TurboScan™ Pro: PDF scanner Reviews

[2021 Updated Review]: Still my favorite app for productivity but the latest updates and a new iPhone have made TurboScan even better! The ‘auto’ feature works really well and made the 3x scan worth it more often. Other little details have improved and I appreciate that they have continued to make this great app even better.

I’ve been using TurboScan for over 5 years. As a college student it helped me make up missed notes, copy ppt slides, and saved me the cost of a few of those ‘buy my $300 book for this class and we’ll use it twice before you resell it for $10’ deals. In the workplace, TurboScan was even more valuable. Especially when I was working in the field, I could quickly create a clean-looking pdf scan, email it to billing, and by doing so back it up in the cloud. A minute while parked at the job site on TurboScan and I’d leave a job site with my part of the deal done and backed up. NO MORE LOST INVOICES!! Definitely a five star app. It is among my most valued apps, if under-appreciated. It’s one of the only apps I have that I’m a bit sad that it took me (probably over) five years to write this rave review.

TurboScan works like you would want it to, I work in an industry where measurements are taken in the field , and then transferred to shop layouts/cut sheets. I live 45 minutes away from our shop so not only does TurboScan save time, it also saves money by allowing me to send in quality cut sheets from anywhere, and saving me the time from having to drive to our shop everyday. I don't have a fax machine at home. I use pdf to send them, and my boss simply opens the pdf file sent to his email, prints the cut sheet, and within minutes our shop is fabricating the work. What used to take a minimum of 24 hrs, now takes minutes, and every scan can be saved to the cloud or other devices, so instead of carrying physical paper cut sheets around until the jobs are completed, it's all on my phone if an installer has a question, I simply open the file for reference. If there is anything negative that I would be forced to say, it's make sure you clean your camera lens, which is user based not TurboScan . And hold your device as still as possible to get the best scans. Great app, and a huge help in my profession.

I love TurboScan! I use it several times a day. (Tip: For products you buy, that you’ll probably want more of... take a picture of the package, using this app. Then label it with searchable tags. Do the same with the instructions for your smoke detectors, and other important instruction books. Scan them, label them with searchable tags, and you’ll always be able to find those instructions.) There is one thing I’d like to request of this app. Please get this app working properly with Apple’s iCloud! The other great apps that I use to organize my life, (Clear, and Notability) share their data across all my devices! They do this, using the Apple iCloud. There has been no need to get another app (like "Documents", or some other thing) in order to have all my info in those, show up on all my devices. Everything in "Clear", and "Notability" just shows up... I didn’t have to do a thing to make that happen!! Why doesn’t this app do that??? !!!

Well, I like TurboScan a lot. Use it every day. Definitely recommend it. Best in AppStore, and I’ve tested many. The improvement I’m missing is quite simple: 1) after you frame the document, you should be prompted DIRECTLY to name it. Could be by default or by have that feature in the menu. For example. I finish framing, I go to next screen to export it. The document has the document+date as it’s name. But I have to click to edit, then edit the name, then back to export. Skip that and after the framing ask the user to name the document. You can still maintain the default name, but it needs to be “selected” in a way that when the user types, the text disappears. If he wants to keep default, he/she’ll only need to click on “done”. I hate have to click to edit the name every time and then get back. Not intuitive. This would make things lot easier. Again, not all people may agree with this feature, so having a toggle to activate it would be cool.

I love Turbo scan, I’ve been using it for years now. I am also using the turbo fax app. There are several other scanning apps out there, but I still like this one the best because it gives the option to save as a photo image so it gives me the most flexibility when saving things and using them in other apps (like apps that let you change PDFs).

But I have a few suggestions.

1. Is there an option for auto scan? I’ve noticed that adobe scan has that option and it is extremely handy, especially for people with hand disabilities. I recently had joint replacement on both of my thumbs and I have the iPhone plus, which is challenging to hold even with two good thumbs, but impossible with no useful thumbs. So, it’s extremely challenging to hold the phone and hit the button to take the picture/scan. But in Adobe it does it automatically. So I’ve had to scan in Adobe and then save to this app.

2. This is my major request. I have upwards of 175 documents that I’ve scanned in. Organization is my issue. I do save them to “my files” in iCloud. Or sometimes in Dropbox. Because I can make folders and albums etc. But I want to keep them in this app as well. I need to be able to group my docs by subject. (My son’s stuff from school. My stuff for work. Etc)
So, please consider adding albums and folders like is available with the iPhone files app or Dropbox etc.

