# SubGuard vs Shark Scan

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Shark Scan at 25% against SubGuard's 0%. Shark Scan also leads on ratings volume (107 vs 9) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). SubGuard's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.3). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

SubGuard holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shark Scan has 107 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of SubGuard's written reviews are positive against 25% of Shark Scan's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SubGuard ships an update every 9 days, Shark Scan every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SubGuard | Shark Scan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subguard-private-sub-tracker/id6447958086/reviews)** | [4.3 (107 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shark-scan-gif-qr-code/id6503337651/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **107** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **25.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 16 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MEGAMOBI LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1683100389) | [Chengdu Dance Elephant Technology Co., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1741861571) |

## What reviewers say

### SubGuard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subguard-private-sub-tracker/id6447958086)

This utility app offers lightning-fast QR and barcode scanning with AI-powered identification for plants, animals, and more. Its lightweight design and intuitive interface make it easy to use for everyday tasks, from checking prices to learning about the world around you.

**Highlights:** Lightning-fast QR/barcode scanning, AI recognition for plants, animals, cars, Built-in flash for low-light scanning, Simple, lightweight, and intuitive interface, Save and organize scanned information, Generate QR codes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shark Scan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shark-scan-gif-qr-code/id6503337651)

This app combines lightning-fast QR code scanning with AI-powered recognition for identifying objects and plants. It also offers a library of short dramas and allows users to create custom QR codes from photos, GIFs, or text.

**Highlights:** Fast QR/barcode scanning, AI object recognition, Short drama library, Custom QR code creation, Identify plants, animals, coins

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SubGuard free?

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

### Is Shark Scan free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SubGuard or Shark Scan?

SubGuard is rated higher. SubGuard averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Shark Scan averages 4.3 from 107 ratings.

### Do SubGuard or Shark Scan have ads?

Neither SubGuard nor Shark Scan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SubGuard or Shark Scan?

SubGuard ships an update every 9 days, and Shark Scan every 2 weeks. Most recently, SubGuard was updated on October 24, 2026 and Shark Scan on October 24, 2026.

---

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