# Bar vs Alana

Bar and Alana are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. Bar sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Alana sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Bar ships an update every 2 months, Alana every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bar | Alana |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 64.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 7 MB | 99 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Roberto Sonzogni](https://appshunter.io/developer/402429427) | [Anita Wulandari](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864167940) |

## What reviewers say

### Bar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bar-code/id422314523)

Scan barcodes and QR codes to save, email, copy, or search for information online. Export scanned data and photos to your PC for use in other applications. Ideal for small businesses, libraries, or home organization.

**Highlights:** Scan barcodes and QR codes, Save scanned codes for later, Email scanned codes, Copy/paste codes into other apps, Search scanned codes on the web, Export data and photos via iTunes file sharing, Integrate with web apps via URL scheme

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads and enable web app mode | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast scanning
- 👍 Simple and effective
- 📤 Ability to email scanned barcodes
- 🔍 Reads various barcode types

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy after updates
- 🚫 Doesn't work on some devices
- 💤 Slow or inaccurate scanning
- 📢 Intrusive ads

**Reported bugs**

- Scan history list disappearing
- Crashing when switching camera modes
- Inability to scan certain barcode types

**Requested features**

- Direct link to open scanned URLs
- Option to save scanned barcodes in folders
- Ability to export data to spreadsheets


### Alana

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alana-self-discovery-guide/id6758546449)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium | $7.99 | per month |
| Premium Annual | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bar free?

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

### Is Alana free?

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

### Do Bar or Alana have ads?

Neither Bar nor Alana shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bar or Alana?

Bar ships an update every 2 months, and Alana every 5 weeks. Most recently, Bar was updated on September 29, 2026 and Alana on October 5, 2026.

---

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