Comparison

QR Code Scanner vs Clean Links

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

QR Code Scanner

This utility app transforms your device into a powerful QR code and barcode scanner. It can also generate custom QR codes and barcodes, supporting a wide range of code types for efficient data access and sharing.

Highlights
  • Scan QR codes and barcodes
  • Create QR codes and barcodes
  • Supports various code types
  • Direct app integration
  • Haptic Touch and Control Center shortcuts
  • 100% local processing for privacy
Read full description

QR Scanner: QR Code Reader – All-in-One Utility Transform your device into an efficient QR code reader and barcode scanner with QR Scanner: QR Code Reader. This versatile app not only scans but also lets you create QR codes and barcodes effortlessly, anytime, anywhere. Key Features: - Quickly scan QR codes and barcodes using your device’s camera. - Supports all types of QR codes including links, contacts, messages, emails, locations, Wi-Fi, social accounts, and many more. - Fast scanning for food & products. - Use Haptic Touch for quick actions and integrate with the Control Center for faster access to the scanner. - Easily create your own QR codes and barcodes. - Share several images simultaneously for scanning within the app. - Directly open corresponding apps for quick and seamless access. For example, scan a YouTube link and instantly launch the YouTube app to view the video. - Supported code types include QR Code, Barcode, Aztec, Codabar, Data Matrix, PDF417, ITF, Code128, Code93, Code39, EAN-8, EAN-13, UPC-A, and UPC-E among others. QR Scanner: QR Code Reader is your go-to solution for all scanning needs. From organizing and accessing important data to sharing high-quality barcodes, our app ensures reliability and efficiency. Why Choose QR Scanner? - Fast and reliable scanning - 100% Local Processing for enhanced privacy - Intuitive user interface - Comprehensive support for various code types - Enhancements like Haptic Touch and Control Center shortcuts - Pay once, unlock features on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Elevate your scanning capabilities with QR Scanner: QR Code Reader. Download now and experience the ultimate convenience in QR code and barcode scanning! • Privacy Policy: https://shieldapps.notion.site/QR-Scanner-Privacy-Policy-4da59be76c8d43f29194ba63b1fdae0b • Terms of Use: https://shieldapps.notion.site/QR-Scanner-Terms-Conditions-1a04c9c74d2c45a3b551aa05316e19ce

About

Clean Links

This app scans QR codes and URLs to reveal hidden destinations and remove tracking parameters. It protects users from phishing and advertiser tracking, offering a private and free way to control digital privacy.

Highlights
  • QR code scanning
  • URL link cleaning
  • Phishing protection
  • QR code generation
  • iOS integration
  • Cross-device link sharing
Features
Read full description

That link a friend just sent you probably has a dozen tracking parameters glued to the end of it. Clean Links strips them off. It also opens up QR codes so you can read where they actually go before you commit to tapping. The app does a handful of things, and does them without an account, a subscription, or an ad: QR reader that shows you the destination URL first. Quishing scams work because nobody can read a QR code with their eyes, so you scan and hope. This one puts the real address on screen and waits. Link cleaner. Paste anything, get back the same link minus the utm tags, click IDs, and referral junk. Works on links from hundreds of shopping sites, social networks and search engines. Send to Mac. Push a cleaned link from your iPhone straight into the browser on your Mac. If the Mac is asleep or offline the link waits for it. Unshorten. Feed it a bit.ly or t.co address and it follows the chain to whatever sits at the end. Useful when a shortened link turns up from someone you don't know, which is how most phishing starts. Tracker blocker covering 71+ services, running as a parameter remover across everything you paste. QR generator for making your own codes out of links you trust. Safari extension that cleans every link on a page in one tap. Shortcuts, a Control Center widget, and a share sheet action, if you want the whole thing automated. Nothing leaves your device. There's no analytics SDK in here, no crash reporter phoning home, no account to create. Privacy isn't a feature we bolted on; there was never any data to collect. ■ Send Links to Your Mac Share a cleaned link from your iPhone or iPad and it lands in your Mac's browser. Links queue up if the Mac is offline. You can also fire Shortcuts on your Macs from an iOS device. You'll need Clean Links on both machines, iCloud turned on, and the same Apple account. ■ Coming from Hyperduck? Clean Links does the same handoff, adds tracker stripping on the way out, handles more than one Mac, and costs nothing. ■ Link Sharing FAQ ‣ Why not AirDrop? AirDrop needs both devices awake and nearby. This doesn't, and it drops the link straight into a background tab. ‣ Why not iCloud Tabs? Because iCloud Tabs only works in Safari, and the tabs are easy to lose. These open in whatever browser you actually use. ‣ Why not Reading List? Reading List is where links go to be forgotten. Yours open immediately. ‣ Why not Handoff? Handoff wants the devices in the same room. Clean Links supports Handoff anyway, for when they are. ‣ More than one Mac? Send to all of them. Any Mac signed into the same Apple account with the app installed will get it. ‣ Want to skip a particular Mac? Turn off receiving in that Mac's settings. ■ Spotted a tracker we don't catch yet? There's a link in Settings to tell us. We'll add them.

Screenshots

QR Code Scanner4 screens
Clean Links4 screens

Verdict

The call

QR Code Scanner and Clean Links both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 94% of Clean Links's written reviews are positive against 56% of QR Code Scanner's. Clean Links also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (68 vs 15). QR Code Scanner's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.6). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. QR Code Scanner sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Clean Links asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Clean Links holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 68 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of QR Code Scanner's written reviews are positive against 94% of Clean Links's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 20, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
QR Code Scanner versus Clean Links: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterQR Code ScannerClean Links
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (15 ratings)4.9 (68 ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.6% of reviews94.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1568 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB72 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer满 李Numen Technologies Limited

Customer experience

QR Code Scanner

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive55.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative44.4%

Clean Links

All ratings68 ratings
Positive98.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews35 reviews
Positive94.3%
Neutral5.7%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

QR Code Scanner

Subscriptions3
  • Upgrade to Pro - Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Upgrade to Pro - Annual3 Days trial$9.991 Year
  • Upgrade to Pro - Annual3 Days trial$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • QR Scanner Pro - Lifetime$29.99
None

Clean Links

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is QR Code Scanner free?
QR Code Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Clean Links free?
Clean Links is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, QR Code Scanner or Clean Links?
Clean Links is rated higher. QR Code Scanner averages 4.7 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Clean Links averages 4.9 from 68 ratings.
Do QR Code Scanner or Clean Links have ads?
Neither QR Code Scanner nor Clean Links shows ads.
Which is updated more often, QR Code Scanner or Clean Links?
QR Code Scanner ships an update every 2 weeks, and Clean Links every 2 weeks. Most recently, QR Code Scanner was updated on August 20, 2026 and Clean Links on September 21, 2026.

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