# Code Scanner vs Transcribe

The clearest difference is price: Transcribe at Free against Code Scanner's $1.99. Transcribe also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (39 vs 5). Code Scanner's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.1) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Transcribe is free to download; Code Scanner costs $1.99 up front. Transcribe sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Code Scanner asks for nothing beyond the download.

Code Scanner holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Transcribe has 39 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Code Scanner ships an update every 4 months, Transcribe daily. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Code Scanner | Transcribe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/code-scanner-qr-and-barcodes/id1578090511/reviews)** | [4.1 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/transcribelive-speech-to-text/id1602959841/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **39** |
| Positive reviews | — | 47.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 2 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mike Melnikov](https://appshunter.io/developer/398340766) | [Shesek LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1339555229) |

## What reviewers say

### Code Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/code-scanner-qr-and-barcodes/id1578090511)

Easily scan various 1D and 2D barcodes and QR codes. Access a history of your scans, organize them by date, and add favorites. Share scanned content instantly via email or social media.

**Highlights:** Scan QR, Aztec, Data Matrix, PDF417 codes, Scan EAN, ISBN, Code 128 barcodes, Scan history with date grouping, Add codes to favorites, Share scanned codes, Automatic action triggering

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


### Transcribe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/transcribelive-speech-to-text/id1602959841)

Record and transcribe audio in real-time for notes or meetings. Playback recordings with synchronized text highlighting for easy editing. Connect to a Mac for live transcription on a larger screen.

**Highlights:** Live audio recording, Real-time transcription, Synchronized playback, Word-level editing, Mac connectivity, Free version available

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Subscription | $4.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Code Scanner free?

Code Scanner costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Transcribe free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Code Scanner or Transcribe?

Code Scanner is rated higher. Code Scanner averages 4.6 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Transcribe averages 4.1 from 39 ratings.

### Do Code Scanner or Transcribe have ads?

Neither Code Scanner nor Transcribe shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Code Scanner or Transcribe?

Code Scanner ships an update every 4 months, and Transcribe daily. Most recently, Code Scanner was updated on October 7, 2026 and Transcribe on October 16, 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.*