CamScanner
by INTSIG Information Co., Ltd. · Utilities & Tools · File & Scanner
A widely-used document scanning app available on both platforms with OCR and collaboration features.
Quick Answer: CamScanner has a verified Real Score of 3.2/5 based on 45,000 verified reviews, compared to its App Store rating of 4.5/5. Mixed reviews from verified users.
Real Score vs App Store Rating
App Store Rating
Includes unverified reviews
Verified Real Score
Based on 45,000 verified reviews
Gap Alert: CamScanner's App Store rating is 1.3 points higher than its verified Real Score. This suggests that some store reviews may be inflated by fake or incentivized ratings.
Pros & Cons
What Users Love
- Cross-platform availability
- Good OCR in multiple languages
- Document collaboration
- Free tier is functional
Common Complaints
- Had malware incident in 2019
- Aggressive ads on free tier
- Privacy concerns (Chinese company)
- Watermarks on free scans
Verified Reviews (20)
Works well but I don't trust it
The scanning quality is good and OCR handles multiple languages well. But the 2019 malware incident and being a Chinese company means I hesitate to scan sensitive documents.
Ads are incredibly aggressive
Full-screen ads between scans, banner ads in the library, popup ads when exporting. The free experience is an ad bombardment. Pay for premium or suffer through constant interruptions.
Multi-language OCR is excellent
OCR supports Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and European languages accurately. For multilingual document scanning, CamScanner's language support is broader than most competitors.
Watermark on free scans is tacky
Adding a CamScanner watermark to free tier scans is embarrassing when sharing documents professionally. A scanner that brands your documents unless you pay is not a good look.
Collaboration features are useful
Sharing documents with team members for review and annotation. The collaboration aspect sets it apart from basic scanners. For team workflows this adds real value.
Privacy concerns are real
After the malware incident in 2019 where the app delivered a trojan through ads, trust is permanently damaged. Using a scanner with that history for sensitive docs feels risky.
Scan quality has improved
Recent updates improved edge detection and image processing. Scans look cleaner and more professional than they did a year ago. The technical quality keeps getting better.
Free tier has too many limitations
Limited scans per day, watermarks, ads, and restricted export options. The free tier feels designed to frustrate you into paying rather than giving you a usable product.
Document management is okay
Folder organization and search work fine. Tag system helps find documents. Not as polished as Scanner Pro but functional for organizing your scanned documents.
ID scanning mode is handy
The dedicated ID scanning mode captures both sides of an ID card onto one page. For identity verification workflows, this specific feature saves time and looks professional.
Export options are decent
PDF, JPEG, Word, and Excel export options. The Word conversion from scanned documents is surprisingly good. Having multiple export formats adds flexibility.
Premium price isn't competitive
At $5/month when Scanner Pro charges similar for a better product, and Google Drive scans for free, the premium pricing doesn't match the value. Too expensive for what you get.
Book scanning mode works
The book scanning feature that handles page curvature and auto-splits two-page spreads is useful for digitizing physical books. Niche but well-implemented.
Math formula recognition
CamScanner can recognize and extract mathematical formulas from scanned documents. For students and academics, this specific capability is genuinely unique.
Battery drain is noticeable
The app running in the background drains battery more than expected. Even when not actively scanning, it seems to be doing something. Check your battery usage after installing.
Cloud storage is included
Free cloud storage for your scans with sync across devices. The amount isn't generous but having cloud backup for scanned documents is better than local-only storage.
Handwriting recognition works sometimes
The handwriting OCR is hit or miss. Clean handwriting gets recognized well but anything messy is garbled. Useful when it works but don't rely on it for critical documents.
Widely used so everyone knows it
CamScanner is so popular that when I share scans, people already know the app. The ubiquity means fewer questions about scan quality or format compatibility.
Too many permissions requested
The app asks for permissions that a scanner shouldn't need. Phone call access? Contact access? These permission requests combined with the privacy history are red flags.
If you need cross-platform, its an option
CamScanner's biggest advantage is working on both iOS and Android with cloud sync between them. If you switch between platforms regularly, the cross-platform support matters.
Showing 1-20 of 12,847 reviews
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Last updated: April 2026