# Barcode vs Scan n Gen

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Scan n Gen at 100% against Barcode's 53%. Scan n Gen also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). Barcode's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 3.4) and ratings volume (59 vs 5). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Barcode sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Scan n Gen asks for nothing beyond the download.

Barcode holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Barcode has 59 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of Barcode's written reviews are positive against 100% of Scan n Gen's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Barcode ships an update every 8 months, Scan n Gen every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Barcode | Scan n Gen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (59 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barcode-studio/id690001095/reviews)** | [3.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scan-n-gen/id1454243980/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **59** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 52.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 10 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Maklabu GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1317928113) | [V Group Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/916210832) |

## What reviewers say

### Barcode

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barcode-studio/id690001095)

Generate over 40 types of barcodes directly on your smartphone, even offline. Save frequently used codes and access your generation history with an optional in-app purchase.

**Highlights:** Generate over 40 barcode types, Offline barcode generation, Save favorite barcodes, Access generation history, Supports QR Code and Data Matrix

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Adds Favorites and History and removes ads. | $1.99 | one-time |


### Scan n Gen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scan-n-gen/id1454243980)

This utility app quickly scans barcodes, QR codes, NFC tags, and text from images using OCR. It also allows users to create and share custom barcodes and QR codes.

**Highlights:** Scan barcodes and QR codes, Read NFC tags, OCR text recognition from images, Generate custom QR codes and barcodes, Share generated codes and text, Flashlight feature for scanning

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Barcode free?

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

### Is Scan n Gen free?

Scan n Gen is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Barcode or Scan n Gen?

Barcode is rated higher. Barcode averages 4.9 out of 5 from 59 ratings, while Scan n Gen averages 3.4 from 5 ratings.

### Do Barcode or Scan n Gen have ads?

Barcode shows ads; Scan n Gen does not.

### Which is updated more often, Barcode or Scan n Gen?

Barcode ships an update every 8 months, and Scan n Gen every 9 months. Most recently, Barcode was updated on September 7, 2026 and Scan n Gen on September 10, 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.*