Barcode Scanners vs WAVE ID Mobile
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Scan over 30 barcode types
- QR code scanning
- UPC scanning
- Data Matrix scanning
- GS1 code parsing
- Driver's license data parsing
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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.
WAVE ID Mobile
Transform your mobile device into a secure authentication credential for compatible readers. This app generates a unique ID for your phone, transmitting it wirelessly via Bluetooth for access control.
- Mobile device as authentication credential
- Generates unique user identification number
- Bluetooth transmission to compatible readers
- Works with specific WAVE ID Mobile reader models
- Requires Bluetooth 4.2 or higher
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The WAVE ID Mobile app allows mobile devices to be used as an authentication credential with compatible WAVE ID Mobile readers from rf IDEAS. The app generates an identification number unique to the user’s mobile device and sends it via Bluetooth to the reader. Requirements: 1. A WAVE ID Mobile reader from rf IDEAS, model series RDR-30x8xBKU (the app will not work with series RDR-30x8xAKU). 2. A mobile phone with Bluetooth 4.2 or higher. Note: This application is for illustration purposes only. rf IDEAS cannot guarantee performance across all mobile phone models and operating systems, and does not provide technical support for the application. For information on the WAVE ID Mobile reader and other reader products from rf IDEAS visit www.rfideas.com.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: WAVE ID Mobile at 5.0 against Barcode Scanners's 4.6. Barcode Scanners's advantage is ratings volume (810 vs 1) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 25 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
WAVE ID Mobile holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Barcode Scanners has 810 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Barcode Scanners ships an update every 5 months, WAVE ID Mobile every 25 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Barcode Scanners | WAVE ID Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (810 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 87.8% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 810 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months — better | Every 25 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 35 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cognex Corporation | RF IDeas, Inc |
Customer experience
Barcode Scanners
WAVE ID Mobile
Bugs and requests
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
WAVE ID Mobile
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Barcode Scanners
No in-app purchases
WAVE ID Mobile
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Barcode Scanners free?
Is WAVE ID Mobile free?
Which has better reviews, Barcode Scanners or WAVE ID Mobile?
Do Barcode Scanners or WAVE ID Mobile have ads?
Which is updated more often, Barcode Scanners or WAVE ID Mobile?
Other comparisons
