to call on the numbers: across 7 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
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. JustPDF sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and FairScan sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
JustPDF ships an update every 2 weeks, FairScan every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | JustPDF | FairScan |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 1.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 23 MB | 14 MB |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | Johanna Hoppe | Moaath Othman |
Customer experience
JustPDF
FairScan
In-app purchases
JustPDF
- JustPDF Lifetime Unlock$4.99
FairScan
- Pro Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
- Pro Yearly7 Days trial$14.991 Year
- FairScan Pro$19.99









