Comparison

Universal Code Scanner vs AI Actions for Shortcuts

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

Head to head

Universal Code Scanner

Secure Barcode & QR Scanner

Free

🔧 Utilities

★ 5.01 ratingsView app →

AI Actions for Shortcuts

AI-powered Shortcuts

Free

🔧 Utilities

★ 4.626 ratingsView app →

About

Universal Code Scanner

This app quickly scans and decodes various 2D barcodes and QR codes. It offers enhanced security by checking URLs for phishing and can convert specific payment codes into usable links. The application prioritizes user privacy with no tracking or ads.

Highlights

Scans QR, EAN, Aztec, DataMatrix, and more
Checks URLs against phishing (Quishing)
Converts EPC QR codes to bank/payto URLs
Shares decoded data via Airdrop
No user tracking or analytics
Ad-free and no in-app purchases

Features

Read full description

Universal Scanner is a privacy focused, simple and lightweight application for verifying the content of a wide range of 2d codes. The main features are: - Displays code type and raw content - Option to check scanned URLs against phishing (Quishing) - Converts EPC QR codes (SEPA transfers) to 'bank://' or 'payto://' URL (useful if your banking app does not support EPC codes) - Share raw data or converted data with Airdrop - No user tracking - No analytics - No ads - No in-app purchases (voluntary donations only) - No automatic opening of links (could be enabled in settings) - Scan history optional and disabled by default - Small download size Supported code types: QR, EAN8, UPCE, Aztec, EAN13, ITF14, Code39, Code93, PDF417, Code128, DataMatrix, Code39Mod43, Interleaved2of5, Codabar, MicroQR, MicroPDF417, GS1DataBar, GS1DataBarLimited, GS1DataBarExtended

About

AI Actions for Shortcuts

Enhance your iOS Shortcuts with advanced AI capabilities. This app integrates with your existing OpenAI API key to provide powerful new actions for your automations. Note that it does not support Apple Watch or HomePod.

Highlights

AI-powered actions for Shortcuts
Integrates with OpenAI API key
Adds new automation capabilities
Supports iPhone and iPad

Features

Read full description

Supercharge your shortcuts with useful AI-powered actions. It provides additional actions for the Shortcuts app. Note: The app requires you to specify your own OpenAI API key. The actions are not able to run on Apple Watch or HomePod. Restart your device if the actions don't show up in the Shortcuts app.

Screenshots

Universal Code Scanner3 screens

AI Actions for Shortcuts2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AI Actions for Shortcuts at none against Universal Code Scanner's 3. AI Actions for Shortcuts also leads on ratings volume (26 vs 1) and review sentiment (81% vs 71%). Universal Code Scanner's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model 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. Universal Code Scanner sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. AI Actions for Shortcuts asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Universal Code Scanner holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AI Actions for Shortcuts has 26 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 71% of Universal Code Scanner's written reviews are positive against 81% of AI Actions for Shortcuts's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 26, 2026 and August 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level

Universal Code Scanner versus AI Actions for Shortcuts: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter	Universal Code Scanner	AI Actions for Shortcuts
Price	Free	Free
Rating	5.0 (1 ratings) — better	4.6 (26 ratings)
Positive reviews	71.4% of reviews	81.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings	1	26 — better
Update frequency	Every 3 weeks	Every 3 weeks
Ads	No	No
In-app purchases	Yes	No — better
Monetization	Free	Free
Devices	iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better	iPhone, iPad
Requires iOS	12.0 — better	26.0
Further details — not scored
Size	3 MB	8 MB
Age rating	4+	4+
Developer	Marcus Pleintinger	Sindre Sorhus

Customer experience

Universal Code Scanner

All ratings1 ratings

Positive100.0%

Neutral0.0%

Negative0.0%

Written reviews7 reviews

Positive71.4%

Neutral14.3%

Negative14.3%

AI Actions for Shortcuts

All ratings26 ratings

Positive92.3%

Neutral3.8%

Negative3.8%

Written reviews21 reviews

Positive81.0%

Neutral4.8%

Negative14.3%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Universal Code Scanner

One-time3

Small Donation$0.99
Mid Donation$2.99
Big Donation$5.99

None

AI Actions for Shortcuts

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Universal Code Scanner free?

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

Is AI Actions for Shortcuts free?

AI Actions for Shortcuts is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

Which has better reviews, Universal Code Scanner or AI Actions for Shortcuts?

Universal Code Scanner is rated higher. Universal Code Scanner averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while AI Actions for Shortcuts averages 4.6 from 26 ratings.

Do Universal Code Scanner or AI Actions for Shortcuts have ads?

Neither Universal Code Scanner nor AI Actions for Shortcuts shows ads.

Which is updated more often, Universal Code Scanner or AI Actions for Shortcuts?

Universal Code Scanner ships an update every 3 weeks, and AI Actions for Shortcuts every 3 weeks. Most recently, Universal Code Scanner was updated on August 26, 2026 and AI Actions for Shortcuts on August 21, 2026.