# PDF Converter vs Adobe Scan

The clearest difference is monetization model: Adobe Scan at free with in-app purchases against PDF Converter's subscription. Adobe Scan also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (1.6M vs 6K). PDF Converter's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Converter sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Adobe Scan sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Adobe Scan holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Adobe Scan has 1.6M ratings behind it against 6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of PDF Converter's written reviews are positive against 82% of Adobe Scan's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Converter | Adobe Scan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-converter-pdf-editor/id684119875/reviews) | **[4.9 (1.6M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adobe-scan-pdf-and-doc-scanner/id1199564834/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6K | **1.6M** |
| Positive reviews | 67.4% of reviews | **82.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#11** |
| Size | 468 MB | 400 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Techgear Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/524933495) | [Adobe Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/331646274) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Converter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-converter-pdf-editor/id684119875)

This app offers a comprehensive suite of tools for managing, editing, and converting PDF files. It allows users to merge, split, compress, and annotate documents, as well as fill forms and add digital signatures. Convert various file types to PDF and vice versa with ease.

**Highlights:** Merge, split, compress, rotate, unlock, watermark PDFs, Edit PDFs with text, shapes, comments, highlights, Annotate documents with drawing, text boxes, sticky notes, Convert JPG, Word, PPT, Excel, HTML to PDF, Convert PDF to JPG, Word, PPT, Excel, Fill PDF forms and add digital signatures, Password protection and encryption

**Features:** Vision Pro support, SharePlay, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Converter Pro with Editor | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Image to PDF Converter - PDF PRO | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Converter, Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| PDF Converter Documents To PDF | $29.99 | per year |
| PDF Converter Pro | $39.99 | per year |
| PDF Converter - Convert to PDF Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Unlock-Clipboard-text-editing | $0.99 | one-time |
| Fonts | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock-UnLimted Web To PDF | $0.99 | one-time |
| Dropbox,Box,Drive,SkyDrive and Evernote | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| PDF Annotation | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlockall | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Easy to use
- 📤 Convenient file sharing
- 🔒 Secure document handling
- 💡 Helpful features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔐 Paywall for full functionality
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 💸 Expensive subscription
- 🔍 Confusing navigation
- 📤 Issues with file exports

**Reported bugs**

- Conversion quality issues
- Orientation problems with PDFs
- Unreliable file saving
- Compatibility problems with older devices
- Frequent crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Improved file management options
- Seamless integration with cloud storage
- Enhanced PDF editing capabilities
- Customizable user interface
- Better customer support


### Adobe Scan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adobe-scan-pdf-and-doc-scanner/id1199564834)

**Currently charting:** #11 Top Grossing · Business, #41 Top Free · Business (US App Store)

Transform your mobile device into a powerful document scanner. Easily convert paper documents, receipts, and IDs into professional-looking PDFs or JPEGs. Enhance scans with automatic straightening, stain removal, and editable text conversion.

**Highlights:** High-speed bulk scanning, Convert paper to PDF/JPEG, Automatic straightening, Magic eraser for cleanup, Extract pages, Image to text OCR, Organize into folders

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adobe Scan Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| Adobe Scan Plus - Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Adobe PDF Pack | $9.99 | per month |
| Adobe Scan Premium - Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Adobe Scan Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Scan premium - monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Adobe Scan Plus - Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Adobe Scan Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Adobe Scan Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| Adobe Scan Premium | $59.99 | per year |
| Adobe Scan Premium | $69.99 | per year |
| Adobe Scan Premium | $69.99 | per year |
| Adobe PDF Pack | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🚀 Quick scanning
- 👍 Convenient for on-the-go
- 🚀 High-quality scans

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🐛 Issues with auto-cropping and alignment
- 🔒 Privacy concerns around cloud storage
- 💰 Expensive premium features

**Reported bugs**

- Scans not saving properly
- Compatibility issues with older devices
- Problems with multi-page document scanning

**Requested features**

- Add option to save scans locally without cloud sync
- Improve edge detection and auto-cropping accuracy
- Implement multi-language OCR support
- Allow manual control over scan settings and adjustments


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Converter free?

PDF Converter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Adobe Scan free?

Adobe Scan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PDF Converter or Adobe Scan?

Adobe Scan is rated higher. PDF Converter averages 4.4 out of 5 from 6K ratings, while Adobe Scan averages 4.9 from 1.6M ratings.

### Do PDF Converter or Adobe Scan have ads?

Adobe Scan shows ads; PDF Converter does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Converter or Adobe Scan?

PDF Converter ships an update fortnightly, and Adobe Scan fortnightly. Most recently, PDF Converter was updated on October 31, 2026 and Adobe Scan on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*