10 Best Free QR Code Scanner Apps for iPhone
Updated November 8, 2026 · written by AppHunt
Your iPhone can already read a QR code: point the Camera at it and tap the link that appears. So why get a separate app? Mostly for what comes after the scan. A dedicated reader keeps a history you can search, shows the whole web address before it opens, reads codes inside screenshots, and handles product barcodes, often with a price lookup. Many also make codes, such as one for your Wi‑Fi so guests can join without the password. The catch is that this corner of the App Store is full of weekly-subscription traps, so we checked each pick: all ten scan for free with no time limit.
QR Code Reader: Quick Scan
A scanner and nothing else: it starts reading the moment the camera opens, with no shutter to tap, and it cannot make codes of its own. It also pulls codes out of screenshots and photos, logs every result on the phone without an account, and can send the whole log in one go, handy after scanning a stack of tickets or labels.
Good for: Plain everyday scanning with a saved log
Keep in mind: The developer says every feature costs nothing: the app carries ads, and it sells no subscription, unlock or plan. The listing shows no in-app purchases (US App Store, November 8, 2026; may change). One recent reviewer asks why it wants access to all photos rather than just the camera.
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MixerBox QR Scanner
Reads one-dimensional barcodes and 2D codes alike, works offline and has a flashlight button for dim rooms. A scanned product barcode can be looked up on Google or Amazon from the result screen, past results stay in a history list, and there is an AI tool for designing decorated QR codes of your own.
Good for: Scanning in poor light or with no signal
Keep in mind: MixerBox says the app is free with ads and that paying only removes the ads: a Remove Ads subscription listed at $1.99 to $15.99, or a lifetime unlock at $2.99 or $17.99 (US App Store, November 8, 2026; may change). Several 2025–2026 reviews complain about repeated upgrade screens and a 3-day trial offer, so look for the option to carry on free.
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QRbot
QRbot is the power-user pick. You choose which shopping or search sites a barcode is looked up on, keep an unlimited history that syncs over iCloud and exports to a spreadsheet, and pin favorite codes, such as your home Wi‑Fi, to Apple Watch. A business mode posts every scan to a web server of your choosing, which suits small stock checks.
Good for: Inventory checks and a synced scan archive
Keep in mind: The developer calls the app completely free. Extras can be opened by watching ads, according to reviews, or bought once as Pro, listed at $3.99, $10.99 and $14.99 (US App Store, November 8, 2026; may change). The last update was February 2023 and the app is rated 17+; a December 2025 review notes the gap, and an October 2025 one complains about an offensive ad.
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QR Pro
Shows what a code holds before anything opens, and it is one of the few here with no advertising. Start a scan from a widget, the Action Button or a Control Center button; read codes from photos, pasted images or files; and design your own codes with custom shapes, colors and a center logo. A saved library can follow you to a Mac, Apple Watch or Apple TV over iCloud.
Good for: Ad-free scanning that previews links first
Keep in mind: The developer promises no ads, no subscriptions and no tracking, and the listing shows no in-app purchases (US App Store, November 8, 2026; may change). One long-time user reports that some very long links come through cut short, and another that an older build would not scan until an update fixed it.
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Price Scanner
A shopping tool first: scan a product's barcode in a store and it lists what Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, Target and other sellers charge, plus local deals and coupons. QR codes work too, with the full web address shown before you decide to visit. The developer says it is not meant for groceries, alcohol, tobacco or items under $10.
Good for: Checking a store price against online sellers
Keep in mind: BuyVia says the app is free, needs no account and is paid for by ads; an Ad Free Access subscription, listed at $1.99, $2.99 and $12.99, removes them (US App Store, November 8, 2026; may change). A November 2025 review says ads still showed after paying, and a May 2026 one says the app asked for an email before showing results.
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QR Code Reader + QR Scanner
An all-rounder: point the camera and it reads QR codes and product barcodes automatically, with price comparison for products. A Wi‑Fi code joins the network without typing the password. It also makes your own codes, including a digital business card, for sharing contact details, a website or social profiles.
Good for: Joining Wi‑Fi from a code and making simple codes
Keep in mind: The developer pitches it as a free scanner, and the only purchase listed is Remove ads at $5.99, paid once (US App Store, November 8, 2026; may change). A December 2025 reviewer calls the ads small banners; reviews from 2023 to 2025 say ads kept showing after paying to remove them. Last updated December 2025.
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Price Finder
A small barcode reader aimed at product lookups. Scan from any angle and it searches the big online stores for the best price, with product details and a history of past scans you can text, email or open in the browser. It handles QR codes and links as well. Reviewers like it for hunting down replacement parts from worn labels.
