QR codes have been around for awhile now, and were predicted to be the “next big thing.” QR codes were essentially something that you could scan with your phone, which would then take you to a web page with some information, or possibly display a promo code or offer. Unfortunately, they never really took off, as most phones had no way to support QR codes by default.
That said, they’ve dropped in popularity, but there are still many businesses that are using QR codes to convey information like special promotions and coupon codes. If you’ve just picked up the Huawei P30 and are looking for a way to scan those codes, follow along below. These are the five best apps you can use to grab QR codes:
Lightning QR Code
Lightning QR Code is our first contender. This one is first and foremost a barcode app, but is actually optimized to scan QR codes and barcodes alike. That said, you scan whatever barcode you’d like — even the one on the back of a cereal box. This one comes equipped with a unique Zoom feature, which makes it easy to decode smaller QR codes that are difficult for the viewfinder to pick up.
Concerned about privacy? Worry not — the only permission Lightning QR Code scanner uses is the Camera app.
Download it now: Google Play
Free QR Scanner
This one is a super fast and safe QR scanner, allowing you to easily scan barcodes and QR codes alike. Free QR Scanner supports 1D and 2D types, essentially all QR codes and barcodes on the market. This gives you some wide versatility for QR support.
One of the neat things about this choice is that the Free QR Scanner doesn’t require an Internet connection. Use it whether you have a data connection or not. However, if the QR code opens a URL, you’re not going to be able to open it without an Internet connection. They also give you a scan history, so that you can always go back and see results of previous scans.
Download it now: Google Play
QR Code Reader
Third up, we have the QR Code Reader. This one is aimed at being one of the fastest QR code scanners on Android, and in our testing, really is. There’s automatic QR code recognition here, which instantly recognizes and scans a QR code when lined up in the viewfinder — no buttons to press to scan. It’s worth mentioning that if the code contains a URL, you can open up your browser to the site by pressing browser button inside the scanner. This is because the Code Reader doesn’t have its own built-in browser. If the code contains only text, such as a promo code, QR Code Reader instantly brings it up.
Download it now: Google Play
QR & Barcode Scanner
Next up, we’re looking at the QR & Barcode Scanner. This one essentially does the same thing as many of the others — scans various QR codes. Now, to work on setting itself apart from others, this app does actually has support for book ISBNs as well. This scanner is pretty easy to use, with it being as simple as lining up the viewfinder with the QR code. There’s no button to hold or press to indicate that you’re ready to scan.
It can read all QR / barcode types, including text, URL, ISBN, product, contact, calendar, email, location, Wi-Fi and many other formats. With this wide support, it enables you to easily scan codes and compare prices.
Download it now: Google Play
QR Scanner
The aptly named QR Scanner might be last up on our list, but it’s certainly not the last. AS you might imagine,this app is very much accomplishing the same means as the other QR codes — there are just a couple of unique features that make it stand out. For one, it has something that QR scanner called ‘instant scanning’. Scan a QR code, and codes appear instantly, with very little buffering or loading in-between.
QR Scanner is also a big support of privacy. Once you first open the app, the only permission that you’ll need to allow is the Camera permission. QR Scanner doesn’t ask for permissions that it doesn’t need.
Download it now: Google Play
Verdict
As you can see, there are a lot of excellent QR code apps on the market. Most of these will help you accomplish the same means, but a few of these have their own features that might make them worth keeping. Do you have a favorite QR code setup that you’re looking at using with the Huawei P30? Let us know in the comments section below.