# Barcode Scanners vs Slow Hammerheads

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Barcode Scanners at none against Slow Hammerheads's 2. Barcode Scanners also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (813 vs 29). Slow Hammerheads's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Slow Hammerheads sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Barcode Scanners asks for nothing beyond the download.

Barcode Scanners holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Barcode Scanners has 813 ratings behind it against 29, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Barcode Scanners's written reviews are positive against 86% of Slow Hammerheads's.

Barcode Scanners ships an update every 5 months, Slow Hammerheads every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Barcode Scanners | Slow Hammerheads |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (813 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barcode-scanners/id504201315/reviews)** | [4.3 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/slow-hammerheads/id1540703949/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **813** | 29 |
| Positive reviews | **87.8% of reviews** | 85.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 35 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 12.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cognex Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/977274716) | [Slow Hammerheads, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1540703951) |

## What reviewers say

### Barcode Scanners

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barcode-scanners/id504201315)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

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


### Slow Hammerheads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/slow-hammerheads/id1540703949)

Never forget a special occasion again with this app that sends reminders for important gift dates. Users can also create and share gift lists with friends and family, making gift-giving easier.

**Highlights:** Gift date reminders, One-time event reminders, Shareable gift lists, Amazon gift suggestions, Multiple wishlists

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| 1 Year Subscription | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Barcode Scanners free?

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

### Is Slow Hammerheads free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Barcode Scanners or Slow Hammerheads?

Barcode Scanners is rated higher. Barcode Scanners averages 4.6 out of 5 from 813 ratings, while Slow Hammerheads averages 4.3 from 29 ratings.

### Do Barcode Scanners or Slow Hammerheads have ads?

Neither Barcode Scanners nor Slow Hammerheads shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Barcode Scanners or Slow Hammerheads?

Barcode Scanners ships an update every 5 months, and Slow Hammerheads every 3 weeks. Most recently, Barcode Scanners was updated on November 10, 2026 and Slow Hammerheads on November 3, 2026.

---

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