Comparison

Open Minis vs Scan

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

Head to head
About

Open Minis

This AI agent runs locally on your device, taking actions like browsing the web, managing your schedule, and controlling smart home devices. It integrates deeply with iOS frameworks and allows you to bring your own API keys from various AI providers. Customize its capabilities with a skills system and enjoy persistent memory for a personalized experience.

Highlights
  • On-device AI agent
  • Multi-model AI provider support
  • Deep iOS framework integration
  • Built-in web browser
  • Customizable skills system
  • Persistent memory
  • Siri Shortcuts integration
Features
Read full description

Minis — Local-First On-Device AI Agent Minis is a local-first, on-device AI agent that goes beyond chat. All your data stays on your iPhone — nothing is uploaded to a server by default. Running locally means lower latency and stronger privacy, while the agent still takes real action: browsing the web, accessing your health data, managing your schedule, controlling your smart home, and automating complex tasks. Local-First AI Agent Unlike cloud-only chatbots, Minis runs directly on your device and keeps your data there. The agent executes multi-step tasks autonomously, using tools and native iOS frameworks to get things done — not just answer questions, and not just relay everything to the cloud. Multi-Model, Your Choice Bring your own API key. Choose from leading AI providers: • Anthropic Claude • OpenAI GPT • Google Gemini • DeepSeek • Kimi (Moonshot AI) • OpenRouter • Any OpenAI-compatible endpoint Deep iOS Integration The agent accesses Apple frameworks natively: • HealthKit — steps, heart rate, sleep, workouts, SpO₂ • Calendar & Reminders — create events, check availability, manage tasks • HomeKit — control lights, switches, scenes, and smart accessories • Photos — search, organize, and export from your library • Location & Maps — current location, directions, nearby POIs • Vision — OCR text recognition, object detection, barcode scanning • Speech — real-time transcription and text-to-speech • Weather — current conditions, hourly and daily forecasts Built-in Web Browser Navigate pages, take screenshots, extract content, fill forms, and interact with websites — all driven by the AI agent in the background. Skills System Import or create custom AI skills to extend the agent's capabilities. Share skills with others or build your own for specialized workflows. Persistent Memory The agent remembers your preferences, project context, and recurring patterns across sessions — building a personalized assistant that improves over time, all stored locally on your device. Siri Shortcuts Automate AI tasks with Siri and the Shortcuts app. Send prompts with file attachments, wait for results, and chain into complex workflows — all hands-free. Privacy by Design Your API keys and data stay on-device. Fine-grained permission controls let you decide exactly which personal data the agent can access. No account required. No data collected.

About

Scan

This app quickly scans various barcode and QR code types, displaying the raw decoded information. It offers smart actions for recognized data, a searchable history, and the ability to import codes from photos, all without ads or accounts.

Highlights
  • Scans all common 1D and 2D symbologies
  • Displays raw decoded string
  • Smart actions for URLs, Wi-Fi, contacts, etc.
  • Persistent, searchable scan history
  • Import barcodes from photos
  • Torch toggle for low light
Features
Read full description

Scan-Scan is a barcode and QR scanner that does exactly one thing, exactly the way it should. Point your camera at a code. See what's inside it. Copy it, share it, or act on it. That's the whole app. **WHAT YOU GET** • A full-bleed camera that recognizes QR, Data Matrix, Aztec, PDF417, EAN, UPC, Code 39, Code 128, ITF, Codabar, GS1 DataBar — every common 1D and 2D symbology, all enabled by default. • The raw decoded string, in monospaced text, selectable, never truncated, never "interpreted" into something you didn't ask for. • Smart actions only when they fit: open a URL, join a Wi-Fi network, add a contact, drop a pin in Maps, start a call. If it's plain text, you get plain text. • A persistent history of every code you've ever scanned, grouped by day, searchable, filterable by type. Tap any past scan to see the exact data again. • Import barcodes from photos in your library. • Torch toggle for low light. **WHAT YOU DON'T GET** • No ads. Not banner ads, not "sponsored" results, not interstitials. • No accounts. No sign-up, no sign-in, no email, ever. • No cloud. Your scan history lives on your device and only your device. • No tracking. No analytics SDKs, no telemetry, no third-party packages of any kind. • No "product lookups" that pipe every UPC you scan to a vendor database. • No subscription. No "Pro" tier. No paywalled features. • No barcode generation, no batch inventory mode, no CRM integration — those apps already exist. This isn't one of them. **HOW IT'S BUILT** 100% native Swift and SwiftUI. Apple's VisionKit for scanning. SwiftData for history. Zero third-party dependencies. The entire app works offline; the only network traffic is when you tap a link and iOS hands it to Safari. **WHO IT'S FOR** People who scan a code and want to know what's actually in it — developers debugging a QR payload, anyone joining a Wi-Fi network at a friend's place, someone who'd rather not install 40 MB of advertising SDKs to read a sticker. Open the app. Scan. Done.

Screenshots

Open Minis4 screens
Scan4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Open Minis at 98 against Scan's 1. Open Minis also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Scan holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Open Minis has 98 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Open Minis versus Scan: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpen MinisScan
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (98 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews96.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings98 — better1
Update frequencyWeekly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size398 MB1 MB
Age rating17+4+
Developer森 王Matthew Houghton

Customer experience

Open Minis

All ratings87 ratings
Positive97.7%
Neutral1.1%
Negative1.1%
Written reviews77 reviews
Positive96.1%
Neutral2.6%
Negative1.3%

Scan

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Open Minis

No in-app purchases

None

Scan

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Open Minis free?
Open Minis is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Scan free?
Scan is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Open Minis or Scan?
Scan is rated higher. Open Minis averages 4.8 out of 5 from 98 ratings, while Scan averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Open Minis or Scan have ads?
Neither Open Minis nor Scan shows ads.

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