Comparison

QR Code Lens vs Proxy Switchboard

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

Head to head
About

QR Code Lens

Quickly scan QR codes and barcodes to access information, generate custom codes, and organize your scans. It supports various data types, including links, Wi-Fi, and contacts, and offers product lookup powered by Open Food Facts.

Highlights
  • QR code and barcode scanning
  • Scan from photos and documents
  • Product lookup with nutrition facts
  • Custom QR code generation
  • Organized history and favorites
  • Widgets and Siri Shortcuts
Features
Read full description

QR Code Lens is a fast QR scanner, barcode scanner, QR code reader, and QR code generator for iPhone. Scan QR codes, scan barcodes, create custom QR codes, and organize everything in one elegant app. QR SCANNER & BARCODE SCANNER Scan QR codes and popular barcode formats with fast, accurate recognition. Read links, Wi-Fi networks, contacts, calendar events, emails, phone numbers, locations, text, and more. SCAN FROM PHOTOS, DOCUMENTS, NFC, AND BUSINESS CARDS Import images from your photo library, scan from shared photos, read NFC tags, capture documents as PDF, and turn business cards into contacts. TAKE ACTION IN ONE TAP Open websites, join Wi-Fi networks, save contacts, add calendar events, call phone numbers, send emails or texts, open locations in Maps, and share results instantly. PRODUCT LOOKUP Scan grocery and retail barcodes to see product details like name, brand, Nutri-Score, allergens, ingredients, and nutrition facts powered by Open Food Facts. QR CODE GENERATOR Create QR codes for URLs, text, Wi-Fi, contacts, email, phone, SMS, calendar events, locations, social profiles, Google Maps, App Store links, crypto addresses, and barcodes. Personalize colors, save created codes, and share them anytime. SMART HISTORY, FAVORITES, AND EXPORT Keep scans and created codes organized in one place. Search, filter, sort, favorite important items, and export your history as CSV, JSON, or PDF. WIDGETS, SHORTCUTS, AND QUICK ACCESS Launch QR Code Lens faster with Home Screen widgets, Lock Screen widgets, Control Center access, and Siri Shortcuts. FREE TO START, PRO WHEN YOU NEED MORE Core scanning and QR creation are available for free. Optional Pro unlocks batch scanning, advanced QR styling, full exports, iCloud sync, and an ad-free experience. PRIVACY FIRST Core QR and barcode scanning happens on-device. Product lookup, subscriptions, ads, and optional iCloud sync use network services only when needed. DESIGNED FOR IPHONE Enjoy a polished interface, haptic feedback, Dark Mode support, app themes, app icon choices, App Lock with Face ID or Touch ID, VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, and Reduce Motion support. Download QR Code Lens today for fast QR scanning, barcode scanning, and QR code creation on iPhone. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://qrlens.app/en/privacy

About

Proxy Switchboard

This app transforms your personal servers into a smart, rule-based proxy for your mobile devices. It allows you to route all your connections precisely where you want them, supporting various protocols and offering detailed traffic insights. Manage your network traffic with advanced features and share configurations easily.

Highlights
  • Rule-based connection routing
  • Support for SSH, SOCKS5, Shadowsocks, WireGuard, Tor
  • Live traffic statistics
  • HTTPS inspection with on-device logs
  • One-tap presets and route tester
  • Share proxy setups over Wi-Fi
  • Home Screen widget
Features
Read full description

Proxy Switchboard turns your own servers into a smart, rule-based proxy for your iPhone and iPad. Bring your own SSH server, SOCKS5/HTTP proxy, Shadowsocks, WireGuard peer or Tor — the app routes every connection exactly where you want it. YOUR SERVERS, YOUR RULES • Route by hostname: send *.example.com through one proxy, everything else direct • Three modes: route everything, rules-only, or direct • Exclusions for hosts that should always bypass the tunnel • One-tap presets for popular services • Built-in route tester shows exactly which rule and proxy a hostname will use ALL YOUR PROTOCOLS • SSH tunnels (password or private key, with a built-in SSH terminal) • SOCKS5, HTTP and HTTPS proxies • Shadowsocks, WireGuard and Tor • Proxy groups with round-robin or lowest-latency failover • Import servers by QR code, link or subscription URL — auto-refreshed SEE YOUR TRAFFIC • Live per-proxy and per-destination traffic stats • Long-press any hostname to copy it or turn it into a rule • HTTPS inspection (MITM) with on-device request/response logs — your data never leaves your phone • MCP for AI debugging support SHARE & CONTROL • Share your proxy setup over Wi-Fi with other devices on your network • Optional browser-based settings editor • Home Screen widget with one-tap connect and live status • Connect on demand, per-Wi-Fi network rules PRIVATE BY DESIGN No accounts. No data collection. No bundled servers. The app is a client for infrastructure you already own and trust — everything runs on your device. The free version includes 2 proxies and 10 rules. Proxy Switchboard Pro (one-time purchase, no subscription) unlocks unlimited proxies, unlimited rules and full HTTPS inspection capture. Requires servers/proxies you provide. Also available for Mac, with config files that work across both.

Screenshots

QR Code Lens4 screens
Proxy Switchboard3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Proxy Switchboard at none against QR Code Lens's shown. Proxy Switchboard also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, rating, ratings volume 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. QR Code Lens sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Proxy Switchboard sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for QR Code Lens against 5.0 for Proxy Switchboard. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

QR Code Lens ships an update monthly, Proxy Switchboard weekly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
QR Code Lens versus Proxy Switchboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterQR Code LensProxy Switchboard
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyMonthlyWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCloud Solution Berlin GmbHSENPRINTS LLC

Customer experience

QR Code Lens

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

Proxy Switchboard

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

QR Code Lens

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$2.991 Month
  • QrLens Pro Yearly$19.991 Year
1 purchases

Proxy Switchboard

One-time1
  • Proxy Switchboard Pro$7.99

Questions

Is QR Code Lens free?
QR Code Lens is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Proxy Switchboard free?
Proxy Switchboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, QR Code Lens or Proxy Switchboard?
QR Code Lens and Proxy Switchboard are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do QR Code Lens or Proxy Switchboard have ads?
QR Code Lens shows ads; Proxy Switchboard does not.
Which is updated more often, QR Code Lens or Proxy Switchboard?
QR Code Lens ships an update monthly, and Proxy Switchboard weekly. Most recently, QR Code Lens was updated on October 31, 2026 and Proxy Switchboard on October 31, 2026.

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