Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

iScanner vs Adobe Scan

iScanner 4.8★ · Free + IAP 60
Winner Adobe Scan
Adobe Scan 4.9★ · Free to download 75

Adobe Scan is generally preferred for its reliable scanning quality and ease of use, despite some recent frustrations with updates, while iScanner struggles with consistent complaints about its aggressive paywalls and intrusive ads.

Full reviews: iScanner · Adobe Scan

Adobe Scan offers high-quality, clear scans and is praised for its simplicity, though recent updates have introduced some usability issues. iScanner provides good scan quality but is heavily criticized for its confusing and expensive subscription model, intrusive ads, and difficulties with core functionalities like saving and sharing.

Head to head

Scanning Quality edge: Adobe ScanR3R6R13R14
iScanner iScanner users often praise its scanning quality, noting vibrant colors, nice alignment, and clear, polished results R3R14. However, some report faint scans when using the camera R6 and issues with handwriting conversion R13.
Adobe Scan Adobe Scan is highly regarded for producing crystal clear, crisp, and clean PDFs, with users consistently noting the high quality and readability of scans .
Ease of Use tieR5R9R12R15
iScanner Many iScanner users find the app easy, simple, and intuitive to use for scanning and creating PDFs R5. However, others describe it as slow, not very intuitive, and complicated, especially when trying to name or save documents R9R12R15.
Adobe Scan Adobe Scan is frequently praised for its simplicity, ease of use, and intuitive interface . Despite this, some users find it difficult to use, especially after updates, and wish for a simpler export process R66R78.
Reliability and Performance tieR4R12R14R28
iScanner iScanner is described by some as working like a charm and always doing what's needed R14. However, recent updates have led to complaints about the app being extremely slow, buggy, and having issues with sending emails R4R12R28.
Adobe Scan Adobe Scan is generally seen as reliable and performs scanning tasks above standards . Nevertheless, a significant number of recent reviews report issues with crashing, glitches, and bugs, especially after updates, making it unreliable for some users .
Price and Value edge: Adobe ScanR1R3R7R16
iScanner iScanner faces overwhelming criticism for its pricing model, with users calling it a 'scam' due to high weekly subscription costs R1R3R7. Many are frustrated by paywalls for basic features like saving or sharing documents, even after paying for a subscription R16R22.
Adobe Scan Adobe Scan is free to download, and many users appreciate its value, with some noting it doesn't charge a ton of money . However, there are complaints about paid features and the app pushing users towards subscriptions, with some finding premium too expensive R64.
Features and Functionality tieR5R9R13R22
iScanner iScanner offers features like compiling pictures into PDFs and cleaning up documents R5. However, users report difficulties with basic functions like naming and saving documents R9, converting handwriting to text accurately R13, and sending emails R28. Intrusive ads and paywalls also hinder functionality R22R36R44.
Adobe Scan Adobe Scan is praised for converting and saving documents, cloud uploads, and organizing documents . However, users are frustrated by the difficulty in exporting PDFs directly, often receiving links instead R64R66R78. Recent updates have also caused issues with the crop function and the ability to select and download multiple documents .
Pick iScanner if

You prioritize high-quality photo scanning with vibrant colors and alignment, and you are willing to navigate a complex pricing structure or only use the most basic free features R3R14.

Pick Adobe Scan if

You need consistently clear and crisp PDF scans for professional or personal use and appreciate a generally intuitive interface, even if recent updates have introduced some minor frustrations .

Evidence note: iScanner's reviews are heavily skewed by negative comments regarding its pricing model and intrusive ads, which overshadow many positive comments about its core scanning functionality. Adobe Scan has a higher lifetime rating, but recent reviews indicate a decline in satisfaction due to update-related bugs and export difficulties.

Frequently asked

Is iScanner truly free to use?
No, iScanner is not truly free to use for most practical purposes, as many users report that while it's free to download and scan, core functionalities like saving, sharing, or emailing documents are locked behind a paywall, often a weekly subscription that users find expensive and difficult to cancel R1R3R16R22.
Does Adobe Scan have issues with exporting PDFs?
Yes, several Adobe Scan users have recently reported difficulties with exporting PDFs, stating that the app often transmits a link instead of a direct PDF file, which can be inconvenient and feels like a push towards paid features R64R66R78R87.
Why do iScanner users complain about ads?
iScanner users complain about ads because they are intrusive, frequent, and disruptive, often appearing every other minute or having fake buttons, making the app difficult to use without interruption R22R36R44.