Thank you for listening.
Best,
Kristin

TurboScan (paid pro app) does what it is supposed to do and does it very well. The scanner function allows you to resize the scan area of a photo if TurboScan does not pick up the entire scan area (although with a flat sheet of paper on a dark background it does a great job), the scan quality is very good on medium settings, and TurboScan will save the pdf to your phone or you can immediately email as a pdf straight from TurboScan — you can also draft the body and subject line of the email straight from TurboScan . This is a super handy “fire and forget” scan app when you need to send a couple or three pages (you can combine photos in a single pdf) quickly without having to scan through a separate scanner/printer to a hard drive. TurboScan is my first option for scanning a couple docs and getting them out the door. Well worth the pro price. Kudos.

Update: Still the best. I’ve been using this for years and it is flawless. Sometimes I need OCR and go elsewhere, but this app is so much better for every other use that this is my go-to. I’m currently trying to find a free scanner than my students can use while distance learning, so I’m going back through the list of “best scanners” and trying them all out again. Nothing compares. You’d be amazed at how many scanners don’t allow you to save or export an image file. This is the best.

2016? I am a scanning nerd. I have tried all the top-rated scanning apps (stupidly, paid for them all). I also have a hand-held DoxieGo. This is the phone app. I use it to take photo notes of whiteboards to save class notes, and to take easily readable scans of books. My students are amazed at the difference between my take-away notes (turbo scan) and theirs (camera). Excellent as-is. Never change.

I do really like TurboScan and I use it often. The problem is that sometimes, it just decides it won’t copy the entire document for me. I will have a document with columns, and sometimes, inexplicably, TurboScan will totally refuse to copy all the columns of an 8 1/2x 11 document. It will only copy two or three columns. Sometimes it will work if I first photograph the document and then try to scan the photograph in to TurboScan . Other times, TurboScan still won’t scan the entire document, only a few rows. Then again, another day, it will scan the entire document that it refused to entirely scan the day before. Puzzling and aggravating, since I had started depending on TurboScan for my scanning needs. Other than that, it’s a very good app. I wish TurboScan creators would fix this. I’d like to be able to “stretch” the area of scan, and sometimes I can, and sometimes, I can’t. “It’s a puzzlement!”

I have used Turbo Scan now for several years - it is great. I use it to scan large blue prints 22" x 34" and can then email it or print on smaller paper. TurboScan lets you "frame" or crop in order to pick segments of a document/picture. Other scanners are not user friendly for scanning large prints or even a "white board" and then print on letter size paper. Don't waste time and money on other apps ( I have tried several others and they can't compare to this one).
A previous update removed the ability to scan a "white board" from a distance with clarity. Current scanned image is very small and framing is difficult and then making the image larger is not clear. Previously I could zoom in on distant white board, then frame - image was very good. Would like to see this as an option. Currently I am using an iPhone 6+.
I still rate TurboScan as a 5 star.

Update review 6/6/17
I asked for the return of the "zoom in" feature and the technical department responded. It helps with whiteboard scans or large sized drawings that would be difficult or impossible to get a good scan. If rating scale went higher than 5 it would see a 10 from me. The other updates that were made has truly made this the best scanner on the market.
YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED.
Thanks this app for making the best scanner app even better.

From the first day I scanned an oversized landscape design and emailed it to my professor, I have used and loved TurboScan!

Did you spend three hours compiling all of the medical and other paperwork for your little darling to go to overnight camp, (with an organization that still insists you print out everything and hand fill out forms!), then dutifully emailed it according to all of the directions, drive five hours to drop her off, only to find out that “something” went wrong on their end, and they don’t have any of your paperwork? No worries! You’re the smart mom who expects someone else to drop the ball; you always scan all important documents, email them and retain them in TurboScan . So, with three clicks, you have resent them to the camp counselor, and your child is already running toward the first activity.
*smug high five with your stunned spouse*

I love TurboScan and use it almost everyday. But it has become slower since the latest updates to iOS. It will work fine for the first few scans, but then the camera will begin to lag, or processing time becomes 3, 4, 5, times longer. When selecting multiple docs for a batch upload, the selections are laggy and scrolling is slow. I’ve tried restarting my phone, which helps again for the first couple scans but then begins to show the same problems. To the developers, PLEASE optimize it for the latest iOS and my 6S Plus. I would very much appreciate it! :)

Thank you for releasing and update so quickly! I will be heavily using TurboScan in a few days and would be very happy to have it operate quickly as it has been in the past. Thank you again for listening to your customers! 😀

I have been using TurboScan since its start and it has always been my go to application for keeping track of whiteboards, napkin doodles, business cards, papers, documentation. Anything you have on paper that you want digital this is the perfect app for all your needs. It cleans up all shadows, old discolored "white"-boards and gives it a beautiful copy in digital form. It also can be used for grabbing recipes, articles you want to keep from magazines, or even the mound of scrap papers shoved in wallets and I would guess purses. Love it and it has been a consistent and solid performing app. FYI there is *NO* OCR or Business Card to address book integration. That is not its purpose. If you need these features I would look to Microsoft OneNote as it scrapes images for text. The mobile version of OneNote, the last time I used it, was horrible.

