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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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The verdict on

Scanner Mini

45
User verdict / 100 High confidence Divided

Scanner Mini, while historically praised for its ease of use and quality, is being phased out by its developer, leading to significant user frustration over forced migration to a paid 'Pro' version and loss of previously purchased features.

4.9★ lifetime (21,204) Free + in-app purchases since 2012 by Readdle Technologies Limited updated 9.8 mo ago recent negative 15% 120 reviews across 4 regions
App Sunset/Forced Migration Free Version Limitations Ease of Use Performance & Stability Scan Quality
5★410
4★38
3★16
2★14
1★70
recent reviews across 4 regions, vs the 4.9★ lifetime average

Scanner Mini by Readdle is a document scanning app that has been widely appreciated for its simplicity and efficiency in digitizing documents. However, recent updates indicate the app is being sunsetted, with users being pushed towards the subscription-based Scanner Pro, causing widespread dissatisfaction among long-time users and those who made in-app purchases.

What users like

  • Easy to use and practical for quick document scanningR3R5R9R11
  • Produces good quality scans and helps organize documentsR3R5R13R19
  • Convenient for sharing documents via email or other appsR3R7R17R19
  • Long-term users have found it reliable for many yearsR12R19R27R40

What users complain about

  • Developer is phasing out the app, forcing users to migrate to a paid subscription model (Scanner Pro)R14R15R3R79
  • Previously purchased lifetime packs or features are no longer honored, leading to frustration and feeling scammedR15R79R257
  • Free version is severely limited, often preventing users from saving or sharing scans without payingR104R111R114R120
  • Auto-capture function is inconsistent or not working well for many usersR31R42R59R148
  • App experiences crashes, freezing, and general instability, especially after updates or with newer iOS versionsR33R112R124R223
  • Scan quality can be poor, with issues like blurriness, distortion, poor edge detection, and shadowsR42R76R83R123
  • Some users report issues with documents not saving or being retrievable after updatesR44R139
  • Watermarks are now being added to scans, even for previously paid usersR71R74R257
  • OCR functionality is not included in the free version or sometimes not available even after upgradingR126R311

Latest update · v8.26.2

What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):

We continue the gradual sunset of Scanner Mini. With this update, support for paid users is being phased out. If you’ve been with us on this journey — thank you! We truly appreciate your support over the years. If you have questions or need assistance, feel free to contact us at [email protected].

Recurring themes

App Sunset/Forced Migration negative
Many users are upset that Scanner Mini is being phased out and they are being forced to move to the subscription-based Scanner Pro, often losing previously paid features or lifetime purchases. This contradicts the developer's notes which mention 'support for paid users is being phased out' but users report losing access or features.R3R14R15R79
Free Version Limitations negative
A significant number of reviews highlight that the 'free' version is essentially useless as it prevents saving, sharing, or exporting documents, requiring users to pay for the 'Pro' version to access basic functionality.R104R111R114R120
Performance & Stability negative
Users report frequent crashes, freezing, and general instability, especially with auto-capture not working reliably. Some issues are linked to iOS updates, making the app unusable for some.R31R33R42R59
Scan Quality mixed
While some users praise the quality, others complain about blurry scans, distortion, poor edge detection, and difficulty removing shadows. The quality seems to have degraded for some over time.R5R13R24R35
Ease of Use positive
Many reviewers consistently highlight the app's simplicity, practicality, and user-friendly interface for scanning and organizing documents.R3R5R9R11

Who it's for

This app was for users who needed a simple, reliable, and efficient tool for scanning documents on the go R7R17. It was particularly useful for those who appreciated its ease of use and organizational features R3. However, given the developer's decision to sunset the app and push users to a paid subscription, it is no longer recommended for new users or those who prefer a free or one-time purchase model R15R79.

Evidence note: The recent reviews heavily skew negative due to the app's sunsetting and the forced migration to a paid model, which directly contradicts the overwhelmingly positive lifetime rating. The developer's notes explicitly state the app is being phased out and support for paid users is ending, which is the primary driver of negative sentiment in the recent reviews.

