Barcode Monsters vs Barcode Detection
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Barcode Monsters
Discover and collect unique monsters hidden within barcodes. Scan any barcode to reveal a creature and add it to your journal and collection. Explore over 40 different monsters and track your progress.
- Scan barcodes to discover monsters
- Collect over 40 unique monsters
- Monster journal to track scans
- View monster profiles and achievements
- Supports 10+ barcode types
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Welcome to Barcode Monsters, the QR scanner app that lets you discover and collect monsters while scanning. Hidden within each barcode is a unique monster within, waiting to be found. [ Scan ]: Take out your scanner and start looking for monsters! When you're in scan mode, pointing the camera at a barcode will read it and show you what monster is hiding within. With over 40 monsters, can you find them all? [ Journal ]: Need to find a barcode you scanned in the past? No problem! The journal feature keeps track of all your past scans so you can look back on your adventure and see what monsters you've found. [ Collection ]: As you find monsters, you'll add them to your monster collection! Tap on a monster's profile to learn more about them, including how many you've found and if you've earned any achievements. May Barcode Monsters be your QR scanner of choice as you discover the hidden world within barcodes all around us! Barcode Monsters supports over 10 types of barcodes, including -- Code 128, Code 39, Code 39 Extended, Interleaved 2 of 5, ISBN 13, EAN 13, EAN 8, UPC-A, UPC-E, Data Matrix ASCII, and QR Codes.
Barcode Detection
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Detect and analyze barcodes in images. ＜Barcodes to be detected (24 types)＞ ・Aztec ・Codabar ・Code 39 ( without checksum / with a checksum) ・Code 39 Full ASCII ( without checksum / with a checksum) ・Code 93 ・Code 93i ・Code 128 ・Data Matrix ・EAN-8 ・EAN-13 ・GS1 DataBar ・GS1 DataBar Expanded ・GS1 DataBar Limited ・Interleaved 2 of 5 (ITF) ( without checksum / with a checksum) ・ITF-14 ・MicroPDF417 ・MicroQR ・Modified Plessey ・PDF417 ・Quick Response (QR) ・UPC-E ※The barcode names, company names, products, and service names listed on this page and app are trademarks or registered trademarks of each company.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Barcode Monsters at none against Barcode Detection's shown. Barcode Monsters also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.7.2). Barcode Detection's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 8 months). On price, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Barcode Monsters ships an update every 8 months, Barcode Detection fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on July 5, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Barcode Monsters | Barcode Detection |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (4 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17.7.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 35 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kevin Otoshi | Hideaki Uchikoshi |
In-app purchases
Barcode Monsters
No in-app purchases
Barcode Detection
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Barcode Monsters free?
Is Barcode Detection free?
Do Barcode Monsters or Barcode Detection have ads?
Which is updated more often, Barcode Monsters or Barcode Detection?
Other comparisons
