# QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader vs QR Forge 2026

The clearest difference is update cadence: QR Forge 2026 at weekly against QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader's every 4 months. QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and QR Forge 2026 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader ships an update every 4 months, QR Forge 2026 weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader | QR Forge 2026 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qr-code-scanner-bar-reader/id1218679163/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **83** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 70 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Ramesh P](https://appshunter.io/developer/956023892) | [Rizwan Hameed](https://appshunter.io/developer/1679420850) |

## What reviewers say

### QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qr-code-scanner-bar-reader/id1218679163)

This utility app quickly scans QR codes and barcodes, offering instant decoding and relevant actions. It also functions as a QR code generator and allows scanning from images. Easily share your scanned data and access a history of all your scans.

**Highlights:** Rapid QR and barcode scanning, QR code generation, Scan QR codes from images, Scan history, Flashlight support for low light, Cross-device sync, Easy sharing of scanned data

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


### QR Forge 2026

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qr-forge-2026/id6449744298)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader free?

QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is QR Forge 2026 free?

QR Forge 2026 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader or QR Forge 2026 have ads?

Both QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader and QR Forge 2026 show ads.

### Which is updated more often, QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader or QR Forge 2026?

QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader ships an update every 4 months, and QR Forge 2026 weekly. Most recently, QR Code Scanner | Bar Reader was updated on October 9, 2026 and QR Forge 2026 on October 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*