The best scanner apps for iPhone in 2026
Updated
The best scanner app for iPhone in 2026 is Doc Scanner by Ginowl: it turns paper into searchable PDFs on the free plan, with no ads, no watermarks and no sign-up, and it runs on any iPhone with iOS 15.5 or later. Doc Scanner is made by us, Ginowl, so we rank it first and say so up front.
We compared it with five more App Store scanners and with the free scanner already built into your iPhone's Notes app. Every fact about another app comes from its App Store listing, official help pages or a named review, linked under Sources and checked on October 1, 2026.
Scan with your phone camera to get the app
Doc Scanner by Ginowl — iPhone & Android · Free to download
Disclosure: Doc Scanner is made by us (Ginowl), so we rank it first. Other apps are described only from their store listings, official sites and the sources listed on this page.
1. Doc Scanner
Best for: anyone who wants clean, searchable PDFs on iPhone without ads or a forced account. Doc Scanner is made by us, Ginowl.
- Searchable PDFs on the free plan. Every PDF you export gets an invisible text layer automatically, so its words can be searched and copied in other apps.
- Spotlight finds your scans. Documents appear in iPhone Spotlight search by title and by their recognised text.
- No ads. No watermarks. No sign-up. An account is created for you automatically, and Apple or Google sign-in is optional.
- Point and shoot. In the camera, pick Document for one page or Batch for many: smart edge detection straightens each page and captures it for you. Add, reorder or delete pages later.
- ID card front and back on one page (Premium). Switch the camera to ID Card, choose Both Sides, and get one tidy A4-style page. Here's how to scan an ID card.
- Text from any photo with Extract Text (Premium): AI-powered recognition runs on your iPhone, works offline and uploads nothing for recognition.
- Free signatures. Draw once, save, then place and resize on any page.
- Bring files in. Import photos (several at once) and PDFs, or send a PDF to Doc Scanner with Open in.
- Export your way. PDF or JPG; TXT and Word (.docx) with Premium; PowerPoint (.pptx). Choose Low, Medium or High quality, Original, A4 or Letter, and which pages to include, then share or print. Lock PDFs with AES-256 encryption (Premium).
The same app runs on Android too, so a mixed-phone family or team uses the same steps. Doc Scanner is free to download with a free plan; Premium is an optional subscription. More on the scanner app for iPhone.
2. Genius Scan
Best for: a no-frills free scanner if you don't need text recognition.
Genius Scan by The Grizzly Labs has a free Basic plan with batch scanning, perspective correction and auto-capture, no watermark, no third-party ads and no account. Its text recognition runs on the device, but searchable PDFs, text recognition and PDF passwords need a paid plan. Its help centre says signing isn't supported inside the app and points to the separate Genius Sign app. The current version requires iOS 17 or later.
Why Doc Scanner ranks higher: searchable PDFs and signatures are on the free plan, it runs on iOS 15.5 or later, and its ID card mode puts both sides on one page (Premium).
3. Scanner Pro
Best for: iPhone and iPad owners who want Readdle's workflow and automation tools.
Scanner Pro by Readdle is an Apple-only app (iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro), and the current version requires iOS 18. Readdle says its free version adds a watermark to exported scans, and that text recognition, signatures, merging files and PDF passwords come with the Scanner Pro Plus subscription for new users. Its text recognition runs on the device. Front and back of an ID are saved as a two-page PDF rather than one page.
Why Doc Scanner ranks higher: no watermark, searchable PDFs, signatures and merging on the free plan, support back to iOS 15.5, and an Android version.
4. Adobe Scan
Best for: people who already use Adobe Acrobat on other devices.
Adobe Scan is free to download, with an optional Premium subscription. It has Document, Book, Whiteboard and Business card modes, plus an ID card mode that puts both sides on one page. TechRadar's 2025 review says you need an Adobe ID and have to log in before using it, and Adobe's iOS guide says scans are saved to Adobe cloud storage. Adobe lists more text recognition capacity, combining files and password protection among the Premium extras. The current version requires iOS 18.