Been using this for free for a couple of years now and it’s the easiest, simplest, most accurate, dependable, reliable, & useful scanner I’ve ever used. I can print from it wirelessly, can copy and transfer the files to an email, social media acct,etc. I can edit the image, color, clearness,& size of documents. I can take or pull- out any documents from my photo library, word files, files from other apps , etc., scan them and convert them to pdf or jpeg format when shared to others. All of its features are useful and significant in a day to day management of documents. My very first documents downloaded are still saved hoping that it won’t get lost and that there will be no limitations on the size or number of files you can only save. Get it!!

I’ve been using this app for at least 5 years now. I had gotten TurboScan for one single use. I figured I’d delete it when I was done using it that one time. Clearly I never did delete it. I was always using it!
We’ve been through some pretty amazing times together. Updates, changes, bug squashing, you name it we’ve been through it. Seamlessly might I add. Never a glitch, hiccup or crash. Every time I whip out my phone and use it for one of its many uses; people are in AWE. Literally! Being my 49 year old self this of course makes me look pretty cool and definitely more techie than I really am. It’s an amazing multitasking app! You too can look cool and techie with this app (that’s my line; don’t steal it)!! Techie with this app is also mine. Don’t. Just don’t. LOL!
Yes, I most definitely recommend TurboScan :D

Have been using this app for about 8 years now. My best this app story: I was asked to go to court to pull and copy some legal documents (70 pages)! The local copier was down at the court and the client was desperate. I launched this app and was able to scan and email all 70 pages - and this was on my old iPhone 4s. I was a bonded courier for a while and could easily supply proof-of-delivery signatures while still at the delivery point without needing a separate device to record the signature. Still use this app years later to scan everything. Like the framing ability, shade adjustment and direct-to-pdf functions.

The interface is just right. Not too busy, but every function can be gotten to quickly. If you need to record things on the go, get TurboScan!

I’ve been using this as my primary scanner for years and I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed it until now. The framing and focus is remarkably reliable compared to other scanner apps and I find the interface very intuitive. I stay organized with a couple of key notebook and file storage apps that have their own integrated scanners that work pretty well but I still find myself using this app for plenty of documents that the others seem to struggle with for whatever reason. It stores and exports documents great on its own, it allows you to export in a variety of formats easily, and is just a really easy way to augment the abilities of your other productivity apps. I only spent a few dollars on it and it’s been a great go-to for years now - easily the best money I will ever spend in TurboScan Store

I haven't tried any other scan apps because I haven't needed to. This one is excellent. I work on the road for a small charter airline and need to get documents to HQ taking pictures in less than ideal lighting conditions. Turbo Scan does a marvelous job w B&W or color. Easy interface. Never had crashing probs. Sometimes tells me I'm low on memory, but I ignore and have never had a problem. Highly recommend.
Dec 2015 update. Still awesome. They just updated so the 3X taking scan (photo) is just one click now. Good job folks.
Dec 2017 update. Sorry for the broken record, but still loving and using TurboScan a lot.
April 2018 update. Not just because I want these programmers to succeed, but also because I use TurboScan all the time. It’s great. You won’t be disappointed.

I used to be able to upload files from this app into my Google Drive. The Google Drive upload option appears to be no longer available. This feature was one of the main reasons why I download it and purchased a this app. Can you assist?

Thank you very much for the reply to the above comment. Know that I am unable to see a Google Drive option after selecting open in/AirDrop. Google Drive used to show up as an option and now it does not. I’m not sure what to do. Thanks again. I got your reply. Thank you. I looked all the way to the right and did not see Google Drive. I tapped on the three dots and did not see Google Drive in the available selection of apps. I reinstalled Google Drive on my phone. That did not work either.

