# Code Reader vs QR Scanner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: QR Scanner at none against Code Reader's 7. Code Reader's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (251 vs 12). On price, rating, update cadence and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Code Reader sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. QR Scanner asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Code Reader against 4.7 for QR Scanner. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Code Reader has 251 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Code Reader ships an update every 6 weeks, QR Scanner every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Code Reader | QR Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (251 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/code-reader-qr-scanner/id1225393668/reviews) | **[4.7 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qr-scanner-barcode-reader/id1547006294/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **251** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 64.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 3 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel ILLESCAS ROMERO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1225393667) | [Tuan Nguyen Van](https://appshunter.io/developer/1547006296) |

## 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 |
| Donation 5 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Donation 10 | $8.99 | one-time |
| Code Reader Pro Lifetime | $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 Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qr-scanner-barcode-reader/id1547006294)

Instantly scan QR codes and barcodes to retrieve URLs, connect to Wi-Fi, and access product information. Share scanned content, save codes for later, and customize your scanning experience with various themes and settings.

**Highlights:** Scan QR codes and barcodes, Retrieve URLs and Wi-Fi credentials, Scan product codes (UPC, ISBN), Save scanned codes, Share scanned content, Customizable themes and settings

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Code Reader free?

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

### Is QR Scanner free?

QR Scanner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

QR Scanner is rated higher. Code Reader averages 4.6 out of 5 from 251 ratings, while QR Scanner averages 4.7 from 12 ratings.

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

QR Scanner shows ads; Code Reader does not.

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

Code Reader ships an update every 6 weeks, and QR Scanner every 4 weeks. Most recently, Code Reader was updated on October 20, 2026 and QR Scanner on October 24, 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.*