The 5 Best QR Scanner Apps For Android

The Quick Response code, more popularly referred to as a QR code, has really taken off in recent years, and it's easy to see why. Though COVID-19 helped mainstream it, these codes make sharing information a lot easier and quicker. No more typing on your phone or sending each other links. All you have to do is scan the QR code with your smartphone camera and you can access data in no time at all.

Because they're such a useful tool, QR codes have taken over the business sector, too. Many shops use them to provide cashless payments to customers and give potential buyers their business cards and links to coupons and discounts. With QR codes popping up everywhere, it only makes sense to keep a QR code scanner in your phone at all times. If you're using an Android device, here are five of the best QR code scanner apps to download.

With 100 million downloads and a 4.7-star review on Google Play, QR & Barcode Scanner by Gamma Play is easily one of the top QR code scanner apps available for Android. It comes with a simple, user-friendly interface that makes scanning codes quick and easy. Simply open the app, point it at a QR code, and it will display the data right away. You can use it to read a wide variety of data formats, including URL, contact, text, email, Wi-Fi, and calendar. If you have the QR code saved on your phone, the app can also scan it from your gallery.

Another notable feature of the QR & Bar Scanner is its QR code generator. You can create a QR code for a URL, text, contact, email, and even SMS for yourself. The generated QR code can then be saved on your phone or shared via Bluetooth, email, or social media. The app also includes other features like a flashlight for scanning codes in the dark, an option to use the front camera instead of the back one, and a customizable app color scheme and theme.

Similar to Gamma Play's QR code scanner, the QR Scanner by Simple Design has a straightforward user interface. When you open the app, you will be greeted by the scanner ready to decode any QR code format (e.g. data matrix, code 39, maxi code, Codabar). It will then display the QR code data with relevant options for what you can do with that data. For instance, if you scan a code containing a URL, you can choose to open the URL in your Android browser, copy the URL, or share it with your friends. If the code happens to contain a text, you can copy, share, or send it via SMS or email.  

The app also comes complete with a QR code generator for different content like a Paypal link, Instagram username, and YouTube video ID, among others. The best part about this app is that it doesn't need an internet connection, so you can still scan codes offline.

The QR Scanner by Trend Micro is the perfect QR code scanner for Android users who prioritize online security. Featuring a built-in URL safety check, the app makes sure that all the URL-encoded QR codes you scan are safe to visit. If it detects any potential threat, it sends you a warning to proceed at your own risk. It also automatically blocks and reports dangerous sites to prevent you from accessing them. This provides you with an extra layer of protection against phishing, malware, and other harmful online content that may be hiding behind QR codes.

Besides the URL checker, another feature that sets Trend Micro's QR Scanner apart from other apps is that it's completely free and has no third-party ads, making the interface cleaner. You can also use the app for scanning bar codes and scanning codes from saved images on your phone.

Like other QR code scanners, QRQR is designed to read standard data formats typically found in QR codes, such as plain text, contact details, Wi-Fi network login credentials, and URLs. It can scan codes straight from the camera, but since it doesn't have a zoom function, the code should be within a reasonable distance to be effectively read. You can also choose to scan a QR code image from your gallery.

In addition to the app's scanning feature, QRQR lets you create your own QR codes, as well. However, it's much simpler and limited compared to Gamma Play and Simple Design's apps. In QRQR, you can only generate codes for four specific data types: URL, text, contact information, and place. You also can't share the code from the app, but you can save it on your phone.

The good thing about QRQR, though, is its login feature. You can register an account, so you can still access your QR code history when you change phones.

QRky is a versatile app that offers more than just the typical QR code scanning and generation features. Its scanner comes complete with convenient tools like a flashlight, front camera use, and the ability to scan from your gallery. Additionally, it has a batch scan option for faster processing of multiple QR codes.

In terms of QR code generation, QRky allows you to create standard QR codes for a website, text, email, contact, phone number, and location, among others. On top of that, there's an option to make special social media codes for Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, YouTube, and Spotify that include the respective platform's logo on the image. This can help you distinguish particular codes from the others you might generate.

Another standout feature of this app is its history list. Unlike other QR scanners that only save the data from previously scanned codes, QRky keeps a record of the scanned code itself. The saved codes are downloadable to your phone and can be shared with others.