Comparison

Sheaf vs DocLens

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

Head to head
About

Sheaf

This app offers offline document scanning, OCR, and organization with reminders. It allows importing various file types, searching text, and managing records using categories and tags, all while prioritizing local data processing for privacy.

Highlights
  • Offline OCR in 12 languages
  • Import PDFs, Word, Excel, TXT
  • Full-text search
  • Category and tag organization
  • Local reminders
  • Local-first privacy
  • Optional iCloud sync
Features
Read full description

Sheaf brings document scanning, offline OCR, file organization, and reminders into one workspace built around local processing. Capture paper or import photos, PDFs, Word, Excel, and TXT files, search extracted text, and organize records with categories, tags, notes, and reminders. IMPORT AND ORGANIZE • Import PDFs, Word, Excel, and TXT files from Photos or the system file picker without scanning them again. • Preview TXT content, see text-based thumbnails, and include it in full-text search while keeping the original file unchanged. • View categories as a list or grid, pin and reorder them by dragging, and choose icons and colors for categories and tags. SCAN AND ENHANCE • Detect document edges, correct perspective, and capture multiple pages in one flow. • Choose Original, Enhanced, Grayscale, or Black & White, then adjust edges, rotation, and page order. OFFLINE OCR IN 13 LANGUAGES • Supports Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Arabic, and Hindi. • OCR models are included with the app. Images and recognized text are not sent to a remote recognition server. • Copy recognized text or use full-text search to find information across your library. SMART ORGANIZATION AND REMINDERS • Use recognized content to help generate file names, dates, and category suggestions. • Build a filing system with categories, tags, notes, and full-text search. • Add local reminders for contracts, IDs, receipts, and other records that need attention. LOCAL-FIRST PRIVACY, iCLOUD SYNC, AND BACKUP • No Sheaf account or developer-operated server is required. Scans, imported files, OCR text, and search indexes stay on your device by default. • On iPhone and iPad, Pro users can optionally sync selected files through the private CloudKit database of their Apple ID. Sync is off by default, and private content has a separate off-by-default switch. • Pause sync or remove Sheaf’s iCloud records and assets without deleting local files. • Protect important categories with system authentication and hide sensitive files. • Create an encrypted local backup that you choose where to store and manage. FREE AND PRO Free includes scanning, import, viewing, basic editing, file management, and a cumulative 20-page local OCR trial. Sheaf Pro is a one-time purchase on this platform that unlocks the complete local Pro feature set, expanded OCR and organization tools, optional iCloud sync on iOS/iPadOS, private space, encrypted backup, advanced page tools, and watermark-free eligible shared copies. Purchases and restoration are handled by the App Store. There is no subscription or separate watermark product.

About

DocLens

Features
Read full description

DocLens is a fully offline frame-select OCR tool: draw a box, extract exactly the text you circled, and translate it on your device. The liability clause in a contract, the date on a court ruling, one verbatim line from an interview: you choose the block, it reads only that. Headers, footers, ads and noise are never touched. Key features: 1. Frame-select OCR: shoot or pick a photo, drag a box, and only the text inside is recognized. Low-confidence lines are dashed-underlined for line-by-line proofreading before translation. 2. Accurate recognition: selectable recognition languages with automatic per-line detection for mixed Chinese and English; handwriting and rotated text supported; Enhance and Retry rescues poor scans. 3. On-device translation: results are translated paragraph by paragraph for fluent output. Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, French, German and Spanish are supported, and language packs can be downloaded in advance. 4. QR and barcode scanning: frame a code to open URLs in an in-app browser, dial numbers, compose emails, open locations, or copy Wi-Fi passwords and contact fields. 5. Fully offline: recognition, translation and barcode scanning all run on your device. No account, no analytics, no cloud upload, and no network access from shutter to text. 6. Minimal permissions: DocLens never asks for full photo library access, only permission to save your exports. Data stays in the local sandbox and database. 7. Torch and Enhance Retry: turn on the light for close-up documents, and re-run recognition with boosted contrast when a scan comes out poorly. Membership: New users get a free 7-day trial, extendable once by another 7 days from the membership page. After the trial, you can still scan free once per day. VIP is a one-time purchase: no subscription, no ads, no tracking. Great for contract review, hearing and meeting notes, interview transcription, research excerpts, receipt and form data extraction, and translating foreign signs. Your files go nowhere. That is what makes DocLens different: it does not make decisions for you. It hands judgment back to you, and keeps privacy structural with on-device computing.

Screenshots

Sheaf4 screens
DocLens4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DocLens at none against Sheaf's 1. Sheaf's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 10 days) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and ads 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. Sheaf sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. DocLens asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sheaf ships an update every 3 days, DocLens every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
Sheaf versus DocLens: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSheafDocLens
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size168 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer闻俊 王涛 刘

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Sheaf

One-time1
  • Sheaf Pro Lifetime$9.99
None

DocLens

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sheaf free?
Sheaf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DocLens free?
DocLens is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Sheaf or DocLens have ads?
Neither Sheaf nor DocLens shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sheaf or DocLens?
Sheaf ships an update every 3 days, and DocLens every 10 days. Most recently, Sheaf was updated on October 11, 2026 and DocLens on October 6, 2026.

Other comparisons