# InstaScan vs mScanner

The clearest difference is monetization model: InstaScan at free with in-app purchases against mScanner's subscription. InstaScan also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (1.9K vs 418). mScanner's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (83% vs 60%). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. InstaScan sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 3 months and mScanner sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

InstaScan holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.9K and 418 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 60% of InstaScan's written reviews are positive against 83% of mScanner's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

InstaScan ships an update every 2 months, mScanner fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | InstaScan | mScanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instascan-scan-documents/id992057760/reviews)** | [4.3 (418 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mscanner-pro-pdf-scan-app/id1439290223/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.9K** | 418 |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **83.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 90 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lemondo Apps LLc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1131593451) | [Madduck](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435773822) |

## What reviewers say

### InstaScan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instascan-scan-documents/id992057760)

Transform your iPhone into a powerful scanner. Easily capture, sign, and export documents as PDFs or JPEGs. Features AI-powered text extraction, summarization, and smart title suggestions for scanned content.

**Highlights:** Scan documents quickly, Add signatures, Export as PDF/JPEG, AI text extraction, AI content summarization, Automatic edge detection and cropping, Multipage document creation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Subscription 3 month | $7.99 | per 3 months |
| Pack VIP | $17.99 | per year |
| Pro Version | $39.99 | one-time |


### mScanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mscanner-pro-pdf-scan-app/id1439290223)

Transform your phone into a powerful scanning device. Create new documents, add text and signatures, and convert scans to PDF. Share your files instantly via various communication apps.

**Highlights:** Scan documents, receipts, and IDs, Create new documents with text and signatures, Extract text from photos (OCR), Fill forms with handwriting font, Convert scans to PDF, Store and organize documents, Share documents via multiple apps

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| mScanner Pro | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Document Scanner App | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| mScanner Pro | $19.99 | per month |
| mScanner Pro | $19.99 | per month |
| mScanner Pro | $19.99 | per month |
| mScanner Pro | $24.99 | per 3 months |
| mScanner Pro | $39.99 | per year |
| mScanner Pro | $39.99 | per year |
| mScanner Pro | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Convenient for scanning documents
- ✨ Good quality scans
- 💻 Useful for business and personal use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔑 Misleading about being free
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🚫 Unable to cancel subscription

**Reported bugs**

- App won't open or function properly
- Scanning issues and failed uploads

**Requested features**

- Add free version or trial period
- Improve subscription management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is InstaScan free?

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

### Is mScanner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, InstaScan or mScanner?

InstaScan is rated higher. InstaScan averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.9K ratings, while mScanner averages 4.3 from 418 ratings.

### Do InstaScan or mScanner have ads?

InstaScan shows ads; mScanner does not.

### Which is updated more often, InstaScan or mScanner?

InstaScan ships an update every 2 months, and mScanner fortnightly. Most recently, InstaScan was updated on October 15, 2026 and mScanner on October 20, 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.*