Comparison

Carly vs Barcode Scanners

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

Head to head
About

Carly

This app allows car owners to diagnose issues, monitor live engine data, and perform maintenance tasks. It offers advanced features like coding hidden car functions and detecting mileage manipulation, helping users save on repairs and understand their vehicle's health.

Highlights
  • Read and clear fault codes from all ECUs
  • Monitor engine live data parameters
  • Step-by-step car repair guides
  • Perform car maintenance and reset service intervals
  • Check starter battery condition
  • Code and unlock hidden car features
  • Detect mileage manipulation
Features
Read full description

Carly is the most versatile OBD2 solution, offering diagnostics, engine live data, and guides for car repair and maintenance. It's helped over a million car owners to save up to $2,000 per year for car-related topics. Get the Carly app and the Carly Universal Scanner to access data through the OBD2 port of your car. Unleash your inner car hero with Carly! It works for Audi, BMW, Ford, Lexus, Mercedes, Mini, Opel, Porsche, Renault, Seat, Skoda, Toyota, VW, and almost all other car brands with an OBD2 port. As every car is unique, which specific Carly features are available will vary with every model, build year, hardware, and software. ———— BASIC FEATURES INCLUDED IN THE (FREE) BASIC PACKAGE Diagnostics (OBD), Live Data (OBD), and Emission Check (OBD) enable you to have control over the most important systems — engine and transmission. ADVANCED FEATURES INCLUDED IN THE PREMIUM PACKAGE (YEARLY LICENSE) • UNDERSTAND YOUR CAR'S HEALTH With Carly Diagnostics, you can read and clear fault codes from all built-in electronic control units (ECUs), including engine, transmission, ABS, airbag, and multimedia, keep track of your car’s health, gauge the severity of problems, and more. • POWERCHARGE YOUR REPAIR SKILLS Get expert repair guides for your specific issues to help you understand and fix the issues by yourself. • MONITOR ENGINE LIVE DATA Live parameters or live data can help you take the guesswork out of understanding what your car needs and narrow down the fault causes. • PERFORM CAR MAINTENANCE INDEPENDENT OF THE WORKSHOP The Carly Maintenance feature helps you step-by-step to service your car yourself, reset your service and keep track of your service intervals directly from your phone. • VIEW THE CONDITION OF YOUR BATTERY The Carly Battery Check function helps you monitor the status of your car's starter battery, which will help to increase your batterie lifetime. • CODE AND UNLOCK HIDDEN FEATURES Access hidden features set by the manufacturer and customize your car to fit your needs. This feature is only available on certain car brands/models, and the coding options vary between each control unit. • DETECT MILEAGE MANIPULATION Mileage manipulation is on the rise. Don’t get tricked when buying a used car — use Carly to perform a used car inspection before buying. ———— HOW IT WORKS Step 1: Check which features are available for your car model Step 2: Order your Carly Universal Scanner Step 3: Plug the scanner into the OBD2 port and log in on this app THE CARLY UNIVERSAL SCANNER — THE MOST ADVANCED OBD DEVICE The OBD2 device was designed to support almost all car brands with an OBD2 port and to enable advanced Carly features. The scanner comes with: • A lifetime warranty • Premium customer support Take the health of your car into your own hands! ———— You can purchase a subscription for an individual car brand or for all car brands. This is a yearly subscription. The subscription automatically renews for one year if not canceled at least 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. The subscription can be managed in your purchases and the automatic renewal can be deactivated there. Terms of Use: https://bit.ly/35Mxg5s Privacy Policy: https://bit.ly/35Rruze

About

Barcode Scanners

This app offers robust barcode scanning capabilities, supporting over 30 different types including QR, UPC, and Data Matrix. It provides powerful parsing for industry-standard formats like driver's licenses and GS1 codes, simplifying data extraction.