Why Doc Scanner ranks higher: no sign-up, scanning and text recognition happen on your iPhone, merging documents is free, and it runs on iOS 15.5 or later.
5. CamScanner
Best for: the longest feature list, if ads don't bother you.
CamScanner by INTSIG requires iOS 15 or later and offers an ID card mode, file conversions and text recognition in many languages. Its App Store listing says it contains advertising, and by default its PDFs carry a “Scanned by CamScanner” watermark; CamScanner let US users remove it without a subscription in November 2022. Its privacy policy says files you choose for text recognition or online storage are collected and processed.
Why Doc Scanner ranks higher: no ads, no watermark, and text recognition that stays on your iPhone. More in CamScanner vs Doc Scanner.
6. iScanner
Best for: extra modes such as math and object counting on the newest iOS.
iScanner by BP Mobile includes its PDF editor and e-signatures in the free version, with no iScanner watermark according to its own Free vs Pro table. That table also lists text recognition as unavailable for free users and says batch scanning isn't available in the free iOS version. It has a both-sides ID card mode. The current version requires iOS 18.
Why Doc Scanner ranks higher: multi-page scanning without a subscription, searchable PDFs on the free plan, and support for iPhones on iOS 15.5 or later.
The built-in Notes scanner
Every iPhone already has a free scanner. Apple's iPhone User Guide (iOS 26 and iOS 27) explains it: open a note, tap the Attachments button, then Scan Documents. The camera captures the page when it detects the edges, you can scan more pages, and the result is saved as a PDF inside the note. Notes search also finds text in scanned documents. The Files app has Scan Documents too, and since iOS 26 so does Preview.
For a quick page now and then, Notes is often enough. A dedicated scanner earns its place when you need more:
- ID card front and back on one page (Doc Scanner Premium). Apple's Notes, Files and Preview guides describe page-by-page capture and no ID card mode.
- A text layer in every exported PDF, automatically, on the free plan. Apple's Notes and Files guides don't mention one in exported scans; Preview adds one only if you turn on Embed Text at export, an option Apple documents for iOS 27.
- Word, TXT and PowerPoint. Doc Scanner exports Word (.docx) and TXT (Premium) and PowerPoint (.pptx) as well as PDF and JPG.
- Export control. Choose quality, page size (Original, A4 or Letter) and exactly which pages to send.
- One app for the whole job, from scan to filters, highlighter, signature and export, with the same app on Android.
Step-by-step help for both routes: how to scan documents on iPhone.
Comparison table (sourced)
Checked on October 1, 2026, against each app's App Store listing, official site or help centre (links under Sources). “Free” means the free plan or free version. The iOS column shows what the current version requires.
| App | Current iOS needed | Ads (free) | Watermark (free) | Searchable PDF / text recognition | ID card both sides on one page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doc Scanner | iOS 15.5 | No | No | Searchable PDFs free; Extract Text is Premium; on the device | Yes (Premium) |
| Notes (built in) | Built into iOS | None documented | None documented | Notes search finds text in scans; Live Text needs iPhone XS/XR or later | Not documented |
| Genius Scan | iOS 17 | No third-party ads | No | Paid plans; on the device | Not documented |
| Scanner Pro | iOS 18 | No ad label | Yes | Plus subscription; on the device | Two-page PDF |
| Adobe Scan | iOS 18 | No ad label (Google Play) | None reported | Free on shorter scans; more with Premium | Yes |
| CamScanner | iOS 15 | Yes | By default (US users can remove it) | Cloud OCR, metered with credits | Yes |
| iScanner | iOS 18 | None, per its own table | No | Pro only | Yes |
| SwiftScan | iOS 15 | Yes | Yes | Paid upgrade; on the device | Not documented |
| Tiny Scanner | iOS 15 | Yes | None documented | Paid plans | Double-sided mode, one file |
Best free scanner app for iPhone
Doc Scanner is free to download and has a free plan for scanning, signing and exporting PDFs. That plan includes automatic edge detection, all six filters (Original, Magic Color, Grayscale, B&W, Lighten, Contrast), crop and rotate, signatures, the highlighter, PDF export with a searchable text layer, JPG export, printing, folders and merging. Premium unlocks text extraction, ID card mode, Word and TXT conversion and password-protected PDFs.
