# GCTools vs TBScan

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TBScan at 84% against GCTools's 40%. TBScan also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.1) and ratings volume (222 vs 13). GCTools's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (9.2 vs 12.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GCTools sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and TBScan sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

TBScan holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TBScan has 222 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of GCTools's written reviews are positive against 84% of TBScan's.

GCTools ships an update monthly, TBScan every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GCTools | TBScan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gctools/id438313105/reviews) | **[4.8 (222 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tbscan/id1122054655/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **222** |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **84.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 41 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.2** | 12.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Achim Heynen](https://appshunter.io/developer/374870201) | [Nicolas Camenisch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1122054654) |

## What reviewers say

### GCTools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gctools/id438313105)

This app provides a comprehensive suite of tools for geocaching enthusiasts. It offers coordinate manipulation, a wide range of cipher decoding and encoding options, interactive data tables, and various unit converters to assist with multi and mystery caches.

**Highlights:** Coordinate projection and distance calculation, Extensive cipher decoding and encoding, Interactive data tables, Multiple unit converters, Mapview integration with popular services, Coordinate saving and loading

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coordinate Storage | $0.99 | one-time |
| Circle Tools | $0.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Alphabets | $0.99 | one-time |
| Vigenere/One Time Pad Cipher | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coordinate Types | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1 Year Full Version | $1.99 | one-time |
| Full Version | $2.99 | one-time |


### TBScan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tbscan/id1122054655)

Easily discover and log geocaching trackables using your device's camera. Scan codes instantly to identify trackables, view their missions, and log them without manual typing. Perfect for events and finding trackables in caches.

**Highlights:** Quick trackable code recognition, Discover multiple trackables simultaneously, Offline functionality, View trackable missions, Attach photos to logs, Multiple log modes

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TBScan Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GCTools free?

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

### Is TBScan free?

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

### Which has better reviews, GCTools or TBScan?

TBScan is rated higher. GCTools averages 3.1 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while TBScan averages 4.8 from 222 ratings.

### Do GCTools or TBScan have ads?

Neither GCTools nor TBScan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, GCTools or TBScan?

GCTools ships an update monthly, and TBScan every 3 months. Most recently, GCTools was updated on September 27, 2026 and TBScan on September 9, 2026.

---

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