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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

iScanner vs CamScanner

iScanner 4.8★ · Free + IAP 65
Winner CamScanner
CamScanner 4.8★ · Free + IAP 70

CamScanner has a slight edge due to its slightly higher lifetime rating and similar user complaints about pricing and ads, but both apps face significant recent negative feedback.

Full reviews: iScanner · CamScanner

Both iScanner and CamScanner are popular document scanning apps with high lifetime ratings, but recent reviews for both are heavily skewed negative due to aggressive subscription models, intrusive ads, and issues with core functionality like sending documents. While CamScanner has a slightly higher lifetime rating and more reviews, both apps struggle with user satisfaction regarding their monetization strategies.

Head to head

Scanning Quality & Core Features tieR3R5R14R29
iScanner iScanner users generally praise its scanning quality, noting vibrant colors, nice alignment, and ease of compiling documents into PDFs R3R5R14R29. However, some report faint scans when using the camera and issues with OCR accuracy, particularly with handwriting .
CamScanner CamScanner is also lauded for its scanning capabilities, with users finding it easy to use and effective for converting documents to PDF and sharpening pixelation . However, recent updates have led to complaints about washed-out scans and a decline in the enhance feature's quality due to AI implementation .
Ease of Use & Interface tieR5R11R23R31
iScanner Many iScanner users find the app easy, simple, and intuitive to use, praising its straightforward process for scanning and sending documents R5R11R23R31. Conversely, some users describe it as slow, not very intuitive, and complicated, particularly regarding saving and sending documents .
CamScanner CamScanner is frequently described as easy to use and convenient for sending documents . However, some users find it not easy and frustrating, especially with navigation and pop-ups .
Reliability & Performance tieR2R19R57R4
iScanner iScanner generally works well for many users, with some reporting years of reliable use R2R19R57. However, recent updates have led to significant issues like extreme slowness R4, inability to send emails , and problems with cloud downloads .
CamScanner CamScanner is praised for its reliability by long-term users . However, recent issues include documents disappearing after updates , failure to email PDFs , and documents getting stuck during upload .
Price & Value tieR3R7R18R42
iScanner iScanner faces severe criticism for its pricing model, with users complaining about high weekly subscription costs R3R7R18R42, hidden paywalls for saving or sharing scans R1R16R20, and difficulty canceling subscriptions R1R52R58. Many feel it's a scam due to these practices R42.
CamScanner CamScanner also receives extensive negative feedback regarding its pricing, with users reporting unexpected annual subscription renewals R61, high weekly charges after free trials , and features like sending multiple PDFs or removing watermarks being paywalled after initial payment R107. Users feel tricked into subscriptions .
Ads & User Experience tieR22R36R44R41
iScanner iScanner users are highly frustrated by intrusive and endless ads, often with fake buttons, that disrupt the scanning process and force app restarts R22R36R44. Some also report forced reviews to proceed with work R41.
CamScanner CamScanner is heavily criticized for an excessive number of pop-up ads, including full-screen ads and propaganda, even for paying subscribers R63. Users find these ads frustrating and disruptive to their workflow .
Pick iScanner if

Pick iScanner if you prioritize a straightforward, easy-to-use interface for basic scanning and PDF creation, and are willing to navigate its subscription model or use it for limited free functionality R5R14R31.

Pick CamScanner if

Pick CamScanner if you need a widely used scanner with a strong history of organizing files and converting documents, and are prepared for potential subscription costs and ad interruptions .

Evidence note: The evidence for both apps is heavily skewed by recent negative reviews focusing on monetization and ads, despite high lifetime ratings. Many positive reviews are short and generic, while negative ones are detailed and express significant frustration.

Frequently asked

Are iScanner and CamScanner truly free to use?
Neither iScanner nor CamScanner are truly free to use for full functionality; both offer free downloads but quickly introduce paywalls for essential features like saving, sharing, or removing watermarks R1R16R20R107. iScanner charges as much as $12/week after a free trial, and CamScanner has been reported to charge $6.99/week or $59.99/year R3R42.
Do these apps have intrusive ads?
Yes, both iScanner and CamScanner are heavily criticized for intrusive and frequent ads, including full-screen pop-ups and those with fake buttons, which disrupt the user experience even for paying subscribers R22R36R44R63.
Are there issues with subscriptions and cancellations?
Yes, both apps have significant issues with subscriptions and cancellations; users report being charged unexpectedly after free trials, difficulty finding cancellation options, and automatic renewals without prior notification R1R52R58R61.

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. [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!”.
  3. [R14] iScanner 5/5 · US Great App: Works like a charm! Great quality scans. Very easy to use and very versatile!
  4. [R29] iScanner 5/5 · US Best mobile scanner: It’s outright the best quality scanner I’ve used. I paid for other mobile scanners before this but IScanner beats them all by far.
  5. [R11] iScanner 5/5 · US Great app!: This app has saved me a lot of time!! I love it.
  6. [R23] iScanner 5/5 · US Awesome App: It’s very simple to use and produce great documents
  7. [R31] iScanner 5/5 · US Great PDF Scanner!: Love this simple app for creating pdf docs!
  8. [R2] iScanner 5/5 · US Very useful: I have used the app for years and I am very happy with it.
  9. [R19] iScanner 5/5 · US Great App scanner: Love this for the past 7 yrs
  10. [R57] iScanner 5/5 · US Great to use: I have used it for years and love it.
  11. [R4] iScanner 1/5 · US Horrible: Don’t use. Since the new update it’s extremely slow and not worth the effort.
  12. [R7] iScanner 1/5 · US UScamer: They think we are stupid, idiotic, weekly SUBscription; leave it
  13. [R18] iScanner 1/5 · US Cost: Too expensive overall. Every thing is at an add in cost weekly.
  14. [R42] iScanner 1/5 · US Scamming people: Be ware it pops up a box for trial which charges you $4.99 every week after you clicked it without knowing it. Every week until you find out where did the charge comes from, eventually. I deleted the app. Scam! Make sure you go through your credit statement after you downloaded this app.
  15. [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)
  16. [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!
  17. [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.
  18. [R41] iScanner 5/5 · US Forced review: I would have given the app a 5-star rating, but the option for completing it “later” was not an option. It won’t let me move forward with work until I stop and do this review. Price for that - 2 stars.
  19. [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.
  20. [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.
  21. [R20] iScanner 1/5 · US Scam: Paywall, scam garbage
  22. [R107] CamScanner 1/5 · US Absolute garbage.: It isn’t possible to compress the images from the app into a pdf file without purchasing the premium subscription. You can barely do anything without buying the stupid subscription. It also prompts you to buy it with almost every click you make. Do not purchase the stupid subscription ever. Do not support the creators of this app. They don’t deserve it. The only positive thing a
  23. [R63] CamScanner 3/5 · US To many advertisement: To many advertisement
  24. [R52] iScanner 1/5 · GB Makes the cancel button for the pro trial absurdly hard to find: Clearly just trying to trick people into paying for another subscription, the lack of integrity from apple is to be expected but still very poor.
  25. [R58] iScanner 1/5 · GB Terrible app!: Will not allow me to cancel my subscription! Keeps throwing out a message no internet connection though I have connection 😡
  26. [R61] CamScanner 1/5 · US Scamcanner: These jerks renewed my annual subscription without letting me know in advance that I would not receive all or most of the benefits included in the subscription last year when I signed up for it. Though the service in general is helpful, I cannot at all recommend the subscription because the developers are obviously not trustworthy.

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