A mobile app that scans QR codes, barcodes, DataMatrix, number plates or text via OCR and processes it straight into your workflow. Fast in hand, reliable for high-volume scan flows, with or without a hardware scanner. We build scanner apps for logistics, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, events and B2B field service.
The scan itself takes a fraction of a second. What happens before and after it determines whether the app genuinely speeds up your workflow or simply adds another step. Which validation follows immediately after the scan, which field gets pre-filled, how things continue if the code is unknown, and how the work syncs when the warehouse operative is four rows deep between the shelves with no signal on their phone: that is where the real design lies.
We build scanner apps tailored to the work they are used for. A retail employee reading hundreds of EAN codes an hour in a mass-scan flow has different requirements from a nurse scanning a single DataMatrix code on a medicine vial, or an enforcement officer checking number plates. The scanning logic, the UI, the offline strategy and the back-end integration all need to fit together.
Over the past few years we have built scanner apps that connect to WMS environments, ERP systems, point-of-sale systems, access control and accounting packages. Related applications you may be interested in: our inventory software and WMS warehouse software almost always depend on a scanner flow on the shop floor.
Standard scanning SDKs such as ML Kit, Apple Vision and Scandit are perfectly fine for many uses. Existing tools such as Snipe-IT and Asset Panda offer a polished asset app for those who want to customise little, and accounting apps such as Wolters Kluwer Twinfield mobile or Exact mobile have their own scan flow built in. For commodity work, we do not replace those. Custom software becomes interesting when you want to support your own code type, need to integrate deeply with ERP or WMS, need a sector-specific compliance layer, or when the scanner app needs to reflect your own brand to customers or partners.
Another signal that points towards custom software is when scanning is part of a multi-step workflow that only you run that way, for example a production step that combines several DataMatrix scans with a measurement and a digital signature, or a rental process in which a licence plate scan must update a contract status and send a payment link to the customer at the same time. In cases like these, it pays to build something that fits exactly, not something that almost fits.
The approach depends on the scan volume, the complexity of the codes and how deeply the app needs to integrate with your existing systems. In the first conversation we advise which direction suits you.
A neat, fast scanner app for a specific workflow: scanning tickets at an event, looking up a product in retail, checking an access QR code or lending out an asset in the office. The camera reads QR, EAN-13, Code 128 and common 1D and 2D codes, validates against your database and passes the result on immediately. Includes an offline buffer and a simple admin environment.
For processes where several code types are mixed or where a continuous scan flow is needed. Mass-scan mode for warehouse staff, OCR for invoice numbers or the MRZ zone on a passport, and bulk export to your ERP or WMS. Real-time validation via REST or WebSocket, an audit log per scan, and integrations with accounting or inventory systems.
A scanning platform for critical processes: medicine tracking in healthcare, production tracking with DataMatrix, number plate checks for rental or enforcement, or e-invoicing via Peppol QR. Supports both the built-in camera and BLE scanners from Zebra, Honeywell or Datalogic, with deep integrations into SAP, AFAS or Exact, an audit trail for supervisory authorities and sector compliance (NEN 7510, EU MDR, PCI-DSS where required).
A code that points to a digital product passport has its own requirements: it must still lead to the same item years later. For how we build and retrieve that link, see the ESPR app.
A scan at receipt can also record the origin of a batch, which for a chain-of-custody certificate makes the difference between evidence and reconstruction. See the batch origin app.
A production-ready scanning solution: a mobile app for the scanner user, a dashboard for the coordinator, integrations with your existing software, plus the documentation and training to run it independently.
We work closely with your IT department. For integrations with CRM, ERP or WMS, we use our smart API integrations as the foundation, so data flows in both directions safely and reliably.
For standalone use cases, a commercial scanner SDK or an off-the-shelf asset app is often sufficient. There are patterns where a custom app serves you better; if you recognise one of these situations, we'd be happy to talk further.
You work with a self-designed tag, a combination of QR and text, or a DataMatrix with sector-specific encoding. Generic apps can read it but not interpret it; you want the app itself to know what it says.
The scan must immediately move a work order, book a stock movement or update a production status in SAP, AFAS, Exact or Dynamics. An intermediate step via export-import or manual entry is not acceptable.
NEN 7510 for healthcare, EU MDR for medical devices, PCI DSS for scan-to-pay, ISO 22000 or HACCP for food traceability. A general scanning app does not cover this without a custom layer built around it.
You scan hundreds of codes per hour in a warehouse, or you work in locations without coverage. A fast continuous-scan flow with a reliable offline buffer is decisive for workability and is not an optional extra.
