Plain and Simple Tools vs QR Code Scanner
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Plain and Simple Tools
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A shelf of small tools, each doing one thing, with nothing attached. This is the one app here that is not about a single thing: a container that gains tools over time. Every tool says what it does, what it will ask you for, and what — if anything — it sends off your phone, before you tap it. Pin the ones you use to the tab bar. A tool you have never opened is never even started, and never asks you for anything. Three ship today. CHARGE — IS THAT CHARGER ANY GOOD? Plug the phone in and leave it a few minutes. Charge times how fast the battery is actually filling and tells you roughly how many watts are arriving, and whether that counts as fast or slow. There is a Lock Screen tile for the last one you tested. It is honest about the figure, which is the part most apps are not. iOS does not tell an app how many watts a charger is delivering — there is no way to ask, and any app showing you an instant number is making it up. Timing the fill is the only method available, it takes a few minutes, and it gets within about a fifth. The app shows that it is still measuring rather than inventing something, and explains the method on the screen. NEGATIVES — FILM, TURNED BACK INTO PHOTOGRAPHS Point the camera at a negative on a lightbox — or let a second phone be the lightbox — or pick one you have already photographed. Colour film, black and white, and slides. A single frame or a whole strip. The conversion happens on your phone, and the result saves straight into your own photo library. STEPS TO HA — YOUR STEP COUNT, ON YOUR OWN DASHBOARD If you run Home Assistant at home, this sends today's step count to it, so you can put it on a dashboard or use it in an automation. It reads your step count from Apple Health, read-only, and never writes anything back. It sends that number to the address you typed in, and nowhere else. There is no account and no server here. Nothing goes to Plain and Simple. Your Home Assistant address and webhook ID are kept in this phone's Keychain, marked device-only, so they are not in iCloud and do not travel to a new phone. If you do not run Home Assistant, this tool has nothing for you — and it stays switched off and silent. PERMISSIONS BELONG TO THE TOOLS, NOT TO THE APP The shell — the shelf, the tab bar, Settings — asks for nothing at all. Health is only requested once you open Steps to HA and choose to connect it. The camera is only ever on while Negatives is the screen you are looking at, or while you are scanning a pairing code, and it explains itself before iPhone asks. Saving a photograph uses the add-only permission, which lets the app put pictures into your library and never lets it see one that is already there. That is the least it could ask for; the cost is that it cannot file its results into an album, and that was accepted rather than asking for more. Tests read the app's own source and fail the build if permission code appears outside a tool, if the app declares a permission that no tool asked for, or if any tool other than Steps to HA gains the ability to reach the network. WHAT IT DOES NOT DO • No adverts, no purchases, no subscription • No account, no analytics, no tracking • One tool sends one number, to one address you chose. Nothing else in the app can reach the network at all, and a test fails the build if that changes • Nothing downloaded after you install it If none of the three is a job you have, this one has nothing for you yet. The shelf is honest about being short.
QR Code Scanner
Easily scan QR codes, barcodes, documents, and business cards. Generate custom QR codes for various information and keep a history of all your scans. Unlock advanced features with a Pro subscription.
- Instant QR and barcode scanning
- Custom QR code generation
- Business card scanning to contacts
- Document scanning and PDF export
- Batch scanning for multiple codes
- Scan history organization
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QR Code Scanner-Barcode Scan is a fast, reliable QR scanner and barcode reader designed to make scanning, creating, and organizing codes simple. Scan QR codes, barcodes, documents, business cards, text, and more with your iPhone in seconds. INSTANT QR & BARCODE READER Point your iPhone camera at a QR code or barcode and scan instantly. Quickly open links, read product information, access text, and retrieve code details without unnecessary steps. Whether you need a QR code reader for everyday use or a barcode scanner for products, everything is right at your fingertips. CREATE CUSTOM QR CODES Use the built-in QR generator and QR code maker to create codes for URLs, Wi-Fi networks, contacts, text, and other information. Create and share QR codes whenever you need them, with additional customization options available with Pro. BUSINESS CARD SCANNER Turn physical business cards into useful digital contacts. Scan a business card and extract important information such as names, phone numbers, email addresses, and company details, making it easier to save and organize contacts. DOCUMENT SCANNER Capture documents directly from your iPhone and create clean digital copies. Scan multiple pages, organize your documents, and export them as shareable PDFs with Pro. BATCH SCANNING Need to scan multiple codes? Keep the camera active and scan one code after another without repeatedly opening the scanner. Batch scanning makes processing multiple QR codes and barcodes faster and more convenient. SCAN HISTORY Your previous scans are organized in one place, making it easy to find codes and information again. Keep your scan history available whenever you need to revisit a QR code, barcode, document, or text result. GO PRO Unlock the complete scanning experience with: • PDF export • Multi-page document scanning • Business card scanning and contact extraction • Custom QR code colors • Continuous batch scanning • Ad-free scanning Choose Monthly, Yearly, or Lifetime access and unlock the features you need. QR Code Scanner-Barcode Scan is built for anyone who wants a simple QR scanner, barcode reader, document scanner, and QR generator in one clean app. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. Manage or cancel your subscription anytime through your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://redizeuz.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://redizeuz.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Plain and Simple Tools at none against QR Code Scanner's 2. Plain and Simple Tools also leads on ads (none vs shown). QR Code Scanner's advantage is iOS requirement (15.5 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence and device support 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
Both are free to download. QR Code Scanner sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Plain and Simple Tools asks for nothing beyond the download.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Plain and Simple Tools | QR Code Scanner |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.5 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 77 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Chandler Young | Ebenezer Oteng |
In-app purchases
Plain and Simple Tools
No in-app purchases
QR Code Scanner
- Monthly Subscription$9.991 Month
- Lifetime$9.99
Questions
Is Plain and Simple Tools free?
Is QR Code Scanner free?
Do Plain and Simple Tools or QR Code Scanner have ads?
Which is updated more often, Plain and Simple Tools or QR Code Scanner?
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