# Code Reader vs QR Barcode Scanner & Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Code Reader at 64% against QR Barcode Scanner & Reader's 0%. Code Reader also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and ads (none vs shown). QR Barcode Scanner & Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Code Reader sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and QR Barcode Scanner & Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Code Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 251 and 60 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Code Reader's written reviews are positive against 0% of QR Barcode Scanner & Reader's.

Code Reader ships an update every 6 weeks, QR Barcode Scanner & Reader monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Code Reader | QR Barcode Scanner & Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (251 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/code-reader-qr-scanner/id1225393668/reviews)** | [4.0 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qr-barcode-scanner-and-reader/id1528368506/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **251** | 60 |
| Positive reviews | **64.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel ILLESCAS ROMERO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1225393667) | [Maarten Meijer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1528367174) |

## What reviewers say

### Code Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/code-reader-qr-scanner/id1225393668)

Easily scan, generate, and share QR codes and barcodes. Quickly read various code types, including links, contacts, and product information. Generate new codes from text, emails, or Wi-Fi details, and utilize convenient extensions for seamless integration.

**Highlights:** Scan QR codes and barcodes, Generate QR codes and barcodes, Read codes from images via extension, Generate codes from text, email, Wi-Fi, Save and share scanned/generated codes, Automatic web page opening for product barcodes, Scanner preview with zoom and stabilization

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Code Reader Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Code Reader Pro Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Donation 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Donation 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Code Reader Pro Lifetime | $1.99 | one-time |
| Donation 5 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Donation 10 | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Works fast
- 🆓 Free to use
- 💡 Auto-copies to clipboard
- ✅ Scans QR codes effectively

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't work for some users
- 🚫 Camera focus issues on Mac
- ❌ Unable to save codes
- 🤷 No instructions provided
- ⚠️ Scams reported

**Reported bugs**

- App not working after MacOS update
- Cannot get permissions to save
- QR codes not readable by Mac camera
- App crashes QREncoder
- Sequence of letters then stops

**Requested features**

- Add date & time to QR history
- Option to select camera
- Ability to save QR codes
- Support for SVG files
- Add logos to QR codes


### QR Barcode Scanner & Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qr-barcode-scanner-and-reader/id1528368506)

Easily scan QR codes and barcodes from your camera, photos, or videos. Extract website URLs, phone numbers, and more. Browse websites, make calls, or send emails directly from scanned codes with batch scanning support.

**Highlights:** Scan QR codes and barcodes from camera, photos, or videos, Extract website URLs, phone numbers, email addresses, and more, Directly browse websites, make calls, send emails from codes, Scan history access, Batch scanning functionality, Supports a wide range of code types

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Code Reader free?

Code Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is QR Barcode Scanner & Reader free?

QR Barcode Scanner & Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Code Reader or QR Barcode Scanner & Reader?

Code Reader is rated higher. Code Reader averages 4.6 out of 5 from 251 ratings, while QR Barcode Scanner & Reader averages 4.0 from 60 ratings.

### Do Code Reader or QR Barcode Scanner & Reader have ads?

QR Barcode Scanner & Reader shows ads; Code Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Code Reader or QR Barcode Scanner & Reader?

Code Reader ships an update every 6 weeks, and QR Barcode Scanner & Reader monthly. Most recently, Code Reader was updated on November 2, 2026 and QR Barcode Scanner & Reader on November 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.*