Nowadays, you do not need to spend money buying a scanner for your home or office. With your smartphone, it is possible to scan documents, receipts, and PDF files easily. This process just requires mobile scanner apps and your smartphone camera. Yes, you just need to download an app that has been developed for that purpose, and you’re good to go.
Today, almost all smartphones come with very powerful cameras and with them, you can easily scan any document to merge or print out later. There are lots of apps out there that come with the functionality of scanning, but getting the best one matters a lot, and that’s what I’ll be talking about in this article. Now, you need not worry about buying a scanner machine anymore.
I’ve taken my time to find out the best apps that you can try out to scan documents, files, and receipts with the use of your smartphone camera. Therefore, this article on Naijaknowhow will cover a list of the best and free apps to scanner documents on Android and iOS devices. So if you’re not able to afford an actual scanner machine, then you should check them out.
Without further ado, let’s jump right into it.
10 Apps to Scan Documents on Mobile
1. CamScanner
CamScanner is an all-in-one mobile scanner app. It turns your mobile device into a powerful portable scanner that recognises text automatically using OCR and improves your productivity to save time. You should make use of this scanner app to instantly scan, save, and share any documents in various file formats like PDF and TXT.
If you want to increase your productivity at work, then you should use the CamScanner scanner app to handle your office paperwork with ease. It offers smart cropping and auto-enhancing features to ensure the text and graphics in your scans are clear and sharp with premium colours and resolutions. You can find out some of the best CamScanner alternative apps.
Pros:
- Turns your phone into a portable scanner.
- Recognises text automatically using OCR.
- Saves time and increases productivity.
- Scans and saves documents in various formats.
- Smart cropping and auto-enhancing features.
- Clear scans with premium colours and resolutions.
Cons:
- Some features require a paid subscription.
- Data is stored in the cloud by default.
- Can be slow and cumbersome to scan multiple pages.
Download CamScanner:
2. Microsoft Lens
Although this app is mainly developed for PDF scanning, it still offers a whole lot more functions and usable tools for all users. Microsoft Lens is one of the most used apps for mobile scanning on Android and iOS, as it has a lot of users worldwide. This app enhances and makes pictures of whiteboards and documents readable.
You can use Microsoft Lens to convert images to PDF, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files, digitise printed or handwritten text and save to your local storage. You can even import images that are already on your device using Gallery. Using this app, you can keep your business networking contacts handy by scanning business cards and saving them to your contact list.
Pros:
- Converts images to PDF, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files.
- Digitises printed or handwritten text.
- Saves scans to local storage or cloud.
- Imports images from Gallery.
- Scans business cards and saves contacts.
- Enhances readability of whiteboards and documents.
Cons:
- May be slow on older devices.
- Limited visualisation options.
- Primarily designed for Microsoft Office users.
Download Microsoft Lens:
3. SwiftScan
With over five million+ users worldwide, SwiftScan is a top-rated app used for document scanning and QR codes. With it, you can create free and high-quality PDF or JPG scans with just one tap. You can send saved scans as files via email or upload them to Google Drive or other cloud storage services.
SwiftScan scanner app is designed to be intuitive and very easy to use, ensuring that your smartphone camera does all the hard work for you. When you scan a document, this app makes a lot of decisions to capture and crop the document perfectly, straighten it and apply filters, giving you the option to choose which you want to use for your document.
Pros:
- Create PDF or JPG scans with one tap.
- Intuitive interface and automatic document capture.
- Save scans as files, send via email, or upload to cloud storage.
- Edit scans with filters, straightening, and cropping.
Cons:
- Some features require a paid subscription.
- Requires separate app for text extraction.
- App collects some user data.
Download SwiftScan:
4. Adobe Scan
Adobe Scan is a very powerful PDF scanner app that turns your device into a portable scanner that recognises text automatically with the use of OCR technology and allows you to save your scans to various types of file formats that including PDF and JPEG. Using this app, you can scan almost anything; therefore, it has credibility.
Adobe Scan allows scanning anything from receipts, documents, and notes, using text you can reuse from each PDF and photo scan. This app automatically finds documents and receipts in your photos and turns them into PDF scans, so you don’t have to. You definitely want to make use of this app.
Pros:
- Turns your phone into a portable scanner
- Automatic text recognition with OCR
- Saves scans in various formats (PDF, JPEG)
- Scans receipts, documents, notes, and more
- Recognizes documents and receipts automatically
- Creates PDF scans from photos
- The app is free to use.
