Comparison

PDF Expert vs PDF Document Scanner

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

Head to head
About

PDF Expert

This app allows you to edit, annotate, fill out forms, and convert PDF documents. It offers AI-powered summarization and analysis, along with tools to merge, sign, and protect your files. Work seamlessly across Apple devices with a user-friendly interface.

Highlights
  • Edit PDF text and images
  • Annotate and highlight PDFs
  • Fill out PDF forms
  • Convert files to and from PDF
  • AI-powered summarization and analysis
  • Merge and combine PDF files
  • Sign documents with e-signatures
Features
Read full description

Unlock your potential with a fast and easy PDF Expert app with all the features you need in a well-designed and intuitive user interface. BEST FOR iPHONE, iPAD, MAC & VISION PRO Read PDF files easily, highlight and annotate PDFs, fill out forms, convert any file to PDF, merge several files into one, add notes, summarize and navigate PDF documents in seconds with AI-powered tools. Unlock unlimited possibilities with PDF Expert Premium features and work across all your Apple devices, effortlessly letting you complete any PDF task on the go. “PDF Expert is one of my must-have iPad apps and a desktop-class PDF reader.” – MacStories “The best app for managing, editing, and reading PDFs on your iPad.” – The Sweet Setup ▶ WITH PDF EXPERT, YOU CAN: READ PDFs WITH JOY • Pick Day, Night, or Sepia mode and enjoy reading anytime, anywhere. • Enjoy both vertical and horizontal scrolling. • Export PDF files from email, web, or any app that supports the Apple system-wide Share menu • Use Text to Speech to hear the selected text read out loud HIGHLIGHT AND ANNOTATE PDFs • Mark important info in books using colors, text, or stickers • Add stamps such as Approved, Confidential, etc. • Record your voice and add it to the doc FILL OUT FORMS • Fill out PDF forms using interactive text fields, checkboxes, and radio buttons • All the major form formats support, including acro forms and static XFA forms ***PREMIUM FEATURES *** EDIT PDFs DOCS EASILY • Edit or modify existing text directly in a PDF – just as you would in a Word document • Add links: link any part of the text or image to a different page or website • Add outlines to big PDFs to simplify navigation for hundreds of pages • Easily add, replace, and resize images in your PDFs SUMMARIZE AND ANALYZE HUGE PDFs WITH PDF COPILOT – YOUR SMART AI ASSISTANT • List Main Points – instantly scan and highlight key takeaways from any PDF • Summarize – get concise summaries of entire PDFs, or annotations • Ask Anything – find specific details with AI-powered answers and references • Explain – no more Googling! Get instant, contextual explanations of words or phrases MERGE AND COMBINE PDFs • Merge and combine multiple PDF files into one • Add, delete, and rearrange pages with a thumbnail preview • Rotate and reorder pages in PDFs EDIT SCANNED DOCUMENTS • Access the scanned PDFs that you’ve created using PDF Expert • Open your scans to fill out, sign, comment, and share CONVERT FROM AND TO PDF • Convert PDFs to Word, Excel, PPT, JPG/PNG, TXT, and vice versa • Converts any file in seconds SIGN DOCUMENTS • Use e-signatures to sign contracts on the go • Create custom stamps or import one from the images PROTECT YOUR FILES • Restrict access to PDF Expert with a password • Permanently blackout or erase sensitive information like credit card numbers • Secure and Safe trusted brand software COMPRESS PDFs • Compress large PDF files to save space on your device • Merge several files into one and compress it to reduce the file size CONSTRUCTION TOOLS • Scale and measure drawings using our Measure tab • Polygon and polyline shapes • Redline tools COLLABORATE ON THE GO PDF Expert provides the best platform for paperless collaboration between team members. Annotate and add notes in project materials, fill and sign contracts and invoices, and exchange files via email or cloud on the go. OTHER AMAZING FEATURES: • Fully customizable toolbar • Create a Link (drag and add a landing page or a Web) • Presentation Mode • Print and Share ONE ACCOUNT FOR ALL YOUR APPLE DEVICES Now, you don’t need to purchase Mac and iPhone & iPad versions separately. PDF Expert introduces a single Premium subscription for all your Apple devices. Read more about our terms and conditions here: https://pdfexpert.com/privacy https://pdfexpert.com/terms Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at http://readdle.com/contact

About

PDF Document Scanner

This app transforms your mobile device into a powerful scanner and document manager. It allows you to extract contact information, create searchable PDFs, and organize your files with folders and tags. Edit, sign, and share documents securely, optimizing your workflow from anywhere.