You supply the scanning solution to customers, members or an industry body. A recognisable app under your own brand makes more sense than asking staff to install a third-party app.
You read damaged labels, handwritten text, old documents or non-standardised codes. A Vision LLM layer can catch those cases where a classic decoder falls over; we integrate it as a fallback.
A conversation to understand which codes you scan, in what environment, at what volume and which existing systems it needs to connect to. By the end we have a rough idea of the scope and the risks we want to address early, such as poor lighting, damaged labels or limited hardware budgets.
We spend a day with you on the shop floor: in the warehouse, on site or in the production hall. We observe what codes look like in practice, how quickly staff want to scan and what currently goes wrong. Based on that, we choose the scanning engine (ML Kit, Apple Vision, Scandit or Dynamsoft) and define the hardware strategy and architecture.
We work in short sprints, with a working build at the end of each one. A small pilot team of your scanning users tests alongside us in real conditions, so we discover early what needs to change. The first scanning scenario is working within a few sprints.
A phased rollout to the rest of your users, with short training sessions and a video walkthrough. After that, ongoing maintenance: security patches, monitoring, and support when a new code type is introduced or an existing integration changes.
With OneDayBuild, we turn your idea into something tangible in one day for €1,150, so you can see whether further development is worth the investment. Decide to go ahead with the full build? Then we credit the full cost.
Explore OneDayBuild →A scanner app for a warehouse worker works differently from one for an event host or an enforcement officer. Here is a selection of the applications for which we build scanner apps, and the code types that usually come up in each.
Parcel tracking from inbound to outbound dispatch, stock-taking and bulk counting. Mass-scan mode, integration with your WMS or ERP, and hardware fallback to BLE ring scanners for people who scan all day.
A product information app for customers, price comparison for staff, in-store stock scanning and restocking from the distribution centre. Fast scanning of EAN-13 and UPC-A with a direct link to your till or stock system.
Production tracking across all processing steps using DataMatrix codes on each component. Integration with MES or ERP, an audit trail per asset, and alerts for missing or duplicate scans.
Scanning of DataMatrix codes on medication vials, sample tubes and patient wristbands. Compliant with NEN 7510, with double checks to prevent mix-ups and an audit log that is accepted by inspection.
Fast ticket scanning with QR or Aztec codes (aviation), badge access at conference floors, and a mass-entry mode for high volumes at a gate. Works with or without signal and syncs as soon as the connection is restored.
Asset tracking for tools, plant and equipment hire on construction projects: which item is where, who has borrowed it and when it is due back. Combines well with our field service app.
ANPR for number plate checks in vehicle rental or enforcement, combined with OCR to read the mileage from a dashboard photo. Directly connected to your rental system or fleet administration.
Fitters and field service engineers scan serial numbers on equipment to instantly retrieve the correct maintenance history or contract. Seamless integration with our field service app and your FSM platform.
A fixed foundation of scanning features found in virtually every scanner app. What you choose depends on your code types, scan volume and how deeply you want to integrate with existing systems.
Support for the common code types — QR, EAN-13, UPC-A, Code 128, Code 39, DataMatrix, PDF417 and Aztec — plus ANPR for number plates and OCR for text, such as the MRZ zone on a passport or an invoice number. Continuous scanning for mass-scan flows, multi-scan in a single sweep for warehouse stock counts, and OCR plus barcode simultaneously for situations such as Peppol e-invoices, where QR and text are combined.
Real-time validation of scans against your master data — known or new product, valid or duplicate ticket, correct batch or not. A per-scan audit log for compliance, repeatable exports to email, ERP, CSV or a customer system, and a coordinator dashboard where exceptions stand out immediately.
Native iOS and Android from a shared codebase, with the optimal scanning engine for your use case: ML Kit and Apple Vision for free on-device scanning, Scandit or Dynamsoft for mass-scan performance, and vision LLMs (Anthropic, OpenAI) for unreadable or custom labels. Hardware integrations with Zebra, Honeywell and Datalogic BLE scanners. Multi-tenant, SSO, role-based access and, if needed, an AR overlay that guides warehouse staff to the right shelf.
What clients usually want to know before we start on a scanner app.
A no-obligation introductory call of half an hour. Tell us which codes you want to scan, the environment your people work in and the systems it needs to connect to. We listen, ask questions and give direction, including when it turns out that a standard SDK or an off-the-shelf asset management app is still the smartest route for you. See also our page on app development or our approach to smart API integrations.
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