Comparison

Halal Pal Scanner vs Etqa

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

Head to head
About

Halal Pal Scanner

Instantly verify if food products are halal by scanning barcodes or ingredient lists. Get clear verdicts with detailed reasoning, including specific checks for meat sources. Review your scan history for easy reference.

Highlights
  • Barcode scanner for millions of products
  • Ingredient list scanning via camera (OCR)
  • Halal, Haram, or Mushbooh verdicts with reasoning
  • Stricter meat source checking (Dhabiha mode)
  • Scan history log
Features
Read full description

Is it halal? Find out in seconds. Scan a barcode or snap the ingredient list, and Halal Pal gives you a clear Halal, Mushbooh or Haram verdict, with the reasons behind it. Shopping shouldn't mean squinting at labels and searching every E-number. Halal Pal checks millions of products for you and flags the ingredients that matter: gelatin, pork derivatives, alcohol, animal-based additives and more. WHY HALAL PAL • Instant barcode checks: millions of products from Open Food Facts and the USDA database • No barcode? Scan the label: photograph any ingredient list and select just the part you need • Clear verdicts with reasons: see exactly which ingredients were flagged, highlighted in the list • Halal-certified products: labelled products are marked with a "Halal certified" badge • Smart about sources: halal, beef or fish gelatin isn't treated like unverified gelatin, and mono- and diglycerides are checked for plant or animal origin • Dhabiha mode: stricter checking that also flags meat and poultry without verified dhabiha slaughter • Multilingual labels: reads ingredient lists in English, French, German, Spanish and Swedish • Scan history: product photos, search, and filters by verdict • Report a problem: think a result is wrong? Tell us straight from the result screen PREMIUM • Unlimited scans • No ads • Continuous scan: check a whole shopping trip without stopping, with a distinct vibration for each verdict Free users get 3 scans per day. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Halal Pal Premium is available as a monthly or yearly auto-renewing subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel it at any time in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Halal Pal provides guidance based on product data and ingredient analysis. Always verify with a certified halal authority when in doubt.

About

Etqa

Instantly scan product barcodes to receive detailed ingredient breakdowns and Halal classifications. This app helps you make informed food choices based on Islamic dietary guidelines and provides safety alerts.

Highlights
  • Barcode scanner for instant ingredient info
  • AI-powered analysis of 8,000+ ingredients
  • Detailed Halal, Haram, Mashbooh classifications
  • Islamic dietary insights and madhab views
  • Safety and health alerts for ingredients
  • AI chat for dietary concerns
  • Scan history and favorites
Features
Read full description

Etqa helps you make smarter, more informed choices about the packaged food you buy and eat. Simply scan a product barcode to discover what’s inside and understand the information that matters to you—from Halal status and ingredient classifications to allergens, dietary preferences, nutrition quality, recalls, and food safety concerns. Whether you're grocery shopping, traveling, comparing products, or trying something new, Etqa gives you a clearer picture of what you're buying. KEY FEATURES * Barcode Scanner — Scan packaged food products and instantly access available product and ingredient information. * AI-Powered Ingredient Analysis — Advanced AI analyzes ingredients using a comprehensive database of 8,000+ ingredients to help explain what they are and how they may affect your dietary choices. * Halal, Haram & Mashbooh — See ingredients classified as Halal, Haram, or Mashbooh (doubtful), with explanations based on Islamic dietary guidelines and differing scholarly perspectives. * Food Quality Insights — Go beyond ingredients with information designed to help you better understand the overall quality of a product. * Nutrition Information — Review nutritional information and nutrition-quality indicators to help compare products and make more informed choices. * Allergens & Dietary Preferences — Identify common allergens and check products against your personal dietary preferences and requirements. * Recall & Safety Alerts — Stay informed about available food recalls and ingredients or products associated with safety concerns. * Detailed Ingredient Breakdown — Explore individual ingredients with clear explanations instead of trying to decode complicated food labels on your own. * Islamic Dietary Insights — Understand how different schools of thought (madhabs) may view certain ingredients and processing methods. * Ask Anything — Chat with Etqa's AI to ask questions about ingredients, additives, food quality, nutrition, allergens, or dietary concerns. * Scan History & Favorites — Keep track of products you've scanned and save favorites for quick access later. * Badges & Achievements — Earn badges as you scan products, explore ingredients, and learn more about the food you eat. WHY ETQA? Food labels can be difficult to understand. Ingredients may have unfamiliar names, allergens can be easy to miss, nutrition information can be hard to compare, and a product's Halal status may not always be obvious. Etqa brings this information together in one place, helping you move beyond simply scanning a barcode to actually understanding the product. Etqa is designed for everyone—from Muslims looking for Halal guidance to anyone who wants to make more informed decisions about ingredients, nutrition, allergens, recalls, food quality, and personal dietary preferences. Scan it. Know it. Eat smarter. Etqa provides informational guidance based on ingredient research, available product information, and widely accepted scholarly opinions. It is not a substitute for professional medical, dietary, or religious advice. For definitive religious rulings on specific products, please consult a qualified Islamic scholar.

Screenshots

Halal Pal Scanner4 screens
Etqa4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Etqa at none against Halal Pal Scanner's 2. Etqa also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Halal Pal Scanner's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 10 days). On price, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. Halal Pal Scanner sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Etqa asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Etqa holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 21 and 12 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Halal Pal Scanner ships an update every 2 days, Etqa every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Halal Pal Scanner versus Etqa: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHalal Pal ScannerEtqa
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (21 ratings)5.0 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings21 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB53 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTayseer EdouniETQA LLC

Customer experience

Halal Pal Scanner

All ratings18 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Etqa

All ratings12 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Halal Pal Scanner

Subscriptions2
  • Halal Premium - Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Halal Pal Premium – Yearly7 Days trial$9.991 Year
None

Etqa

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Halal Pal Scanner free?
Halal Pal Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Etqa free?
Etqa is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Halal Pal Scanner or Etqa?
Etqa is rated higher. Halal Pal Scanner averages 4.6 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while Etqa averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.
Do Halal Pal Scanner or Etqa have ads?
Halal Pal Scanner shows ads; Etqa does not.
Which is updated more often, Halal Pal Scanner or Etqa?
Halal Pal Scanner ships an update every 2 days, and Etqa every 10 days. Most recently, Halal Pal Scanner was updated on November 5, 2026 and Etqa on October 31, 2026.

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