# PatchScan vs BoardGameGeek

The clearest difference is rating: BoardGameGeek at 3.8 against PatchScan's 2.6. BoardGameGeek also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 25 months) and ratings volume (115 vs 34). PatchScan's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BoardGameGeek sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. PatchScan asks for nothing beyond the download.

BoardGameGeek holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 2.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 34 and 115 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of PatchScan's written reviews are positive against 38% of BoardGameGeek's.

PatchScan ships an update every 25 months, BoardGameGeek every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PatchScan | BoardGameGeek |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.6 (34 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patchscan/id645573864/reviews) | **[3.8 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boardgamegeek/id1559701270/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 34 | **115** |
| Positive reviews | 30.0% of reviews | **37.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Boy Scouts of America](https://appshunter.io/developer/327240448) | [BoardGameGeek, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1559701272) |

## What reviewers say

### PatchScan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patchscan/id645573864)

Access detailed information about officially licensed Boy Scouts of America patches by scanning their unique codes. Discover issuance numbers, issuing organizations, manufacturing details, and view scans from the same production run to verify authenticity. Enhance your patch trading and collection with this free tool.

**Highlights:** Scan officially licensed BSA patches, View patch issuance numbers, Identify issuing organizations, Access manufacturing details, Verify patch authenticity with production scans, Enhance patch trading

**In-app purchases:** none


### BoardGameGeek

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boardgamegeek/id1559701270)

Access the world's largest and most up-to-date database for board and card games. Discover new content, read reviews, and join discussions with a passionate community of gamers. Contribute your own ratings and insights.

**Highlights:** Extensive game database, User reviews and ratings, Discussion forums, Daily new content, Game session reports, Play-aids and translations

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Ad-Removal for iOS | $0.99 | per month |
| Yearly Ad-Removal for iOS | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Comprehensive board game database and information
- 🎮 Excellent community features and resources
- 📱 Convenient mobile access to BGG
- 🎯 Easy collection tracking and management
- 📊 Play history logging functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Search functionality broken or unreliable
- 📉 Significantly less functionality than desktop version
- ⚠️ Multiple bugs affecting core features
- 🎮 Play logging dialog crashes on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Search returns no results after updates
- Log Play dialog opens and closes instantly
- App crashes when selecting My Geek section
- Cannot add player names after latest update
- Forum posts display with excessive formatting

**Requested features**

- Weight information display for games
- Player count filtering for collections
- Grid view option for collection display
- Advanced search filters
- Dark mode support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PatchScan free?

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

### Is BoardGameGeek free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PatchScan or BoardGameGeek?

BoardGameGeek is rated higher. PatchScan averages 2.6 out of 5 from 34 ratings, while BoardGameGeek averages 3.8 from 115 ratings.

### Do PatchScan or BoardGameGeek have ads?

BoardGameGeek shows ads; PatchScan does not.

### Which is updated more often, PatchScan or BoardGameGeek?

PatchScan ships an update every 25 months, and BoardGameGeek every 2 weeks. Most recently, PatchScan was updated on October 10, 2026 and BoardGameGeek on October 7, 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.*