Almost all businesses in this day and age are shifting away from paper documents and using digital files instead, in order to save time and money. There are several apps that are available for both Android and iOS devices that can convert paper documents into digital versions that can be accessed from anywhere. In an age when there are so many apps on the market, how do you know which ones to choose? In this article, we are here to talk about the top scanner apps available for both iOS and Android devices in terms of popularity.
Best free scanner app
The top free scanner app for both Android and iPhone is PDF Element. This app has many different things in one app. It allows scanning as well as tools for editing your documents in the app itself. There are also various tools available for converting PDF documents into other file types or other file types into PDF files. Another benefit this app has is the option to sign your name in different places as well as fill out information on your scanned documents. Another feature that this scanning app has is the ability to translate your documents into multiple different languages. There are lots of free options for anyone to use, but there are also options for a 6 month subscription plan and a 1 year subscription plan.
Best paid scanner app
There are various scanner apps that are free to use, but there are also apps that you can pay for in order to get more features, tools, and benefits. The app we are about to talk about here is Swift Scan. Swift Scan has a lot of different tools available for editing PDF files and other documents. It also has a fax feature that allows you to send faxes to multiple countries. Swift Scan lets you scan a variety of types of items such as documents, barcodes, QR codes, whiteboards, labels, and many other items. There are five different color modes that you can choose from to make the document more to your liking. This app is available for both iOS and Android, just like the previously mentioned app.
Top four scanner apps for iPhone or iOS
Scanner app
Scanner App can capture and share files in PDF, JPG, and Word formats. It allows you to merge different files together after scanning them to better organize your documents. Scanner App is similar to PDF Express in that you can scan your signature. This app also has the ability to convert your iPhone photos to PDF format. Scanner App is suitable for students and people who work in small offices. This app is free, but there are options for in-app purchases that start at $2.99.
Stock document scanner
This one is not an app, but the iPhone has a simple scanner that is built into their system. This function is basic and easy to use without taking a lot of time to learn how it works. It takes care of basic scanning, but it does not have the other features and tools to help with editing or converting documents. Your documents appear right away and are ready for sharing right after scanning, which can be a positive. This function is already built into the phone. Therefore, there is no need to download an app or pay for a scanning feature if you just need to scan a few pages here and there.
Scanner unlimited
This app gives you a simple scanning process with high quality documents. It allows for multiple signatures on any document, which is a plus if you have multiple places to sign on any given document. There is a 3-day trial, but then you need to purchase a plan to keep using it. Scanner Unlimited allows you to scan documents, QR codes, barcodes, and business cards. You can also convert documents into different file types. This app has the ability to share documents across multiple different apps, such as WhatsApp, messages, Gmail, Facebook messenger, and many others. There is also the option to send your scanned documents as a fax.
Genius scan
Genius scan has the ability to remove shadows and correct distortions while scanning your documents. You have the option to scan multiple documents in one file through the batch scanning feature. Genius scan allows you to export documents to multiple different apps and services as well. This app is free with the option of in-app purchases starting at $0.99.
Top four scanner apps for Android
Adobe scan
This scanning app is easy to use and free of ads in both the free version and the paid version. It has excellent scanning quality and includes 5 different scanning modes. These scanning modes include document, whiteboard, business card, ID, and book. It allows you to change the order of pages, add pages, clean up your document, crop it where it is needed, and many more options for easy, clean editing. You can also turn your photos from your photo library into a scanned PDF file and save your scanned documents to your photos as JPG images. Although the free version of Adobe Scan only gives you a limit of 25 pages per file, it isn’t that big of a deal if you don’t typically need files with more than 25 documents.
Microsoft Lens
Microsoft Lens offers four different scanning modes. These modes include whiteboard, business card, photo, and document. It allows you to extract printed or handwritten text without the need to create a whole scanned image. Business card mode enables you to export your documents to OneNote. Microsoft Lens also allows you to scan multiple pages, and has a lot of different editing tools available for you to use. Unlike some of the other apps, Microsoft Lens lets you annotate your files directly in the app. You can upload your files directly to OneDrive, Word, OneNote, and PowerPoint. This scanning app is especially helpful for Office and OneDrive users because it integrates so well with other Microsoft apps.
Google Drive scanning feature
This is not technically an app. However, Google Drive does have a scanner feature that can come in handy if you only have a few things to scan and upload once in a while. This option has very limited scanning features, making it less ideal for someone who has to scan or edit documents more often. The most helpful thing is that enhancements are automatically applied to your documents after uploading them to Google Drive. This means less work for you when it comes to editing your documents. This feature is most suitable for people who just need a basic scanning feature for occasional use. If you need to scan documents more often than from time to time, then one of the apps that were mentioned previously might be a better option for you instead.
Cam Scanner
Cam Scanner is another app that works well for Android users. This scanner app is fast and accurate, as well as allowing you to add text to an uploaded image. This means that you can upload an image and put text on top of the image without having to export it to a different app. Cam Scanner also allows you to adjust the curve effects of your document in order to get the scanned image just right.
Just like some of the other apps mentioned above, Cam Scanner enables you to scan texts directly from other images or objects. Scanned documents can also be converted to PDF or exported as an image in JPG format. In Cam Scanner’s free version, you get free cloud storage of up to 500 MB. The free version puts a small watermark on all images.
The only way to get those off is to upgrade to the premium version of the Cam Scanner app. The premium features include password protection for your PDF files, exporting images as a Word file, the ability for digital email signatures, the option to remove the watermark, and many more features.
Conclusion
As a result, there are a range of apps that can be used to scan your documents depending on the type of scanner you need, the device that you own, and the type of service you require. If you’re looking for an easy way to digitize documents, then Google Drive or the built-in iOS features are ideal. Both offer a quick and easy way to get your documents onto your device without getting frustrated or breaking the bank.
If you need something that can scan and edit large amounts of documents, something along the lines of Adobe Scan or Genius Scan are suitable options. Hopefully, you found this article helpful, and found what might work for your scanning needs. If you look hard enough, you can find something that fits your budget without being too complicated. Whether you need something basic or something with more features, there is bound to be an app just right for you.