Other good free routes: Genius Scan's Basic plan (clean, but text recognition is paid) and Apple's own Notes scanner. Watch out for free versions that stamp a watermark on your exports, as Scanner Pro, SwiftScan and, by default, CamScanner do. The full list is in the best free scanner apps.
Older iPhones: what still runs
Scanner apps keep raising their minimum iOS version. Here's what the current version of each app requires, according to its App Store listing on October 1, 2026:
- iOS 18 or later: Scanner Pro, Adobe Scan, iScanner
- iOS 17 or later: Genius Scan
- iOS 15.5 or later: Doc Scanner
- iOS 15 or later: CamScanner, SwiftScan, Tiny Scanner
- iOS 13 or later: TurboScan (its listings mention no text recognition)
On an older iPhone, Apple may still offer the last compatible version of an app, though it can lack newer features. Apple's own tools have limits too: Live Text needs an iPhone XS, iPhone XR or later, and Preview needs iOS 26 (iPhone 11 or later). Doc Scanner gives an iPhone on iOS 15.5 or later the full current app: multi-page scanning, searchable PDFs, signatures and, with Premium, ID card mode and text extraction. Not sure which version you have? Open Settings, then General, then About. Using Android as well? See the best scanner apps for both platforms.
Scan your first document in seconds
Doc Scanner is free to download for iPhone and Android. No ads, no watermarks, no sign-up required.
Scan with your phone camera to get the app
Frequently asked questions
What is the best scanner app for iPhone?
Our pick is Doc Scanner by Ginowl (made by us). It makes searchable PDFs on the free plan, with no ads, no watermarks and no sign-up, shows your scans in Spotlight search, and runs on iOS 15.5 or later. Genius Scan is a good free alternative if you don't need text recognition, and Scanner Pro suits Apple-only users who want Readdle's automation on a subscription.
What is the best free scanner app for iPhone?
Doc Scanner is free to download and has a free plan for scanning, signing and exporting PDFs. Premium unlocks text extraction, ID card mode, password-protected PDFs and more. Apple's built-in Notes scanner is also free, and Genius Scan's Basic plan is free without text recognition.
Does iPhone have a scanner built in?
Yes. In the Notes app, tap the Attachments button in a note, then Scan Documents; the scan is saved as a PDF in the note. The Files app can scan too, and Preview can from iOS 26. A dedicated app like Doc Scanner adds an ID card mode with both sides on one page (Premium), Word and TXT export (Premium), PowerPoint export, and a text layer in every exported PDF.
Which scanner apps still work on older iPhones?
Doc Scanner needs iOS 15.5 or later. CamScanner, SwiftScan and Tiny Scanner list iOS 15, TurboScan lists iOS 13, while the current Genius Scan needs iOS 17 and the current Scanner Pro, Adobe Scan and iScanner need iOS 18 (App Store, October 1, 2026).
Can an iPhone scanner app put both sides of an ID card on one page?
Yes. Doc Scanner's ID card mode (Premium) scans the front and the back and combines them on one A4-style page that you can export as a PDF or JPG, share or print. Apple's Notes guide describes no ID card mode: each capture becomes its own page.