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] iScanner 3/5 · US Is it really worth the $12/week?: Don’t get me wrong - this app is leagues better for photoscanning than any other app I’ve tried. The colors are vibrant, and the images are nice and aligned. My only gripes are that it doesn’t tell you about the price until you try to share your scan, and that the price is twelve dollars per week (after the one week free trial). It can only reasonably be said to b
  2. [R6] iScanner 3/5 · GB Faint scan when using the camera: The scan is very user friendly but the images are faint
  3. [R13] iScanner 1/5 · US Convert to text: When I tried to convert my hand writing to text it didn’t do it the way it was written. Instead it reorganized the words, and erased a lot of the hand writing.
  4. [R14] iScanner 5/5 · US Great App: Works like a charm! Great quality scans. Very easy to use and very versatile!
  5. [R5] iScanner 5/5 · US Easy Peasy: I just took my pictures (scanned) and they were complied into a PDF!! Thank you for making a complex process “easy peasy!”.
  6. [R9] iScanner 3/5 · GB Scanning documents: It’s a shame you can’t name and save the documents, rather then forwarding them on first. Or if you can, I can’t see how
  7. [R12] iScanner 3/5 · GB Slow and not very intuitive: Very average
  8. [R15] iScanner 3/5 · GB Only just started: There’s a lot to learn , and remember
  9. [R4] iScanner 1/5 · US Horrible: Don’t use. Since the new update it’s extremely slow and not worth the effort.
  10. [R28] iScanner 1/5 · US Not sending my emails: Normally I would rate this a 5, because I have loved it. Until the last few days. I'm frustrated because I've tried to send some scanned docs to my other email & it's not working. I've tried this 6-7 times on different days hoping it was a glitch. It says it was sent, but never arrives. Please Help!
  11. [R1] iScanner 1/5 · US Don’t use this: You need to pay to be able to use it and it’s impossible to cancel your subscription.
  12. [R7] iScanner 1/5 · US UScamer: They think we are stupid, idiotic, weekly SUBscription; leave it
  13. [R16] iScanner 2/5 · US Not free to save a pdf scan: It's free to download the app, free to scan a document, but you can't do anything with the document once you scan it, can't even save it. So, not a free option to obtain a usable a PDF scan document.
  14. [R22] iScanner 1/5 · US ads suck: Dude this sucks. The ads are so intrusive and have fake buttons so you click on them. The scanning is whatever and it’s so many steps to just send myself an email and multiple scans under one batch is under a paywall. You’re a glorified camera app. Get over yourself (I’m mostly salty about ads. They are truly the worst)
  15. [R64] Adobe Scan 2/5 · US Useful, but feels intentionally difficult: Was looking to create a quick pdf, which the app did well. Getting that PDF was another story. Went to airdrop it to a computer to email, but instead of giving me the PDF it transmitted a link, which did not have download enabled. Feels like this could be easy, but Adobe wants to push you towards paid features instead of offering basic usability.
  16. [R66] Adobe Scan 3/5 · US Export PDF Needs Simplification.: Export PDF Needs Simplification. I don’t need a link, I need a PDF in my phone files.
  17. [R78] Adobe Scan 3/5 · GB Used to be better: I used to love using this app for scanning my expense receipt and turning them into PDFs but now it seems more difficult with the insistent AI features and my PDFs look worse / harder to transfer directly via airdrop. I just want the PDF.
  18. [R87] Adobe Scan 3/5 · GB Scans well: I would prefer to email a pdf rather than a cloud link. Instead I have to save pdf to files and then attach to email
  19. [R36] iScanner 1/5 · US Garbage: This is impossible to use. The ads are endless and the latest version has no exit for ads. Usually there’s a little 5-second countdown but not now. You have to close and reopen the app to finish a task. Total trash!
  20. [R44] iScanner 1/5 · US They became money hungry: This was the best app until recently. Now every other minute another ad pops up and disrupts your scan. In addition to this, even though I paid to have access to scans and I delete pages scanned, they want me to upgrade because my space is so called full. It was great for two years now it’s trash.

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