Frequently asked

Is Scanner Mini still supported?
No, Scanner Mini is being gradually phased out by the developer, Readdle, with support for paid users also being phased out (Developer Notes, R14, R15).
Can I still use Scanner Mini for free?
While the app can be downloaded for free, the free version is severely limited and often prevents users from saving, sharing, or exporting scanned documents without paying for an upgrade or the 'Pro' version R104R111R114R150.
What happens to my documents if I had Scanner Mini?
Some users reported that their documents were not saved or retrievable after updates R139, and the new 'Pro' app may not automatically transfer previous documents R14.
Does Scanner Mini add watermarks to scans?
Yes, recent updates have caused watermarks to be added to scans, even for users who previously paid for the app R71R74R257.
Does Scanner Mini have OCR?
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is not included in the free version, and some users reported not having it even after upgrading R126R311.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R3] 5/5 · US Sad to see it go: Not looking forward to paying for an alternative
  2. [R5] 5/5 · US Práctica, sencilla y de calidad: Me encanta la practicidad, en cuestión de segundos puedo escanear los documentos desde mi celular, y la calidad de la imagen impresiónante! Me ayuda increíble esta app!
  3. [R9] 5/5 · US Excellent: Simple and easy to use.love it
  4. [R11] 5/5 · US Awesome: 10 plus- easy to use And handy
  5. [R13] 5/5 · US Love it: Easy to use and files come out with great resolution.
  6. [R19] 5/5 · US Great: Works well. I been using this app for over 15 years. And it stood strong through out the years 😅. So easy to scan and send. I can organize different files. Have all my important document in here. ID. Insurance…Love it
  7. [R7] 5/5 · US Seamless: This app has made my personal and business life extremely easy especially being on the go.
  8. [R17] 5/5 · US Essential Tool: I’m a lawyer this app is a “must have” for all my clients. It streamlines sharing documents.
  9. [R12] 5/5 · US Scanner Mini: Love this app. I’ve been using it for 7 years and it still hasn’t failed me. Definitely a 10-star app!!💪🏾
  10. [R27] 5/5 · US Awesome: Great app had it for 10 years now!!!
  11. [R40] 5/5 · US Works great!!: I have had this app for a few years and use it regularly to scan and email or fax. It works great.
  12. [R14] 2/5 · US HELLO? What happened?: Love this app UNTIL TODAY. What do you mean there’s no more Scanner Mini??? I downloaded the new Pro app but what happened to all previous documents??
  13. [R15] 1/5 · US Force users to buy Scanner Pro: I purchased the full pack of Scanner Mini in 2022 as this it is a lifetime pack. Today the app notifies that the Mini app will not be available after Jan. 1, 2026, forcing users to move to its subscription-based Scanner Pro with an offer of 6-month free subscription. Guess why I purchased the lifetime mini full pack?? That’s because I didn’t and still don’t want t
  14. [R79] 1/5 · US Careful, fraudsters!: I bought the app in 2014. The paid version removed the watermark limit and cost $2 then. The app was recently updated, and my purchase was canceled. Support does not respond or do anything. · translated
  15. [R257] 1/5 · GB Disappointed with most recent update: Unsure why my scans will now have a watermark when I previously paid for the app! Will be uninstalling
  16. [R104] 1/5 · US Don’t use this ever!!!: You can do everything g up to the end, then wants your money. Never again chief! Much better apps out there that don’t pull this tihs. Bad business model
  17. [R111] 3/5 · US Not really free. Pay to export.: Disappointing... It’s “free” to download but you can’t actually export the scans (which is the whole point) unless you pay for the pro.
  18. [R114] 1/5 · US Completely Useless: Cannot do anything without buying the upgrade. Cannot even access the photos it’s has taken from outside of the app. This doesn’t do anything I can’t already do with the native Camera App, and with that I can do more including creating an eventual PDF.
  19. [R120] 1/5 · US Not usable: You have to buy thePro version to export the pdf file off the iPad mini device...useless tome.
