# Epson DocumentScan vs Simple Scan

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Simple Scan at 87% against Epson DocumentScan's 12%. Simple Scan also leads on rating (4.9 vs 1.8) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). Epson DocumentScan's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.4). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Scan sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Epson DocumentScan asks for nothing beyond the download.

Simple Scan holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Scan has 660 ratings behind it against 121, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 12% of Epson DocumentScan's written reviews are positive against 87% of Simple Scan's.

Epson DocumentScan ships an update every 3 months, Simple Scan every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 13, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Epson DocumentScan | Simple Scan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (121 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/epson-documentscan/id796829552/reviews) | **[4.9 (660 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-scan-quick-scanner/id6477965455/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 121 | **660** |
| Positive reviews | 11.5% of reviews | **87.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 21 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Seiko Epson Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/326876195) | [Agile Tortoise](https://appshunter.io/developer/331942785) |

## What reviewers say

### Epson DocumentScan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/epson-documentscan/id796829552)

Scan documents directly from your Epson scanner to your Apple device. Preview, edit, and organize scanned pages before sending them via email, to other apps, or to popular cloud storage services.  Transfer files to your PC using iTunes.

**Highlights:** Direct scanning to iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Edit scanned pages (rotation, re-ordering), Send files via email, Integrate with cloud services (Box, Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, OneDrive), Send data to PC via iTunes, Autosize and auto image type recognition

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Basic scanning functionality works
- 📱 WiFi connectivity available for mobile scanning
- 📄 Saves documents as PDF format
- ⚡ Quick setup process for compatible scanners
- 🎨 Works well with art canvas scanning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent WiFi connectivity issues
- ❌ Poor iOS/iPhone compatibility
- 🔌 Requires cellular data to be disabled on iOS devices
- 📤 Difficult file export and sharing functionality
- ⚙️ Missing advanced features compared to desktop app

**Reported bugs**

- App cannot find scanner even when connected to same network
- WiFi direct mode fails to establish connection
- App freezes on scanner search screen
- Crashes when attempting to save photos to camera roll
- Crashes when pressing 'scan more' during batch operations

**Requested features**

- Direct save to Files app and cloud storage (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive)
- OCR support for searchable PDFs
- Bulk export of multiple files at once
- Higher DPI scanning options (600 DPI or higher)
- Automatic double-sided page detection


### Simple Scan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-scan-quick-scanner/id6477965455)

Easily convert paper documents into searchable PDFs or images in seconds. This app offers a streamlined scanning experience without cluttering your existing notes, with options to share directly via email, messages, or other applications. Enjoy private, on-device processing with no ads.

**Highlights:** Scan documents to PDF or JPEG, Searchable PDFs with OCR, Share scans via email, messages, or system share sheet, Custom file destinations, File naming suggestions (Apple Intelligence required), On-device processing, No ads

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro - Annual | $9.99 | per year |
| Pro - Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great interface
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 No ads or privacy concerns
- 💡 Customizable workflows
- 👍 Simple and straightforward

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🔧 Cropping could be improved
- 🔧 Inability to name scans before saving

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on multi-page scans for some users
- Issues with importing files from other apps

**Requested features**

- Ability to tag scans
- Favorite file/app destination options
- More image adjustment tools


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Epson DocumentScan free?

Epson DocumentScan is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Simple Scan free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Epson DocumentScan or Simple Scan?

Simple Scan is rated higher. Epson DocumentScan averages 1.8 out of 5 from 121 ratings, while Simple Scan averages 4.9 from 660 ratings.

### Do Epson DocumentScan or Simple Scan have ads?

Neither Epson DocumentScan nor Simple Scan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Epson DocumentScan or Simple Scan?

Epson DocumentScan ships an update every 3 months, and Simple Scan every 3 weeks. Most recently, Epson DocumentScan was updated on August 13, 2026 and Simple Scan on September 21, 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.*