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Privacy-first document scanning for iPhone. Free to start, no app account required.
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A privacy-first document scanner for iPhone, built by a small team that believes your documents should stay yours.
Every core scanning operation in ScanLens runs on-device using Apple's Neural Engine and Vision framework. Documents only leave your iPhone when you explicitly choose to share them or sync them to a cloud service you control. The technical details are documented in our Privacy Policy.
It's a fair question, and one we asked ourselves before writing a line of code. iOS already includes document scanning inside the Notes app, the Files app, and the Camera app's Live Text feature. For grabbing a receipt or capturing a single page, the built-in tools are good — Apple's edge detection and perspective correction are excellent, and the iCloud integration needs no setup.
The honest answer to "why build a separate scanner" is that built-in scanning is optimized for quick captures, not for documents that need to be processed, organized, signed, exported, or searched later. The gaps we kept running into:
Scanning does not require sign-up or an email address. ScanLens creates a limited anonymous backend identity to support app functions and entitlements; optional account and document metadata may be handled through Supabase. Document files are uploaded only when you enable backup or choose a cloud destination. See the Privacy Policy for deletion paths and the full data disclosure.
When we describe features on the site or in the App Store listing, we lead with what the feature does, not which plan unlocks it. Scanning, ID and passport modes, crop/rotate/filters, and PDF/JPG/PNG export are free. The paid tier adds the heavier workflow — OCR at scale across 14 languages, e-signatures, merge/split, searchable and password-protected PDFs, cloud sync, smart folders, and workflow automation — because those are the parts that take ongoing engineering work to keep accurate and current. Specifics live on the pricing page.
Subscriptions aren't right for everyone, and we don't want to be the app that takes monthly rent for a tool you only use occasionally. The lifetime purchase exists because a paperless workflow is a long-term thing, and some users want a one-time price for a long-term tool. We've kept the option even though monthly and yearly are simpler to run.
ScanLens is developed by BITFORGE PTE. LTD., a private company registered in Singapore. We are a small, independent software team focused on building useful iOS apps that respect user privacy.
We are not venture-backed, we don't sell user data, and we don't run ads inside the app. ScanLens is funded entirely by users who choose to upgrade their plan or buy a lifetime license.
ScanLens is currently our only public product. It is a native iPhone document scanner with the following capabilities:
The app requires iOS 17.4 or later and is designed for iPhone. Apple's compatibility list includes iPad hardware, where the iPhone app may run in compatibility mode rather than as a native iPad app.
The free download is genuinely useful. Paid plans exist because building, testing, and supporting the app costs money — not because we want to gate basic functionality. The lifetime option exists because subscriptions are not for everyone, and we want users to have a non-recurring choice.
Alex Green is a software developer and privacy-focused paperless workflow practitioner who contributes to the ScanLens blog. Alex works with the BITFORGE engineering team in Singapore that builds ScanLens. Current articles use a source-backed editorial process: high-impact claims link to primary sources, product statements are checked against the public App Store listing, and source-review dates are shown in the article when freshness matters. Some updates use AI-assisted editorial review and are attributed to the ScanLens Editorial Team rather than presented as personal human review.
Editorial approach: posts on tax, legal, or compliance topics are reviewed against primary sources (IRS publications, Revenue Procedures, EU regulations like eIDAS, and official guidance from the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act in the US). Posts are not written to sell ScanLens — they are written to be useful regardless of which scanner app the reader uses. Our bias is disclosed on every comparison page and we take corrections seriously.
We believe in being transparent about how our business works, because it directly affects how we treat your data.
ScanLens is free to download. It handles document, ID, and passport scanning, crop / rotate / filters, and PDF, JPG, and PNG export — the everyday capture workflow.
Plans add the heavier document workflow: OCR in 14 languages, interactive text extraction, e-signatures and annotation, merge and split PDFs, searchable PDFs, password-protected PDFs, watermark removal, Google Drive / Dropbox / OneDrive sync, smart folders, app lock, document-naming presets, and workflow automation.
There are no ads inside the app. We do not sell user data. Subscription trials and renewals are handled through Apple's standard in-app purchase system, and you can manage or cancel them from your iPhone's subscription settings. For full pricing details, see the pricing page.
This model is simple: we make money when users decide the paid features are worth paying for. That is the only revenue stream. It means our incentives are aligned with building a better product, not with collecting more data.
We are reachable and accountable. If you have questions, feedback, or a problem with the app, we want to hear about it.
We read every message and respond as quickly as possible.
For legal and policy documents:
Privacy-first document scanning for iPhone. Free to start, no app account required.