Comparison

myTOMRA vs Mensa Balance

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

myTOMRA

This app transforms recycling into an engaging and simple process. Scan your personal barcode at recycling machines to receive digital refunds directly to your account. Discover nearby recycling points, track your progress with achievements, and manage all your transactions digitally.

Highlights
  • Personalized barcode for RVM identification
  • Map to find nearest recycling points
  • Earn badges and track progress
  • Paperless digital refunds (PayPal, etc.)
  • Transaction history and status
  • Bag Drop feature for quick returns
Features
Read full description

myTOMRA makes recycling more fun and convenient than ever before. Collect your recyclables, return them to your nearest recycling point and collect your digital refunds. YOUR PERSONAL RECYCLING COMPANION Scan your unique barcode to identify yourself at the Reverse Vending Machine (RVM), so that the correct deposit can be paid directly into your myTOMRA account. DISCOVER YOUR CLOSEST LOCATION Use the map feature to find your nearest recycling point. Check opening hours, accepted bottle types and payout methods. EARN BADGES THROUGH ACHIEVEMENTS Earn badges and track your progress by completing different challenges. GO PAPERLESS WITH YOUR RECYCLING Transfer your refunds automatically to PayPal or similar digital payout methods*, or convert it into a digital receipt for a truly paperless recycling experience. GET FULL CONTROL OF YOUR TRANSACTIONS Check your recycling history and view the status of all your transactions. SKIP THE LINE The Bag Drop feature* allows you to drop entire bags of containers without having to wait in line at the recycling point. Stick the barcode to the bag, scan it with myTOMRA app and drop the bag at the designated location.

About

Mensa Balance

Easily check your Mensa card balance and last transaction details using NFC. This open-source app supports numerous universities and is free to use.

Highlights
  • Read Mensa card balance
  • View last transaction
  • Display card ID
  • NFC scanning
  • Open Source
  • Supports many universities
Read full description

This app allows you to read the current balance, last transaction and card ID of your Mensa Card via NFC. It is Open Source (https://github.com/schorschii/MensaGuthaben-iOS). I'm happy about suggestions for improvement, pull requests or just a star :) Successfully testet with cards of the following universities: * TU Dresden (Studentenwerk Emeal card and TU Campuscard!) * Uni Leipzig * HS/Uni Flensburg (Studentenwerk SH) * TU Darmstadt * Uni Trier * Uni Greifswald * Leibniz Universität Hannover * Ruhr-Uni Bochum * h_da (hochschule darmstadt) * THOSKA der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Hochschule für Musik „Franz List“ Weimar * THOSKA der Uni Jena * TU Ilmenau * Uni Bielefeld * Hochschule der Medien, Stuttgart * Uni Stuttgart * Uni Hohenheim * Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg * Hochschule Furtwangen (HFU) * Studierendenwerk Freiburg-Schwarzwald (SWFR) * Otto-von-Guericke Universität Magdeburg * Deutsche Sporthochschule * Uni Würzburg * Universität Oldenburg * Jadehochschule Oldenburg/Wilhelmshaven/Elsfleth * Hochschule Emden/Leer * Hochschule Koblenz * HAW Hamburg * FH Erfurt * TU Braunschweig * Otto-Friedrich Universität Bamberg * HS/Uni Bremen * Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel If your University is not listed, it is possible that the app works anyway. Please try it out and send me a mail if it works.

Screenshots

myTOMRA4 screens
Mensa Balance1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mensa Balance at 90% against myTOMRA's 43%. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

myTOMRA ships an update every 3 months, Mensa Balance every 4 months. Both last shipped on September 21, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
myTOMRA versus Mensa Balance: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametermyTOMRAMensa Balance
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (48 ratings) — better
Positive reviews43.0% of reviews90.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings48 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB0 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTomra Systems ASAGeorg Sieber

Customer experience

myTOMRA

All ratings48 ratings
Positive85.4%
Neutral6.3%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews93 reviews
Positive43.0%
Neutral10.8%
Negative46.2%

Mensa Balance

Written reviews20 reviews
Positive90.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative5.0%

In-app purchases

None

myTOMRA

No in-app purchases

None

Mensa Balance

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is myTOMRA free?
myTOMRA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mensa Balance free?
Mensa Balance is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do myTOMRA or Mensa Balance have ads?
Neither myTOMRA nor Mensa Balance shows ads.
Which is updated more often, myTOMRA or Mensa Balance?
myTOMRA ships an update every 3 months, and Mensa Balance every 4 months. Most recently, myTOMRA was updated on September 21, 2026 and Mensa Balance on September 21, 2026.

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