A QUESTION WORTH ANSWERING

iPhone apps for scanning documents into searchable PDFs

Adobe Scan and Genius Scan document scanning, PDF export and text recognition in their developer listings. Both are candidates when you want paper documents you can search later. Check the current plan requirements: a free scanner download does not establish that every OCR or export feature is free.

Source-based research; not hands-on testing. How we research

What we looked for

Compare documented capabilities

Supported describes a capability, not whether it is included in a free plan. Unverified means we do not have enough evidence.

Capabilities and pricing recorded in our catalog
App	PDF export	Text recognition	Document scanning	Pricing
Scanner App: Genius Scan	Supported	Supported	Supported	Free with paid upgrades
Adobe Scan: PDF & OCR Scanner	Supported	Supported	Supported	Free with paid upgrades

Which app fits your workflow?

Adobe Scan: PDF & OCR Scanner

Consider Adobe Scan for a workflow built around scanning paper into PDFs and recognising the text.

Check before choosing: Check account requirements, storage behaviour and paid export tools before using it for your documents.

Scanner App: Genius Scan

Consider Genius Scan for combining scanned pages into documents, with additional text recognition and export features.

Check before choosing: Its listing separates paid features and cloud services. Check the current OCR tier and whether you need a separate backup plan.

Apps to consider

Scanner App: Genius Scan

The Grizzly Labs

Strong match

Turn paper documents into digital scans.

Matches

✓ PDF export
✓ Text recognition
✓ Document scanning

Free with paid upgrades · iOSView app

Adobe Scan: PDF & OCR Scanner

Adobe Inc.

Strong match

Scan paper documents and recognize their text.

Matches

✓ PDF export
✓ Text recognition
✓ Document scanning

Free with paid upgrades · iOSView app

A PDF is not necessarily searchable

A scanner can put page images in a PDF without recognising their text. OCR adds text recognition, but accuracy depends on the document. Test a page with your language, small print and layout, then export it and try searching and selecting text in a different PDF reader.

Compare the complete workflow

Try capturing several pages, correcting the crop, reordering pages and exporting the result to the place you actually store documents. Check whether the export has a watermark, whether you can keep a local copy and which steps require a connection. We have not independently tested these workflows.

What to check before paying

Identify the specific feature you need: searchable PDFs, editable text, batch processing or automatic cloud export. Review the plan attached to that feature rather than comparing download prices alone. For sensitive documents, check the developer’s storage and privacy documentation before uploading a scan.

Research sources

What to check before choosing

Read each app’s supported features and pricing. A strong match covers the requirements above; an unlisted feature remains unverified. Follow the source links on an app’s page for the official details.

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