Good for: Looking up a product or part from its barcode
Keep in mind: Nothing is for sale: the listing shows no in-app purchases (US App Store, November 8, 2026; may change), though the developer doesn't spell out its pricing. A 2022 review says there are no ads. It was last updated in March 2023, and a 2025 reviewer asks for folders and a bigger scan limit.
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QR Code Barcode Scanner & Read
Reads QR codes, product barcodes, Wi‑Fi codes, contact cards and calendar events, from the camera or from a picture in your library, and it needs no internet connection for the scan itself. Store coupon codes and product prices can be checked from a barcode, a flashlight helps in the dark, and every result is kept in a history.
Good for: Offline scanning with coupon and price checks
Keep in mind: The developer calls it free and explains scanning without any payment step. It also sells Pro plans listed at $3.99 a week, $2.99 or $3.99 a month, $14.99 a year and $34.99 for life, but doesn't say what they add (US App Store, November 8, 2026; may change). Reviews from 2024 and 2025 complain about heavy ads, and a January 2024 one says it asked $119.99.
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Free QR Code Reader
About as basic as a scanner gets. It begins reading as soon as it opens, makes a QR code from any text or link you type, and keeps a list of what you read and created that you can clear. There is no barcode price lookup, no account and no sign-up. It has not changed in years, yet recent reviewers still say it works.
Good for: A bare-bones reader for the occasional code
Keep in mind: No in-app purchases are listed (US App Store, November 8, 2026; may change), and the name says free; the description doesn't mention pricing. It was last updated in September 2016. Reviews in 2026 are mostly positive, with one about getting stuck in ads and one saying it showed a payment message.
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Easy QR Code Reader
Picks up several codes in one sweep, so you don't re-aim at each sticker, and zooms in on tiny labels or a poster across the room. It reads screenshots too, and links open in a built-in browser or your usual one. History stays on the phone, and a scanned code can be redrawn with your own color and dot style and saved.
Good for: Reading small or distant codes, several at once
Keep in mind: The developer's FAQ says every feature is free and the app shows ads; no in-app purchases are listed (US App Store, November 8, 2026; may change). Updated November 2026. Only 1,825 US ratings so far, and recent reviews are few.
View in the App Store
Questions and answers
Do I need a QR code scanner app on iPhone?
Usually not for a quick scan. The Camera app has read QR codes since iOS 11: aim it at the code and tap the yellow link that pops up. You can also add the Code Scanner control to Control Center, which opens a reader of its own. A separate scanner app earns its place on an iPhone when you want a saved history, the full link before opening, product barcodes with prices, scanning from screenshots, or making codes of your own.
Is there a free QR scanner app with no ads and no subscription?
Yes. QR Pro says it has no ads, no subscriptions and no tracking, and its listing shows nothing to buy. Price Finder lists no purchases either, and a reviewer says it shows no ads, though it has not been updated since 2023. Quick Scan and Easy QR Code Reader are entirely free but show ads. The built-in Camera and Code Scanner are free and ad-free as well.
Do I need a Wi‑Fi QR code scanner on iPhone?
No. Open the Camera, point it at the Wi‑Fi code and tap the Join Network prompt; the iPhone fills in the network name and password for you. The Code Scanner in Control Center does the same. Several apps on this list read Wi‑Fi codes too, and QR Pro and QRbot can also make one for your own network, so visitors join without typing the password.
Is there a Google QR scanner for iPhone?
Google does not offer a standalone qr scanner app for iPhone. Instead, Google Lens is built into the Google app: tap the camera icon in the search bar and point it at the code, or pick a screenshot. Chrome for iPhone can also scan a QR code from its home-screen widget or long-press menu. They work well, but they are general apps, so they are not ranked here.
Are QR codes safe to scan?
Scanning by itself is harmless; the risk is where the code sends you. Fake codes stuck over real ones on parking meters, posters and fake delivery notices, a scam known as quishing, lead to look-alike pages that ask for card details or a login. Check the full address before you open it, which the Camera banner and most apps here let you do, and be wary of short links or misspelled domains. Never pay or sign in from a code you didn't expect; type the site's address yourself.
Can a free QR code scanner app read barcodes and check prices?
Most of the ten read standard product barcodes such as UPC and EAN, which the Camera does not. Price Scanner, Price Finder and QR Code Reader + QR Scanner look the product up at online stores to compare prices, and QRbot lets you choose which sites it searches. Results depend on the product being in their databases, and Price Scanner says it is not built for groceries or items under $10.
How is the list ordered?
Places 1–10 are ordered by the number of ratings each app has in the US App Store, one app per developer. The count shows how many people use an app, not which is the best qr code scanner app for you. Only dedicated QR or barcode scanners that scan for free with no time limit qualify; apps that need a trial or a subscription to scan are left out, as are general apps like Google. No app of ours is on this list.