Comparison

Menu Scanner vs Menu Reader

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

Head to head
About

Menu Scanner

Features
Read full description

PREMIUM โ€” PURCHASE REQUIRED: All features described below are part of Pro and require a purchase: a weekly or yearly auto-renewing subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. MenuScan helps you make sense of a printed restaurant menu before you order. Photograph a menu or choose an image from your library, review the dishes found, and compare AI-estimated nutrition in one calm dining ledger. WHAT YOU CAN DO โ€ข Scan a printed menu: On-device text recognition extracts visible menu text, then our analysis service returns a structured dish list. โ€ข Compare estimates: Review estimated calories, protein, carbohydrates and fat side by side. โ€ข Keep a dining ledger: Save favourites and revisit scan history on this device. โ€ข Plan ahead: Add saved dishes to a meal plan and review nutrition trends over time. โ€ข Set preferences: Record dietary preferences to make review easier. MenuScan never certifies that a dish is safe or allergen-free. โ€ข Export selected information when you need a portable record. IMPORTANT LIMITATIONS Restaurant recipes, ingredients, cross-contact and portion sizes vary. Every nutrition, ingredient, dietary and allergen result in MenuScan is an AI estimate, not a laboratory measurement or medical recommendation. Always confirm ingredients and allergy safety directly with the restaurant. Do not use MenuScan for diagnosis or emergency decisions. PRIVACY A menu image is uploaded securely only after you select it for analysis. Scan history, favourites, meal plans and profile preferences are stored on this device. Anonymous product interaction, performance and crash diagnostics help us improve reliability. MenuScan does not use data for cross-app tracking. PREMIUM (PURCHASE REQUIRED) Optional MenuScan Pro purchases unlock unlimited scans and advanced planning, history, insights and export features. Available products and prices are shown by the App Store before purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled in App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://leanstudio.asia/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://leanstudio.asia/privacy-policy Support: support@leanstudio.asia

About

Menu Reader

Features
Read full description

Menu Reader - MenuScan is the perfect app for anyone who wants to understand restaurant menus faster. Travelling abroad, trying a new cuisine, or facing a menu with no pictures? Point your camera at any menu or upload a photo from your library. MenuScan will scan the dish names, translate unfamiliar items, and match each dish with food photos. So you can see what you're ordering before you decide. --- POINT, SCAN OR UPLOAD Point your camera at any restaurant menu and tap Scan or upload a menu photo from your library. Works on printed menus in any language, anywhere in the world. UNDERSTAND EVERY DISH View each menu item with a real food photo, translation, description, and allergen information, all in one place. Dairy, gluten, nuts, and more, clearly labelled. BUILD YOUR ORDER LIST Tap any dish to add it to your order list as you browse. Selections carry over across multiple menus during your visit, so you never forget what caught your eye. REVIEW SCAN HISTORY Every scan is saved automatically. Browse your history anytime to recall dishes from past restaurants and re-add favourites to a new order. PERFECT FOR TRAVEL Use MenuScan on holiday, at local restaurants, or anywhere you encounter an unfamiliar menu. PRIVACY FOCUSED MenuScan does not store your menu scans or sell your data. Camera access is used only during your scan session.

Screenshots

Menu Scanner4 screens
Menu Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Menu Reader at every 3 weeks against Menu Scanner's every 3 months. Menu Reader also leads on device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Menu Scanner sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days and Menu Reader sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Menu Scanner ships an update every 3 months, Menu Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Menu Scanner versus Menu Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMenu ScannerMenu Reader
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 weeks โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” better
Requires iOS16.015.5 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size9 MB67 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLEAN ASIA CO., LTDPU-DE CIOU

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Menu Scanner

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Weekly Plan$9.997 Days
  • Premium Yearly3 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$89.99
2 purchases

Menu Reader

One-time2
  • 7-Day Pass$6.99
  • 30-Day Pass$19.99

Questions

Is Menu Scanner free?
Menu Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Menu Reader free?
Menu Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Menu Scanner or Menu Reader have ads?
Neither Menu Scanner nor Menu Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Menu Scanner or Menu Reader?
Menu Scanner ships an update every 3 months, and Menu Reader every 3 weeks. Most recently, Menu Scanner was updated on October 12, 2026 and Menu Reader on October 7, 2026.

Other comparisons