# Universal Scanner vs Zebra

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Universal Scanner at none against Zebra's 1. Universal Scanner also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). Zebra's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Zebra sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Universal Scanner asks for nothing beyond the download.

Universal Scanner ships an update every 4 days, Zebra every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Scanner | Zebra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zebra-markdown-knowledge-base/id6823228567/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 4 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Himhuu Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895493111) | [飞 翟](https://appshunter.io/developer/6820454848) |

## What reviewers say

### Universal Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-scanner-pdf-scans/id6811355201)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Zebra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zebra-markdown-knowledge-base/id6823228567)

A native Markdown notebook for iPhone and iPad that allows offline writing and syncing. It supports diagrams, math formulas, code blocks, and organizational features like folders and wiki links.

**Highlights:** Offline Markdown writing, Mermaid diagrams and LaTeX math, Code blocks with syntax coloring, Folders, nested tags, and wiki links, iCloud sync with smart text merging, Customizable themes and fonts, Note attachments (photos, files)

**Features:** iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Zebra Pro | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Scanner free?

Universal Scanner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Zebra free?

Zebra is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Universal Scanner or Zebra have ads?

Neither Universal Scanner nor Zebra shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Universal Scanner or Zebra?

Universal Scanner ships an update every 4 days, and Zebra every 2 weeks. Most recently, Universal Scanner was updated on November 10, 2026 and Zebra on November 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*