Comparison

Author vs SendScan

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

Head to head
About

Author

This app serves as a companion to its macOS counterpart, offering a minimalist and powerful writing experience on iOS devices. It allows users to create and manage their written content seamlessly across platforms.

Highlights
  • Minimalist writing interface
  • Powerful writing tools
  • iOS companion app
  • Syncs with macOS version
Read full description

The iOS companion to Author macOS.

About

SendScan

Streamline document scanning with automated workflows. Scan, rename, email, and save documents with a single tap. Features OCR for searchable PDFs and text extraction, all with a focus on user privacy and local storage.

Highlights
  • Automated scanning workflows
  • OCR for searchable PDFs
  • Text extraction to .txt files
  • Email and Message sharing automation
  • Intelligent file renaming
  • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets
  • Private iCloud sync
Features
Read full description

Stop doing the same thing after every scan. SendScan combines a powerful multi-page document scanner with OCR and automation workflows: scan, rename, email, save... one tap, fully automatic! Private iCloud sync. No accounts. No analytics. Optimized for iOS & iPadOS 27. SCAN ONCE, AUTOMATE EVERYTHING Stop wasting time on repetitive tasks after scanning. Create custom workflows that automatically: • Save to specific folders: Route documents to the right place instantly • Email directly: Send scans to clients, colleagues, or yourself with pre-filled subjects and messages *; multiple recipients are supported and you can either type in their address or pick from your device's Contacts • Share via Messages: Like for email, add recipients and share via Messages automatically * • Share seamlessly: Use the system share sheet to send documents anywhere • Rename intelligently: Apply naming patterns with timestamps, dates, and custom tokens • Chain actions: Combine multiple steps into a single tap • Optionally delete after the workflow completes * A confirmation tap before sending is required by iOS. OCR & SEARCHABLE PDFs Make your scans searchable and extract text automatically, privately on-device: • Searchable PDFs: Enable automatic OCR to create PDFs with invisible, selectable text layers with per-word accurate position in search • Text extraction: Every OCR'd scan includes a companion .txt file for easy text access • TXT viewer: View and search recognized text with highlighting and font controls • Share plain text: Quickly share extracted text without the PDF • Manual OCR: Add text recognition to existing PDFs with one tap • Workflow integration: Automatically attach .txt files when emailing or sharing • Quality control: Save as PDF (multi-page) or JPG (one per page) with adjustable quality and compression WIDGETS, SHORTCUTS & QUICK ACTIONS Scan and run workflows without opening the app: • Home Screen widgets: One-tap access to your most-used workflows • Recent documents widget: See thumbnails of your latest scans • Lock Screen widgets: Scan from your Lock Screen • Control Center: Add scanning to your quick actions • App icon Quick Actions: Long-press the app icon to scan or run pinned workflows • Pin workflows: Add your favorite workflow to the center toolbar button for instant access • Shortcuts integration: Build advanced automations with Apple Shortcuts SMART FILE MANAGEMENT • Grid or list views: Choose your preferred browsing style • Rename and organize: Flexible file management with naming templates • Multi-select: Batch operations for efficiency PRIVACY YOU CAN TRUST Your documents belong to you, period. • Zero analytics or tracking: No telemetry, no third-party libraries • Local-first storage: Documents stay on your device • Private iCloud sync: Your data syncs via your personal iCloud Drive with Apple's encryption; the developer cannot access your files • No account required: No sign-ups, no data collection FREE TO START, PRO WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK Free tier: • Unlimited scanning • Run each default workflow 3 times to try them out SendScan Pro (yearly subscription or lifetime unlock): • Create unlimited custom workflows • Chain multiple actions in a single workflow • Full automation power, without limits • Lifetime unlock includes Family Sharing: Share with up to 5 family members OPTIMIZED FOR iOS & iPadOS 27, compatible with iOS and iPadOS 26. Designed with Apple's Liquid Glass visual language and fine-tuned for iOS & iPadOS 27, for a beautiful, modern experience on iPhone and iPad. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://cdf1982.com/privacy/sendscan_privacy_policy.html

Screenshots

Author4 screens
SendScan4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SendScan at Free against Author's $19.99. SendScan also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.0). Author's advantage is ratings volume (5 vs 1) and device support (4 vs 2). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

SendScan is free to download; Author costs $19.99 up front. Author sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and SendScan sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SendScan holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Author has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Author ships an update every 2 months, SendScan every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Author versus SendScan: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAuthorSendScan
Price$19.99Free — better
Rating3.0 (5 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews73.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.026.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Augmented Text Company LTDCesare Forelli

Customer experience

Author

All ratings5 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative40.0%
Written reviews134 reviews
Positive73.1%
Neutral6.7%
Negative20.1%

SendScan

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Author

Reported bugs

20 issues
  • App crashes frequently, causing data loss
  • iOS app shows blank screen and won't open documents
  • iPad app completely non-functional
  • Text disappears or becomes greyed out during iCloud saves
  • Vision OS app lacks cursor for text input
Show 15 more
  • Ask AI feature shows infinite loading spinner
  • Unexpected Russian pricing text displayed to US users
  • App doesn't launch or open on some systems
  • Files not detected in Downloads folder
  • Cannot open documents created in desktop version on iOS
  • Automatic file conversion to Liquid format breaks iOS compatibility
  • Text rendering issues (white text on white background)
  • Table function broken - cannot write in cells
  • App lags and deletes lines when typing quickly
  • Highlight feature not working
  • Citations not resolving automatically
  • Markdown export only exports preamble
  • Copy-paste functionality issues
  • French localization not working despite being advertised
  • App not compatible with iOS 18 and latest macOS versions

Requested features

20 requests
  • iPad and iOS app that actually works
  • Typewriter scrolling mode
  • Variable screen width for large displays
  • Complete LaTeX export with full file support
  • Markdown support
Show 15 more
  • Better image handling and integration
  • Find and replace functionality
  • Dark mode for older macOS versions
  • Inline predictive text support
  • Nested list creation and editing
  • Paragraph indentation options
  • Photo support on macOS version
  • Keyboard shortcut reference guide
  • Table editing improvements
  • Integration with reference management software (Zotero, EndNote)
  • Local AI endpoints or BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) for privacy
  • Better onboarding and UI guidance for new users
  • Typeface options (Courier, American Typewriter, serif fonts)
  • Line spacing options (1.5, double spacing)
  • Color themes and dark mode options

SendScan

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Author

One-time2
  • Export & AIFree
  • Eng$1.99
2 purchases

SendScan

Subscriptions1
  • SendScan Pro 1 year$4.991 Year
One-time1
  • SendScan Pro Lifetime$9.99

Questions

Is Author free?
Author costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is SendScan free?
SendScan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Author or SendScan?
SendScan is rated higher. Author averages 3.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while SendScan averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Author or SendScan have ads?
Neither Author nor SendScan shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Author or SendScan?
Author ships an update every 2 months, and SendScan every 5 weeks. Most recently, Author was updated on September 22, 2026 and SendScan on September 21, 2026.

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