Highlights
  • Automatic document detection and correction
  • Extract contact info from business cards
  • Create searchable PDFs with OCR
  • Sign, edit, and share documents
  • Organize with folders and tags
  • Secure with Face ID/Touch ID
  • iCloud synchronization
Features
Read full description

Turn paper into searchable PDFs in seconds. Scan, fill, sign, and organize documents on iPhone, iPad, and Mac — with on-device processing that never leaves your Apple devices. Captize is your personal document library. Capture receipts, contracts, IDs, and paperwork, then find anything later with full-text search. No extra account. Sync with iCloud. SCAN • Automatic edge detection, crop, perspective, and exposure correction • Batch scanning and high-definition captures • Searchable PDFs with on-device OCR • Smart titles from document content, with Apple Intelligence • Import photos, files, and whole folders EDIT & SIGN • Fill out forms • Add signatures, markups, and comments — Apple Pencil on iPad • Reorder, split, merge, and export pages • Password-protect private PDFs ORGANIZE • Folders, subfolders, tags, and notes • Instant full-text search across names, notes, and document content • Reminders on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch • Widgets and Shortcuts for scan and search BUSINESS CARDS • Auto-extract name, company, email, and phone • Save to Contacts and search by person or company APPLE-NATIVE & PRIVATE • iCloud sync across your devices — no extra login • Optional auto-upload to iCloud Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or WebDAV • Lock the app with Face ID or Touch ID • Image processing and OCR run on-device Terms https://www.mwaretechnologies.com/products/captize/terms-and-conditions-en Support support@mwaretechnologies.com

Screenshots

PDF Expert4 screens
PDF Document Scanner4 screens

Verdict

The call

PDF Expert and PDF Document Scanner both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 82% of PDF Document Scanner's written reviews are positive against 46% of PDF Expert's. PDF Document Scanner also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). PDF Expert's advantage is ratings volume (216K vs 118) and chart position (#64 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. PDF Expert sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and PDF Document Scanner sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for PDF Expert against 4.7 for PDF Document Scanner. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDF Expert has 216K ratings behind it against 118, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 46% of PDF Expert's written reviews are positive against 82% of PDF Document Scanner's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, PDF Document Scanner every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
PDF Expert versus PDF Document Scanner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF ExpertPDF Document Scanner
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (216K ratings)4.7 (118 ratings)
Positive reviews46.0% of reviews82.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings216K — better118
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#64 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size307 MB31 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperReaddle Technologies LimitedMWare Technologies AS

Customer experience

PDF Expert

All ratings215,851 ratings
Positive92.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews1,135 reviews
Positive46.0%
Neutral7.4%
Negative46.6%

PDF Document Scanner

All ratings118 ratings
Positive91.5%
Neutral4.2%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews50 reviews
Positive82.0%
Neutral6.0%
Negative12.0%

Bugs and requests

PDF Expert

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Corrupted PDFs after editing
  • Sync issues with cloud storage providers
  • Unexpected loss of annotations and edits
  • Unreliable performance on older iPad models

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improved palm rejection for Apple Pencil
  • Customizable toolbar and annotation presets
  • Better integration with other productivity apps
  • More flexible file management and organization
  • Ability to create fillable PDF forms

PDF Document Scanner

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

PDF Expert

Subscriptions9
  • PDF Expert Premium Trial7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • PDF Expert Premium No Trial$9.991 Month
  • PDF Expert for Education7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Show 6 more
  • PDF Expert Premium7 Days trial3 variants$49.991 Year
  • PDF Expert Premium New7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • PDF Expert Premium Existing7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • PDF Expert – Premium Editing1 Year trial$49.991 Year
  • PDF Expert Mac & iOS Pro7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • PDF Expert Mac & iOS7 Days trial$79.991 Year
One-time1
  • PDF Expert Basic$9.99
4 purchases

PDF Document Scanner

Subscriptions3
  • PRO Scanner weekly3 Days trial$1.497 Days
  • PRO Scanner monthly$2.991 Month
  • PRO Scanner Yearly$22.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Version UnlimitedFree

Questions

Is PDF Expert free?
PDF Expert is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PDF Document Scanner free?
PDF Document Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PDF Expert or PDF Document Scanner?
PDF Expert and PDF Document Scanner are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 216K and 118 ratings respectively.
Do PDF Expert or PDF Document Scanner have ads?
Neither PDF Expert nor PDF Document Scanner shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Expert or PDF Document Scanner?
PDF Expert ships an update fortnightly, and PDF Document Scanner every 5 days. Most recently, PDF Expert was updated on September 24, 2026 and PDF Document Scanner on September 20, 2026.

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