# Scanner vs Photo QR Reader

The clearest difference is ads: Scanner at none against Photo QR Reader's shown. Photo QR Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 6 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Scanner ships an update every 6 months, Photo QR Reader every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Scanner | Photo QR Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.8 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-qr-reader/id6447561765/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **16** |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Ad-supported |
| Size | 40 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Marcin Slusarek](https://appshunter.io/developer/1453324891) | [Masayoshi Shibata](https://appshunter.io/developer/1474388626) |

## What reviewers say

### Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scanner-qr-and-barcode-reader/id1644206226)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Photo QR Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-qr-reader/id6447561765)

Easily scan QR codes directly from your photos, even those in email attachments or screenshots. This free utility allows you to access information embedded in images without uploading them online.

**Highlights:** Scan QR codes from photos, Open QR codes from email attachments, Scan QR codes from screenshots, Free to use, No internet upload

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Scanner free?

Scanner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Photo QR Reader free?

Photo QR Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Scanner or Photo QR Reader have ads?

Photo QR Reader shows ads; Scanner does not.

### Which is updated more often, Scanner or Photo QR Reader?

Scanner ships an update every 6 months, and Photo QR Reader every 5 weeks. Most recently, Scanner was updated on October 8, 2026 and Photo QR Reader on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*