Archi vs Falz
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Archi
This app scans documents, extracts text and metadata using on-device AI and OCR, and syncs with a self-hosted server. It prioritizes user privacy with no cloud subscriptions or data sharing. Ideal for managing receipts, invoices, and personal records securely.
- On-device OCR with Apple Vision
- AI metadata extraction with Gemma 4
- Automatic title, tag, and correspondent suggestions
- Import PDFs and images via Share sheet
- Browse and search Paperless-NGX archive
- Offline queue for scanning
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Archi is the Paperless-NGX client for iPhone, iPad and Mac that runs AI and OCR entirely on your device — no cloud subscription, no data sharing, zero privacy compromises. Try it for free: the first 10 captures are included. After that, a one-time purchase unlocks the full version — no subscription, no cloud, no data collection. Note: With iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence turned on, Archi needs no download. Otherwise it downloads the Gemma 4 model (approx. 2.4 GB) once after installation. ■ WHAT ARCHI DOES Scan a document, recognize text, extract metadata — all in seconds, all locally. The document then lands neatly categorized in your self-hosted Paperless-NGX server. ■ ON YOUR DEVICE, NOT IN THE CLOUD • OCR with Apple Vision — fast, offline, free • AI metadata extraction with Apple Intelligence (iOS 27 and later) or Google's Gemma 4 — both run directly on your iPhone, no server needed • Automatic title, tag and correspondent suggestions based on content • Import PDFs and images from other apps via the Share sheet ■ PAPERLESS-NGX INTEGRATION • Browse and manage your entire document archive • Full-text search across all documents • Filter by tags, document type and correspondent • Offline queue — scans saved locally until you're back online ■ REAL-WORLD USE CASES Tax Season: Scan every receipt, invoice and bill as it arrives. Archi automatically recognizes the date, vendor and amount — and suggests the right tags. Come April, your IRS paperwork is already done. Home Office & Business: Incoming invoices, delivery notes, contracts — Archi reads the document and proposes correspondent, document type and filing date without you lifting a finger. Medical & Insurance: Digitize EOBs, lab results, insurance policies and medical records securely. Your health data never leaves your device. No Wi-Fi? No Problem: Scan documents in the subway, in a basement archive or while travelling. Archi queues everything locally and syncs automatically when you're back online — unlike server-dependent alternatives. Homelab & Self-Hosting: Running Paperless-NGX on a Synology NAS, Proxmox, Docker or a Raspberry Pi? Archi was built for exactly your setup. No SaaS, no monthly fees, no vendor lock-in. ■ PRIVACY FIRST No account. No subscription. No cloud. Your documents stay on your device and your server — and nowhere else. All AI processing, all OCR, all metadata extraction runs exclusively on your iPhone. Archi never transmits document content to any external server — not Apple's, not Google's, not ours. ■ TECHNICAL DETAILS • AI models: Apple Intelligence (Foundation Models, iOS 27 and later) or Gemma 4 E2B INT4 (Google open weights) — both run fully on-device; Gemma via LiteRT, Metal GPU accelerated • OCR: Apple Vision Framework — free, offline, privacy-preserving • Backend: Paperless-NGX (self-hosted, URL and token fully configurable) • Offline queue: SQLite-based, zero data loss when offline • On-device AI: iPhone 15 Pro or newer, or an iPad with 6 GB RAM (M-series). Apple Intelligence does not cover every language Archi supports; Archi shows which in Settings, and Gemma 4 stays available for the rest. Scanning, uploading and your archive work on all supported devices — even without AI. • Runs on iPhone, iPad and Apple silicon Mac. Archi requires a self-hosted Paperless-NGX server.
Falz
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Falz is the document scanner that doesn't annoy you: no subscription, no account, no ads – and your documents stay yours. SCANNING THAT JUST WORKS • Automatic edge detection • Crop with four freely draggable corners and a magnifier loupe – skewed shots get straightened automatically • Grayscale, black & white and color filters • Multi-page documents in one go SEARCHABLE PDFS Every scan is saved as a PDF with an invisible text layer. Select, copy and search text – in Falz, in Files and in any other PDF reader. AI NAMING – ENTIRELY ON DEVICE Apple Intelligence reads the recognized text and suggests a title and category. "Scan 05/12" becomes "Utility bill March". Your document content never leaves your iPhone. YOUR ICLOUD, YOUR FILES Scans are stored with readable file names in your own iCloud Drive in the "Falz" folder, neatly sorted by category. No third-party servers – just PDFs in your cloud. SECURE Optionally lock the app with Face ID – nothing shows in the app switcher either. FALZ IS FREE Scanning, cropping, searchable PDFs, iCloud filing, Face ID lock and four categories – unlimited and free. 10 AI namings included to try. FALZ PRO – PAY ONCE, KEEP FOREVER • Unlimited AI naming • Full-text search across all documents • Custom categories in your own colors • All future Pro features included One-time purchase with Family Sharing. No subscription. Promise. PRIVACY Falz collects no data. No tracking, no analytics SDKs, no servers of ours. Details: falz.myappz.mobi/datenschutz
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Falz at none against Archi's 1. On price, update cadence, ads 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. Archi sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Falz asks for nothing beyond the download.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Archi | Falz |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 — better | 26.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 57 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Arne Stenmanns | Daniel Bartel |
In-app purchases
Archi
- Full Version$3.99
Falz
No in-app purchases








