Key Retrieve vs Scan Things
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Key Retrieve
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***Important: Key Retrieve requires a login each and every time before using. The login will generate a random lock code in which the correct bitting will need to be provided. If you are not in the locksmith industry you will be unable to use this app.*** Have a customer who lost the combination to their push button lock box? Then this tool will help you retrieve your customer's keys and allow the ability to reuse their lock box. This tool was made specifically for the style lock boxes that have mechanical push buttons numbered one through five along the left side, 6 through zero along the right side, a vertical slider in the top-middle to open, and a vertical slider in the bottom-middle to clear all the buttons that may have been pressed. These lock boxes allow any combination of the ten numbers to be set from simply no combination at all to using all ten numbers, barring that no number can be repeated and the order in which the numbers are pressed do not matter. There are two different methods in which Key Retrieve uses: lock boxes that cannot be manipulated and lock boxes that can. This tool will not help manipulate nor will it show which method to use, but instead facilitates the process by eliminating wasted attempts and removes possibilities that would never exist. Overview: Key Retrieve consists of two different methods for opening which are simply named System 1 and System 2. You can toggle between the systems using the switch in the upper right hand corner. Both systems are executed using the controls at the bottom: Eject resets everything to default. Left Arrow moves back a step. Play begins the sequence automatically. Pause stops the sequence. And Right Arrow moves forward a step. (moving back a step is infinite for System 1 but limited to one step for System 2). Right above the controls is a progress bar that displays the amount of combinations tried out of the combinations available, as well at the very top is a slider to control the speed when using the automatic sequence (play control). Lastly, in the middle displays the combination to be tried in text as well as a graphic representation of the lock where the corresponding numbers/buttons will highlight to help as a visual aid. System 1: This system is only used on locks that cannot be manipulated and/or when no prior knowledge exists. Use System 2 if any part of the combination is known. Because these locks do not care about order and numbers cannot be repeated, there are only 1,024 possibilities (including no combination). This system will exhaust all 1,024 if needed, which with no strategy amounts to pressing over 7,000 buttons. However, only about a third of this 7,000+ total will be required for this system's method. To start, press Play or use the Next control repeatedly. The app will tell you one by one which button to press that you will simply copy onto the lock. You can set your speed by using the slider at the top if utilizing the Play control to run automatically. Tip: Before starting set the speed at various settings to calibrate your comfort. System 2: This system is only used when you have at least one known number in the combination, which is typically achieved from manipulation. Every number that is known in advance cuts the total possibilities in half. To start, tap on each number that is known and one at a time the number will be highlighted with a blue halo (tap again to turn off). After all known numbers have been selected, begin by using the Play or Next controls similar to System 1, except instead of a single button being displayed, the entire combination followed by Open and Clear will result as a single cycle. Remember that order does not matter: if the combination displayed contains a 1, 5, and an 8, then pressing 8 then 1 then 5 will result the same. Tip: Take your time manipulating the lock before using the app. Spending an extra minute or two up front can save much more later on.
Scan Things
Extract objects, people, pets, and artwork from images, URLs, or PDFs. Capture books and documents with searchable, selectable text embedded in PDFs. All processing is done on-device for maximum privacy.
- Extract objects from images
- Extract text from images and PDFs
- Save as searchable PDF
- On-device processing
- No account required
- Offline functionality
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With Scan Things, you can extract objects, people, pets, artwork and just about anything else from any image, image URL, or PDF document. Scan Things can also capture books and documents with the original images intact and the text extracted and embedded. You can save your scan as a single- or multi-page PDF with all its text fully searchable and selectable. You don't need an account to use Scan Things. You don't need internet access. Your scans never leave your iPhone or iPad as Scan Things does all of its processing on-device. Because your privacy is important (not to mention none of our business), we collect no data whatsoever and we don't use any third-party code. Your privacy is yours, and we think it should stay that way. You can get Scan Things for a one-time purchase and share it with your family at no extra cost. No subscriptions. No adds. No shenanigans. Privacy Policy: https://scanthing.app/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://scanthing.app/terms-of-use/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Scan Things at Free against Key Retrieve's $9.99. Scan Things also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 12 months). Key Retrieve's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.6). On ads and device support 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
Scan Things is free to download; Key Retrieve costs $9.99 up front. Scan Things sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Key Retrieve asks for nothing beyond the download.
Key Retrieve ships an update every 12 months, Scan Things every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Key Retrieve | Scan Things |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | — | 3.9 (7 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 37.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 7 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 222 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Farren Domenici | Operates Spaceships LLC |
In-app purchases
Key Retrieve
No in-app purchases
Scan Things
- Unlimited Scans$6.99