Sources
- Apple Support: How to scan documents on your iPhone or iPad (February 2026) (checked 2026-10-01)
- Apple iPhone User Guide (iOS 26 and iOS 27): scan text and documents in Notes (checked 2026-10-01)
- Apple iPhone User Guide (iOS 26 and later): scan documents in Files (checked 2026-10-01)
- Apple iPhone User Guide (iOS 26 and later): get started with Preview (checked 2026-10-01)
- Apple iPhone User Guide (iOS 27): export or compress PDFs and images (Embed Text) (checked 2026-10-01)
- Apple iPhone User Guide (iOS 26 and later): search notes (checked 2026-10-01)
- Apple Support: Live Text device requirements (checked 2026-10-01)
- Apple iPhone User Guide (iOS 26): iPhone models compatible with iOS 26 (checked 2026-10-01)
- Genius Scan on the App Store (checked 2026-10-01)
- Genius Scan: official pricing page (checked 2026-10-01)
- Genius Scan help: quick start guide (ad-free, no watermarks) (checked 2026-10-01)
- Genius Scan help: account management (checked 2026-10-01)
- Genius Scan help: text recognition (OCR) (checked 2026-10-01)
- Genius Scan help: sign and annotate your scans (checked 2026-10-01)
- Scanner Pro on the App Store (checked 2026-10-01)
- Readdle help: use Scanner Pro for free or subscribe (checked 2026-10-01)
- Readdle blog: scan and store ID documents (free version watermark, two-page ID PDFs) (checked 2026-10-01)
- Readdle help: Scanner Pro text recognition (on-device) (checked 2026-10-01)
- Adobe Scan on the App Store (checked 2026-10-01)
- Adobe Scan on Google Play (checked 2026-10-01)
- Adobe Scan for iOS user guide: sign-in options (checked 2026-10-01)
- Adobe Scan for iOS user guide: taking scans, ID card mode and Adobe cloud storage (checked 2026-10-01)
- Adobe Scan for iOS user guide: subscriptions and Premium features (checked 2026-10-01)
- TechRadar: Adobe Scan review (July 2025) (checked 2026-10-01)
- CamScanner on the App Store (checked 2026-10-01)
- CamScanner blog: removing the watermark without a subscription (US users, November 2022) (checked 2026-10-01)
- CamScanner privacy policy (last updated 2026-07-20) (checked 2026-10-01)
- iScanner on the App Store (checked 2026-10-01)
- iScanner support: Free version vs Pro version (checked 2026-10-01)
- iScanner blog: both sides of an ID card on one page (checked 2026-10-01)
- SwiftScan on the App Store (checked 2026-10-01)
- SwiftScan help: premium features (iOS) (checked 2026-10-01)
- SwiftScan help: SwiftScan Plus OCR (checked 2026-10-01)
- Tiny Scanner on the App Store (checked 2026-10-01)
- Tiny Scanner blog: scanning ID cards and passports (checked 2026-10-01)
- Zapier: the best mobile scanning and OCR apps (updated October 2024) (checked 2026-10-01)
- TurboScan Pro on the App Store (checked 2026-10-01)
Doc Scanner is not affiliated with Apple, Scanner Pro, Readdle, Genius Scan, The Grizzly Labs, Adobe, Adobe Scan, CamScanner, INTSIG, iScanner, BP Mobile, SwiftScan, Maple Media, Tiny Scanner, TinyWork Apps, TurboScan and Piksoft. Trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Related pages
- Best scanner appsThe best scanner apps for iPhone and Android in 2026, compared on ads, watermarks, sign-up and free searchable PDFs. Every competitor fact is sourced.
- Best for AndroidThe best scanner apps for Android in 2026, ranked: Doc Scanner, Google Drive, Adobe Scan, Genius Scan, CamScanner. Sourced facts on ads, watermarks, OCR.
- Best free scannersThe best free scanner apps for iPhone and Android, ranked by what each free version includes: ads, watermarks, searchable PDFs, signatures and sign-up.
- iPhone scanner appDoc Scanner is a scanner app for iPhone that turns paper into searchable PDFs that Spotlight can find. Free to download. No ads, no watermarks, no sign-up.
- Scan on iPhoneStep-by-step: scan a document on iPhone with Notes or Files, or with Doc Scanner for searchable multi-page PDFs, ID cards on one page and more export formats.
- Scan ID cardsScan both sides of an ID card onto one page with Doc Scanner for iPhone and Android. Front and back on one A4-style PDF or JPG, ready to print or share.