Adobe Scan
Adobe's free mobile scanner that turns documents and whiteboards into searchable PDFs.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · iOS, Android
Is Adobe Scan free?
Free plan, plus paid plans
Switch from Adobe Scan to
All 4
CamScannerCompareFree plan + paid
Genius ScanUltra price: $39.99/year
Google DriveFree plan + paid
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 4
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Adobe Scan
Adobe Scan is a free iOS and Android app from Adobe that captures documents, forms, receipts, business cards and whiteboards with the phone camera and saves them as PDFs. It detects page edges, corrects perspective, removes glare and shadows and runs OCR so the resulting PDF is searchable and its text can be copied. Scans are stored in Adobe Document Cloud and open directly in Acrobat on mobile, web or desktop, which is where filling, signing, commenting and password protection happen. The scanner itself costs nothing and does not watermark output; the upsell is Acrobat's paid plans for combining files, converting formats and full PDF editing. It needs an Adobe account, and files go to Adobe's cloud, so people who want scans kept only on the device may prefer another app. A good fit for anyone already using Acrobat.
Best for: Acrobat users who want a free, watermark-free scanner feeding straight into their PDF workflow.
Adobe Scan pricing (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Each line is quoted from Adobe Scan's own site, with the page it came from.
| Plan or term | What it says | Checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to download | Nov 8, 2026 | adobe.com |
Pros and cons
What works
- Free to use with OCR included
- Opens scans directly in Acrobat for signing and editing
- Exports to PDF, JPEG or Word
Why people leave
- Requires an Adobe account and stores scans in Adobe's cloud
- Advanced PDF tools need a paid Acrobat plan
- No desktop version of the scanner itself
Adobe Scan vs CamScanner, Genius Scan and Google Drive
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | Adobe Scan | CamScanner | Genius Scan | Google Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid |
| Verified price | — | — | $39.99/year | — |
| Free plan | Yes | Basic scanning, limited OCR | Yes, unlimited scans | Yes |
| Open source | No | No | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS | iOS, Android, Web | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
Top Adobe Scan alternatives
See all 4- 1CamScanner68.8
Adds PDF conversion, desktop apps and more scan modes, if you don't mind quotas and a watermark on free.
- 2Genius Scan64.8
Keeps documents on your phone by default and needs no account to scan.
- 3Google Drive52.6
The Drive mobile app has a built-in scanner that saves searchable PDFs straight to your Google storage, at no extra cost.
- 4TuTurboScan42.3
Lightweight scanner that works without an Adobe account and keeps scans on the device.
Why people left Adobe Scan
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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Adobe Scan: common questions
What is Adobe Scan?
Adobe Scan: Adobe's free mobile scanner that turns documents and whiteboards into searchable PDFs. Best for acrobat users who want a free, watermark-free scanner feeding straight into their PDF workflow. Available for iOS and Android.
Is Adobe Scan free?
Adobe Scan has a free plan and paid plans.
How much does Adobe Scan cost?
Adobe Scan is free with paid plans. Price: Free to download. Checked on Adobe Scan's own site, November 2026.
Is Adobe Scan open source?
No, Adobe Scan is not open source.
What platforms does Adobe Scan run on?
Adobe Scan is available for iOS and Android.
What are the best alternatives to Adobe Scan?
The highest-ranked Adobe Scan alternatives right now are CamScanner, Genius Scan and Google Drive. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
Adobe Scan vs CamScanner: what's the difference?
Both Adobe Scan and CamScanner are free with paid plans. Only CamScanner runs on Web, Windows and macOS.