Guide
Which scanner apps are still free? What each charges for in 2026
- Genius Scan
- Basic free; Ultra $39.99 a year
- Adobe Scan
- Free to scan; extras need a subscription
- iPhone and Android
- Built-in scanners, free
Yes, you can still get a free scanner app without a subscription. iPhone and Android have one built in, Genius Scan's Basic plan is free and ad-free, and Adobe Scan scans free but charges for compressing and combining. Here is what each gives free and what it charges for, from each maker's own pages.
A real moment
“You scanned three pages for a form due in an hour. The form says the file is too big, and the app wants a subscription to compress it.”
Good scanners are still free. Apple Notes and Files on iPhone and Google Drive's scanner on Android cost nothing. Genius Scan's Basic plan is free and ad-free, with text recognition in its $39.99-a-year Ultra plan. Adobe Scan is free to scan, but compressing, combining and passwords need a subscription. DigiSafe is free today, with no ads.
Fees as listed on 6 October 2026. They come from the official pages in the sources below and can change at any time. DigiSafe cannot guarantee them, so check the official page before you pay.
What each scanner gives free, and what it charges for (prices in US dollars, as listed)
| App | Free | Needs a subscription | Price listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| DigiSafe | Scanner, ID number reader, masked Aadhaar, any size from 10 KB to 20 MB, links that expire | Nothing today | Free today |
| Genius Scan | Scanning, editing and manual export, ad-free | Text recognition, cloud sync, automatic exports | Ultra: $39.99 a year |
| Adobe Scan | Scanning, saving and sharing PDFs; 5 GB of Adobe cloud storage | Combining files, compressing, passwords, export to Word and other formats (Adobe Scan Premium) | Adobe Scan Premium: $9.99 a month on the US App Store |
| Apple Notes and Files | Scanning, built into iPhone | Nothing | Free |
| Google Drive scanner | Scanning to PDF or JPG in your Drive | Nothing | Free |
What each app gives free
What needs a subscription, and the price
A free scanner with no ads
Genius Scan
Basic free; Ultra $39.99 a year
Adobe Scan
Free to scan; extras need a subscription
iPhone and Android
Built-in scanners, free
DigiSafe
No ads, no subscription
Check what the free version does before you scan
Some scanner apps are free to download but charge for parts you may need, such as text recognition or making a file smaller. Adobe Scan, for example, charges for compressing a PDF. Before you scan anything important, check what the free version includes.
Genius Scan: a free plan, with paid text recognition
Genius Scan's pricing page lists a free Basic plan, which it calls unlimited and fully functional, and its help pages say it is ad-free. Text recognition, cloud sync and automatic exports need Genius Scan Ultra, listed at $39.99 a year on its pricing page. Prices there are in US dollars; check your app store for the price in rupees.
Adobe Scan: free scanning, paid extras
Adobe Scan is free to scan, save and share PDFs, with 5 GB of free Adobe cloud storage. Adobe says combining files, compressing a PDF, adding a password and exporting to Word or other formats need Adobe Scan Premium, listed at $9.99 a month on the US App Store when we checked.
The free scanner already on your phone
On iPhone, Notes and Files both have Scan Documents. On Android, the Google Drive app scans several pages into a PDF or JPG in a Drive folder you choose. For the odd scan, you need nothing else.
Where DigiSafe fits
DigiSafe is free today, with no ads and no subscription. It installs from your browser, not an app store, and setup takes about two minutes: email, password, countries and a PIN. The scanner, the ID number reader, Aadhaar masking and Make it smaller (any size from 10 KB to 20 MB) are all included. Every page is encrypted on your phone.
Watch it
DigiSafe's document scanner in 16 seconds
The scanner finds the edges, straightens the page and shoots when your hand is still. ID cards get a front and a back.
Step by step
- 1
Before you scan, check what the free version includes.
- 2
Skip a free trial that renews into a subscription unless you need its features.
- 3
For a one-off scan, use the scanner already on your phone.
- 4
For ID papers you will use again, scan them into DigiSafe, free.
- 5
Shrink the file to the size a form asks for, without paying for compression.
Questions people ask
Is Adobe Scan free?+
Adobe Scan is free to scan, save and share PDFs, with 5 GB of free Adobe cloud storage. Combining files, compressing PDFs, adding passwords and exporting to formats such as Word need Adobe Scan Premium, listed at $9.99 a month on the US App Store when we checked.
Does Genius Scan cost money?+
Not for the basics. Genius Scan's Basic plan is free and ad-free. Text recognition, cloud sync and automatic exports need Genius Scan Ultra, listed at $39.99 a year on its pricing page.
Is Genius Scan no longer free?+
It still has a free plan. Genius Scan's pricing page lists Basic as free, unlimited and fully functional. Text recognition and cloud sync are the parts that need Genius Scan Ultra, at $39.99 a year.
Is there a free scanner app with no subscription?+
Yes. Apple Notes and Files on iPhone and Google Drive's scanner on Android are free and built in. DigiSafe is free today, with no ads and no subscription, and adds encryption, ID number reading and exact file sizes.
Can I compress a scanned PDF for free?+
Yes. The free PDF size reducer on this site shrinks a PDF in your browser without uploading it, and DigiSafe's Make it smaller does the same for scans in your vault.
Where this comes from
Official sources, dated.
Every official detail on this page comes from the pages listed here, last checked on 6 October 2026. Fees, rules and links can change after that date. DigiSafe is a private app, not connected with these offices, and cannot guarantee them, so check the official page before you pay or rely on them.
- 1Genius Scan: Pricingthegrizzlylabs.com
- 2Genius Scan Help: Plan details and comparisonhelp.geniusscan.com
- 3Adobe: Adobe Scan subscriptionsadobe.com
- 4Apple App Store: Adobe Scan in-app purchases (US)apps.apple.com
- 5Adobe Help: Adobe Scan FAQhelpx.adobe.com
- 6Apple Support: Scan documents on iPhonesupport.apple.com
- 7Google Drive Help: Scan documentssupport.google.com
Read next
Best free scanner apps
The best free scanner depends on what happens after the scan: a quick PDF, searchable text, or a private home for your IDs.
Free PDF shrinker
Shrink a PDF to 100 KB, 200 KB or any size, without uploading it.
Are scanner apps safe?
Is Adobe Scan safe for your Aadhaar, PAN or passport? It saves every scan to Adobe's cloud automatically, and Adobe may analyse stored content unless you opt out.