I use this to upload documents to Dropbox or Google Drive for my students to download: handwritten notes from a student, chalkboard images, graded assignments, etc. It is fast and accurate and easy to use with enough options to be useful but not overwhelming. Since I got it for classroom use I've started finding more and more uses for it at work and at home. So much more useful than just taking a camera image, and so much more convenient than a scanner/printer, and it's the only thing that can easily grab my chalkboards and turn them into documents. Thanks for TurboScan, I have been recommending it to my students and to friends and family.

Edit: continues to be updated with new features and usability improvements. Highly recommended.

Saves lots of time and certainly beats using a scanner. The most useful feature: you can create multi-page documents and add pages to a previously scanned document. If you need to present trip receipts, for instance, you can scan each of them on the go and at the end of your trip have just one neat file with all of them scanned in time order! It's the non-desktop utility that I use the most! You can organize yr files in folders (receipts, IDs, health certificates) and easily send any of them by email or other app in different formats (pdf, jpg, etc.). It gas saved me on several trips when I needed to present copy of documents or remember their numbers and dates.

I love Turbo scan, I’ve been using it for years now. I am also using the turbo fax app. There are several other scanning apps out there, but I still like this one the best because it gives the option to save as a photo image so it gives me the most flexibility when saving things and using them in other apps (like apps that let you change PDFs).

But I have a few suggestions.

1. Is there an option for auto scan? I’ve noticed that adobe scan has that option and it is extremely handy, especially for people with hand disabilities. I recently had joint replacement on both of my thumbs and I have the iPhone plus, which is challenging to hold even with two good thumbs, but impossible with no useful thumbs. So, it’s extremely challenging to hold the phone and hit the button to take the picture/scan. But in Adobe it does it automatically. So I’ve had to scan in Adobe and then save to this app.

2. This is my major request. I have upwards of 175 documents that I’ve scanned in. Organization is my issue. I do save them to “my files” in iCloud. Or sometimes in Dropbox. Because I can make folders and albums etc. But I want to keep them in this app as well. I need to be able to group my docs by subject. (My son’s stuff from school. My stuff for work. Etc)
So, please consider adding albums and folders like is available with the iPhone files app or Dropbox etc.

Thank you for listening.
Best,
Kristin

This is one of the most useful apps of all time. If you are in business, you must have TurboScan. When you are dealing with lots of documents on a daily basis, like I am, you can quickly use TurboScan to photograph the document. TurboScan then adjusts the edges of the document and makes you a nice, clean PDF of the document. You do not have to carry papers around, nor worry about losing paperwork. You have your whole set of documents in your pocket at all times. Also, you can easily email, text, etc a single page, multiple pages or the entire set of documents in a file quickly. You can even scribble notes on a napkin, take a photograph of the napkin and have a PDF document of your notes. I did that today. I cannot say enough good things about TurboScan. God bless the person or persons who invented this application.

Frank E. Barber
Attorney at Law

I have come to rely on TurboScan for tons of personal & work obligations. I never need a fax machine any more. Fabulous😘
The very first day I got this I was in Staples store in Alexandria Va making copies, and a young foreign exchange college student was trying to fax about 25 pages of important documents to her college... It would have cost her over $25... She allowed me to assist😊 I used Turbo scan and emailed all her documents safely free of charge. I have used it even to fax important signature pages on contracts!!
TurboScan has never failed!!! Thank you very much! I really appreciate your app!! I also use it to document just about everything! I just finished copying all our flight itineraries, hotel info etc for or up coming trip!! All in one document AWESOME SAUCE!!! Thank you😊

I am pleased with this app. I have scanned numerous parts manuals that are actually very thick. I keep all of my receipts handy with TurboScan. I also use it to scan documents that had to be filled out and signed and then emailed to whom ever. I have only had an issue one time in the passed, and that was while I was in the middle of scanning in a rather large manual I was just ejected off of TurboScan for what ever unknown reason and all my progress was just gone leaving me to start over. This happened maybe 3 times then I gave up. I will say that I have no had this issue since. Perhaps it was a bug that popped up after a lengthy Time using TurboScan that has now been resolved. I also use TurboFax as well and couldn’t be happier with both applications!

This is the best scan app I have tried. It scans in black and white and color. It has improved from the last time I accessed it. The quality fax is a amazing. I have tried another app but I was not impressed. Find myself always using this. Don't get turned off if you take a picture of the document to be scanned and phone shadow is reflected on it. The end result will be flawless, if it is a black and white. Not sure what will happen if it is in color. I give it five stars because it is worth to have. You scan and email right from TurboScan . How awesome is that. They also offer a fax app that has a cover sheet. You have to pay to fax. I have not used it but I have it on my phone if the need arise. Please try...highly recommended.