Cons:
- Might require an account for full functionality
- May not be as powerful as paid scanner apps
- No text editing within the app
- Occasional glitches and slow loading times reported.
Download Adobe Scan:
5. Scanner Pro
Scanner Pro app allows you to experience the simplicity of easy document scanning. Using this app, it only takes seconds to scan your travel expenses, convert paper sketches into digital copies, and save interesting articles and books for later. Due to its advanced image processing, the Scanner Pro app will automatically detect borders and correct distortions found on documents.
Scanner Pro app gives you the opportunity to automate your workflow and perform multiple actions in just one tap. This app is only available on iOS devices such as iPhones and iPads. It allows you to keep your documents handy, making them accessible on other devices. The Scanner Pro app is very reliable when it comes to mobile document scanning.
Pros:
- Scan documents in seconds
- Convert paper sketches and articles
- Advanced image processing
- Automate workflow with one-tap actions
- Keep documents handy on other devices
- Reliable for mobile document scanning
Con:
- Only available on iOS devices (iPhone & iPad)
Download Scanner Pro:
6. TurboScan
TurboScan app is a one-time cost mobile scanner for Android devices. This app turns your smartphone into a full-featured and powerful multipage scanner for documents, receipts, notes, whiteboards, photos, or other everyday text. With TurboScan, you can quickly scan your documents in high quality and store or send them as multipage files.
TurboScan also offers SureScan, a proprietary scanning mode for sharper scans, which is very useful in low-light conditions. The SureScan feature requires taking three pictures of the same document with the phone camera. Although this app is only available for Android devices, it is certainly one of the best apps to use.
Pros:
- Turns your phone into a multipage scanner.
- High-quality scans.
- SureScan mode for sharper scans in low light.
- Scans documents in less than 3 seconds per page.
- Email, cloud storage, and social media integration.
- It has no ads.
Cons:
- Only available on Android devices.
- SureScan mode requires taking three pictures of the same document.
- Slightly fiddly interface in generating the PDF file.
- Limited automatic file organisation options.
Download TurboScan:
7. Genius Scan
The Genius Scan app allows you to quickly scan your paper documents on the go and export them as multiple scanned PDF files. Using this app, you only need to place any document in front of your smartphone’s camera, and it will automatically recognise the paper against the background, crop it, and clean up the result.
This ensures that you obtain a crisp and legible mobile scan with your device. The Genius Scan app comes with a batch scanner feature that lets you scan dozens of pages in a matter of seconds. It also has some powerful tools that help you to organise and archive your PDF documents. The Genius Scan app will replace your desktop scanner, and you will never look back.
Pros:
- Quickly scan documents on the go.
- Automatic document recognition and cropping.
- Crisp and legible mobile scans.
- Batch scanner for dozens of pages.
- Powerful tools for organising and archiving PDFs.
Cons:
- Limited features in the free version.
- May not be suitable for high-quality scans
- Automatic features may not be perfect in all situations.
Download Genius Scan:
8. Fast Scanner
Pros:
- Prominent scanner button at the bottom.
- Automatic edge detection for scanned documents.
- Manual edge selection option for precise scanning.
- Filters to improve scanned image quality.
- Tailoring scanned images for a polished look.
Cons:
- Few free features, need upgrade.
- Drains battery as scans use power.
Download Fast Scanner:
9. iScanner
Pros:
- It has a ton of features
- Diverse functionalities for various needs
- Counts similar objects within a frame
- The app is ad-free and secure
- Available for both Android and iOS
Cons:
- Free trial only lasts 3 days
- Requires a paid subscription to continue using after trial period.
Download iScanner:
10. Document Scanner
Pros:
- Scans various document types.
- Automatic edge detection and colour filters.
- Markup tools for adding text or signatures.
- Saves scans as PDFs directly on your phone.
- Attaches scanned files to emails directly within the app.
Cons:
- May require a subscription for advanced features.
- Privacy concerns regarding document storage.
- Limited editing capabilities.
- Potentially inaccurate OCR for handwritten text.
- Requires a decent phone camera for good-quality scans.
Download Document Scanner:
Conclusion
There you have it, the best mobile scanner apps that you can use to scan various types of documents, receipts, notes, and files. These apps make use of your smartphone’s camera to process document scanning. Some offer free services, whilst others require that you subscribe to a premium account before accessing their features and tools. Nevertheless, whichever you decide to use, you will not be disappointed.