  20. [R31] 1/5 · US Auto capture does not work: This app (and Scanner Pro) only works intermittently. The auto-capture function essentially does not work. When it does detect a book or document it can’t hold on long enough to take a picture/scan. I’ve tried uninstalling and reinstalling, and rebooted my phone several times. My only option is to look for a scanning app that actually does what its developers claim it w
  21. [R42] 2/5 · US Worse and worse: I’ve been using this app for several years now and paid for the upgrade to pro. However, I am less and less satisfied with its performance. For example, when scanning, the app constantly says “get closer”, even when the image to scan is filling the screen. Auto-capture only works in ideal conditions. Also, the edge detection is very poor. it’s almost impossible to scan white text
  22. [R59] 3/5 · US Automatic image capturing: I generally happy with this app though. Automatic image capturing function is getting much worse in last few updates. It worked great few years ago.
  23. [R148] 1/5 · US Scanner 🙄: I set it up as auto and I still have to scan the information sheet manually.
  24. [R33] 1/5 · US software untouchable and quits accidentally: very bad experience and i payed for this
  25. [R112] 1/5 · US CAUTION: DO NOT BUY! No longer works: Just had spinning wheel. Broken on new iOS. DO NOT BUY!
  26. [R124] 1/5 · US Doesn’t work: Still doesn’t work with iOS 14...
  27. [R223] 1/5 · US crashes! crashes! crashes!: really horrible experience to use this application. three times, there will be one time to crash! low quality application indeed.
  28. [R76] 2/5 · US So much that’s not good: I don’t know why I’m even giving it 2 🌟! It doesn’t work as smoothly as others- there’s some strange bouncing around it has to do before settling randomly around my document somewhere. A couple good scanners integrate nice editors but not this.
  29. [R83] 2/5 · US Distortion issues: Don’t waste your money on upgrade for emailing, etc. Copy goes through very small. When you blow it up to normal piece of paper size (9.5 x 11) it is very blurry and distorted.
  30. [R123] 3/5 · US It does the job, but not very well: Pros: it works, fairly easy to use Cons: poor quality and finicky. Also will only allow so many attachments at a time to be emailed and glitches occasionally
  31. [R44] 1/5 · US Does not work.: Even though I paid for permanent use, the app has not worked for a year. I cannot save multiple scans; for some reason, only one is saved. There are also problems with sending files. · translated
  32. [R139] 3/5 · US Rating: Initially this was efficient and useful. Later when I updated it all of my documents weren’t saved or retrievable. Therefore I am give it 3stars. Otherwise a good app when paired with a PDF app.
  33. [R71] 2/5 · US Used to love this: Used to rave about this app until they put. “Mini scanner” watermark at the bottom of each page. What the heck! For $29.99 I get to remove it for a year. Thanks for nothing.
  34. [R74] 1/5 · US Putting water mark?: Too as
  35. [R126] 3/5 · US OCR not included in free version: I only downloaded this to do a quick down and dirty OCR job on a few files, and it looks like i have to pay to be able to use the OCR feature. Other than that, I suppose it’s clean and simple, seems to function well. It’s very snappy and responsive, I like the layout and what it looks like. Very clean. I was able to crop easily, works excellent and fast. But no OC
  36. [R311] 1/5 · GB Upgrade not providing OCR: I've had Scanner Mini for a while which works OK but I decided to upgrade to get OCR functionality. But the app seems not to have changed and I still don't have OCR.
  37. [R24] 5/5 · US Best scanner app: This app has literally saved my life so many times. It is better than a real scanner. It even color correct for black-and-white or any color actually, I have been using this app for years and actually I can’t live without it. Don’t look any further this is the only one you need.
  38. [R35] 5/5 · US Love it!: So easy to use and great quality scans.
  39. [R150] 1/5 · US Nothing is free: You can scan but need to pay to get it.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store