# Readback vs Scan & Trace

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Scan & Trace at none against Readback's 5. Scan & Trace also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (9.3 vs 12.0). Readback's advantage is update cadence (every 6 months vs every 18 months). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Readback sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Scan & Trace asks for nothing beyond the download.

Readback ships an update every 6 months, Scan & Trace every 18 months. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Readback | Scan & Trace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.3 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readback/id593334194/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **8** | — |
| Positive reviews | 57.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 months** | Every 18 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 29 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **9.3** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Santiago Borja Lopez](https://appshunter.io/developer/581569234) | [Viking Life-saving Equipment AS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1500726789) |

## What reviewers say

### Readback

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readback/id593334194)

Streamline your air traffic control note-taking with this utility. Quickly record clearances and updates, eliminating the need for a physical scratchpad. Maintain a comprehensive log of all your flight information for better organization.

**Highlights:** Quickly capture ATC clearances, Record ATIS updates, Digital log of all clearances, Printable flight log, Add flight number to log

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Clearance Keypad | $0.99 | one-time |
| Qwerty Keypad | $0.99 | one-time |
| Azerty Keypad | $0.99 | one-time |
| CDU Keypad | $0.99 | one-time |
| Qwertz Keypad | $0.99 | one-time |


### Scan & Trace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scan-and-trace/id1500726790)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Readback free?

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

### Is Scan & Trace free?

Scan & Trace is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Readback or Scan & Trace have ads?

Neither Readback nor Scan & Trace shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Readback or Scan & Trace?

Readback ships an update every 6 months, and Scan & Trace every 18 months. Most recently, Readback was updated on September 16, 2026 and Scan & Trace on September 17, 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.*