CamScanner
Phone scanner app that turns paper into PDFs, with OCR, PDF conversion and cloud sync.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS
Is CamScanner free?
Free plan, plus paid plans
- Free plan:
- Basic scanning, limited OCR
Checked on CamScanner's site Nov 1, 2026
Switch from CamScanner to
All 6
Adobe ScanCompareFree plan + paid
Genius ScanUltra price: $39.99/year
Microsoft OneDriveStarting price: $19.99 a year or $1.99 a month (Microsoft 365 Basic)
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 6
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About CamScanner
CamScanner, made by INTSIG, is one of the most widely installed document scanner apps. You point your phone at a page, receipt, ID card or whiteboard and it detects the edges, fixes perspective and cleans up shadows and creases before saving a PDF or image. Beyond scanning it bundles a lot: OCR text extraction, PDF to Word and Excel conversion, merging and splitting, e-signatures, watermarks and cloud sync between phone, web and desktop. The free tier handles basic scanning and sharing but limits OCR and adds a CamScanner watermark to exports; Premium removes ads and watermarks and raises monthly OCR and conversion quotas. It runs on iOS, Android, the web, Windows and macOS. People who only need occasional, private scans may find it heavy, since most of its extras depend on an account and cloud processing.
Best for: People who scan often and want OCR, PDF conversion and sync across phone and computer in one app.
CamScanner pricing (checked Nov 1, 2026)
Each line is quoted from CamScanner's own site, with the page it came from.
| Plan or term | What it says | Checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Basic scanning, limited OCR | Nov 1, 2026 | camscanner.com |
Pros and cons
What works
- Strong edge detection and image cleanup
- OCR plus PDF to Word, Excel and PPT conversion
- Syncs scans across phone, web and desktop
Why people leave
- Free exports carry a watermark
- OCR and conversions are capped by monthly quotas
- Many features need an account and cloud processing
CamScanner vs Adobe Scan, Genius Scan and Microsoft OneDrive
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | CamScanner | Adobe Scan | Genius Scan | Microsoft OneDrive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid |
| Verified price | — | — | $39.99/year | $19.99 a year or $1.99 a month (Microsoft 365 Basic) |
| Free plan | Basic scanning, limited OCR | Yes | Yes, unlimited scans | Yes |
| Open source | No | No | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS | iOS, Android | iOS, Android, Web | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
Top CamScanner alternatives
See all 6- 1Adobe Scan68.8
Free scanner with OCR and no watermark, tied into Acrobat for editing and signing.
- 2Genius Scan64.8
Free tier has no watermark or scan limits, and documents stay on the phone unless you export them.
- 3Microsoft OneDrive62.8
OneDrive's mobile app scans documents, whiteboards and receipts to PDF and files them in your Microsoft 365 storage.
- 4
Google Drive52.6Drive's mobile app has a free built-in document scanner that saves cropped PDFs straight into your Drive.
- 5
Apple Notes48.9Built into iPhone and iPad, it scans multi-page documents with automatic cropping for free and syncs them over iCloud.
Why people left CamScanner
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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CamScanner: common questions
What is CamScanner?
CamScanner: Phone scanner app that turns paper into PDFs, with OCR, PDF conversion and cloud sync. Best for people who scan often and want OCR, PDF conversion and sync across phone and computer in one app. Available for iOS, Android, Web, Windows and macOS.
Is CamScanner free?
CamScanner has a free plan and paid plans. Free plan: Basic scanning, limited OCR (checked on CamScanner's own site).
How much does CamScanner cost?
CamScanner is free with paid plans. Free plan: Basic scanning, limited OCR. Checked on CamScanner's own site, November 2026.
Is CamScanner open source?
No, CamScanner is not open source.
What platforms does CamScanner run on?
CamScanner is available for iOS, Android, Web, Windows and macOS.
What are the best alternatives to CamScanner?
The highest-ranked CamScanner alternatives right now are Adobe Scan, Genius Scan and Microsoft OneDrive. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
CamScanner vs Adobe Scan: what's the difference?
Both CamScanner and Adobe Scan are free with paid plans. Only CamScanner runs on Web, Windows and macOS.