# Barcode Scanners vs QR Scanner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Barcode Scanners at none against QR Scanner's 4. Barcode Scanners also leads on ratings volume (810 vs 130) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 14.0). QR Scanner's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. QR Scanner sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Barcode Scanners asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Barcode Scanners against 4.7 for QR Scanner. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Barcode Scanners has 810 ratings behind it against 130, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Barcode Scanners's written reviews are positive against 89% of QR Scanner's.

Barcode Scanners ships an update every 5 months, QR Scanner fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Barcode Scanners | QR Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (810 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barcode-scanners/id504201315/reviews) | **[4.7 (130 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qr-scanner-scan-store-create/id6476440474/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **810** | 130 |
| Positive reviews | 87.8% of reviews | **89.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 35 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cognex Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/977274716) | [Thumbmagic Labs LLP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724911593) |

## 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


### QR Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qr-scanner-scan-store-create/id6476440474)

Easily scan and generate custom QR codes for various purposes. This app allows you to import codes from images, manage your scan history, and securely create non-expiring codes. Enjoy an ad-free experience with Pro plans.

**Highlights:** Scan unlimited QR codes, Generate custom QR codes, Import QR codes from gallery, Track scan history, Face ID authentication, Copy, share, and download codes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| qr_scanner_weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| qr_scanner_yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| QR Scanner Unlimited | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Barcode Scanners free?

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

### Is QR Scanner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Barcode Scanners or QR Scanner?

QR Scanner is rated higher. Barcode Scanners averages 4.6 out of 5 from 810 ratings, while QR Scanner averages 4.7 from 130 ratings.

### Do Barcode Scanners or QR Scanner have ads?

Neither Barcode Scanners nor QR Scanner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Barcode Scanners or QR Scanner?

Barcode Scanners ships an update every 5 months, and QR Scanner fortnightly. Most recently, Barcode Scanners was updated on September 22, 2026 and QR Scanner on August 19, 2026.

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