Highlights
  • Scan over 30 barcode types
  • QR code scanning
  • UPC scanning
  • Data Matrix scanning
  • GS1 code parsing
  • Driver's license data parsing
Features
Read full description

Barcode scanning made simple! Use this powerful app to easily scan over 30 different types of barcodes, including QR, UPC, GS1, Data Matrix, PDF417, DotCode, and many others. The Cognex Barcode Scanners application reads all major barcode symbologies, including Aztec Code, Codabar, Code 11, Code 25 (Interleaved, Industrial, COOP, Matrix and ITF-14), Code 39, Code 93, Code 128, Data Matrix, DotCode, EAN, ISBN, GS1 DataBar, MaxiCode, MSI Plessey, PDF417, Micro PDF417, Postal Codes, QR Code (Micro and Standard), TELEPEN and UPC barcode types, as well as GS1 sub-types like GS1 QR Code, GS1 Data Matrix and GS1-128. The app also provides powerful parsers to examine industry standard formatted barcodes more easily such as AAMVA (US and Canadian Driver’s Licenses), GS1, IUID, Structured Carrier Messages (MaxiCode), and more! To learn more about Cognex's high-speed barcode scanning and computer vision solutions, visit https://www.cognex.com.

Screenshots

Carly4 screens
Barcode Scanners4 screens

Verdict

The call

Carly and Barcode Scanners both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 88% of Barcode Scanners's written reviews are positive against 30% of Carly's. Barcode Scanners also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 12) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.0). Carly's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (9.9K vs 810). On price, rating, ads and device support 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. Carly sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per year. Barcode Scanners asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Carly against 4.6 for Barcode Scanners. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Carly has 9.9K ratings behind it against 810, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 30% of Carly's written reviews are positive against 88% of Barcode Scanners's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Carly ships an update weekly, Barcode Scanners every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Carly versus Barcode Scanners: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCarlyBarcode Scanners
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (9.9K ratings) — better4.6 (810 ratings)
Positive reviews29.7% of reviews87.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings9.9K — better810
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#193 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size416 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCarly Solutions GmbH Co KGCognex Corporation

Customer experience

Carly

All ratings9,875 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral1.7%
Negative6.6%
Written reviews590 reviews
Positive29.7%
Neutral5.4%
Negative64.9%

Barcode Scanners

All ratings808 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral3.6%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews188 reviews
Positive87.8%
Neutral3.7%
Negative8.5%

User reviews

Carly

From 9.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great customer service
  • 🚀 Lots of functionality
  • 💡 Useful diagnostic and coding features
  • 🔒 Secure and reliable

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🐛 Connectivity and compatibility issues
  • 🔍 Limited functionality for some vehicles
  • 📚 Confusing or lacking documentation

Barcode Scanners

From 810 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and accurate scanning
  • 👍 Reliable and easy to use
  • 🔒 No data collection
  • 💡 Supports wide range of barcode types
  • 👍 Excellent parsing and decoding capabilities

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezing issues
  • 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
  • 🐛 Duplicate delay feature not working as expected
  • 🐛 Export to CSV not functioning properly

Bugs and requests

Carly

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes or freezes
  • Adapter not working as expected
  • Inaccurate or misleading diagnostic information

Requested features

4 requests
  • More vehicle support
  • Improved user interface
  • Offline functionality
  • Easier subscription management

Barcode Scanners

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashing after iOS 12.3.1 update
  • Unable to scan certain barcode types (e.g. GS1 DataMatrix)
  • Frozen camera view after initial scan

Requested features

4 requests
  • Option to disable tips/tooltips on startup
  • Batch export/logging of scan history
  • Ability to display non-readable characters
  • Deeper Shortcuts integration

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Carly

Subscriptions12
  • Smart Mechanic$11.991 Year
  • Toyota$21.991 Year
  • Mercedes$28.991 Year
Show 9 more
  • Smart Mechanic$35.991 Year
  • Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda$53.991 Year
  • Carly for BMW Full-Version$59.991 Year
  • BMW and Mini$63.991 Year
  • All Brands Upgrade6 Months trial$78.991 Year
  • All Brands$82.991 Year
  • VW/Audi/Seat/Skoda + Mechanic$89.991 Year
  • BMW and Mini + Smart Mechanic$99.991 Year
  • All Brands + Smart Mechanic$118.991 Year
None

Barcode Scanners

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Carly free?
Carly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Barcode Scanners free?
Barcode Scanners is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Carly or Barcode Scanners?
Carly is rated higher. Carly averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9.9K ratings, while Barcode Scanners averages 4.6 from 810 ratings.
Do Carly or Barcode Scanners have ads?
Neither Carly nor Barcode Scanners shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Carly or Barcode Scanners?
Carly ships an update weekly, and Barcode Scanners every 5 months. Most recently, Carly was updated on September 24, 2026 and Barcode Scanners on September 22, 2026.

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