# Tide Q vs Private Scan

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tide Q at none against Private Scan's 1. Tide Q also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.0). Private Scan's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Private Scan sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Tide Q asks for nothing beyond the download.

Tide Q ships an update every 5 weeks, Private Scan every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tide Q | Private Scan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-q-qr-code-scanner/id982150471/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 95.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 13 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [InGee Information Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/650556906) | [Vishut Dhar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1823939798) |

## What reviewers say

### Tide Q

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-q-qr-code-scanner/id982150471)

Quickly scan 1D and 2D barcodes with high recognition and speed. This tool automatically saves your scan history and offers features like flashlight support and map previews for GPS QR codes. It's designed for intuitive use, allowing you to perform actions like opening websites or adding contacts directly from scanned codes.

**Highlights:** High-quality barcode recognition, Fastest barcode scanning speed, Instant scanning upon launch, Automatic scan history saving, Flashlight support, Map thumbnail for GPS QR codes, Intuitive user interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Private Scan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-scan/id6787127672)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PrivateScan Premium | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tide Q free?

Tide Q is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Private Scan free?

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

### Do Tide Q or Private Scan have ads?

Neither Tide Q nor Private Scan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tide Q or Private Scan?

Tide Q ships an update every 5 weeks, and Private Scan every 2 days. Most recently, Tide Q was updated on October 17, 2026 and Private Scan on October 5, 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.*