# PatchScan vs Patch Vault

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Patch Vault at 100% against PatchScan's 30%. Patch Vault also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.5) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 25 months). PatchScan's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Patch Vault sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. PatchScan asks for nothing beyond the download.

Patch Vault holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PatchScan has 39 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of PatchScan's written reviews are positive against 100% of Patch Vault's.

PatchScan ships an update every 25 months, Patch Vault fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PatchScan | Patch Vault |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patchscan/id645573864/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patch-vault-collection-app/id6767950962/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **39** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 30.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Boy Scouts of America](https://appshunter.io/developer/327240448) | [Robotic Snail Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1232381880) |

## 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


### Patch Vault

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patch-vault-collection-app/id6767950962)

Organize and catalog your patch and challenge coin collections with detailed records, photos, and tracking. Easily search, filter, and view item origins on a map. Gain insights into your collection's trends and history.

**Highlights:** Catalog patches and challenge coins, Add multiple photos, Track detailed item information, Search and filter collection, View origins on interactive map, Review collection stats and trends, Sync privately with iCloud

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PatchScan free?

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

### Is Patch Vault free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PatchScan or Patch Vault?

Patch Vault is rated higher. PatchScan averages 2.5 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while Patch Vault averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do PatchScan or Patch Vault have ads?

Patch Vault shows ads; PatchScan does not.

### Which is updated more often, PatchScan or Patch Vault?

PatchScan ships an update every 25 months, and Patch Vault fortnightly. Most recently, PatchScan was updated on November 1, 2026 and Patch Vault on October 31, 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.*