# Barcode Scanners vs TheSmartNotebook App

The clearest difference is rating: Barcode Scanners at 4.6 against TheSmartNotebook App's 1.0. Barcode Scanners also leads on ratings volume (810 vs 2) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 14.0.0). TheSmartNotebook App's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Barcode Scanners holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Barcode Scanners has 810 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Barcode Scanners ships an update every 5 months, TheSmartNotebook App every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Barcode Scanners | TheSmartNotebook App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (810 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barcode-scanners/id504201315/reviews)** | [1.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thesmartnotebook-app/id6744987479/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **810** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 87.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 35 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 14.0.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cognex Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/977274716) | [Virtual-Tec](https://appshunter.io/developer/498369221) |

## 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


### TheSmartNotebook App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thesmartnotebook-app/id6744987479)

Scan handwritten notes to create digital, searchable documents. Organize and share your notes instantly to cloud storage with smart shortcuts. Enjoy the freedom of handwriting with digital efficiency.

**Highlights:** Scan handwritten notes, Digital note storage, OCR text search, Organize and share notes, Cloud storage integration, Quick sharing shortcuts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Barcode Scanners free?

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

### Is TheSmartNotebook App free?

TheSmartNotebook App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Barcode Scanners or TheSmartNotebook App?

Barcode Scanners is rated higher. Barcode Scanners averages 4.6 out of 5 from 810 ratings, while TheSmartNotebook App averages 1.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Barcode Scanners or TheSmartNotebook App have ads?

Neither Barcode Scanners nor TheSmartNotebook App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Barcode Scanners or TheSmartNotebook App?

Barcode Scanners ships an update every 5 months, and TheSmartNotebook App every 2 weeks. Most recently, Barcode Scanners was updated on October 12, 2026 and TheSmartNotebook App on October 11, 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.*