Best Barcode Scanner Hardware: Compare Options

As a product or IT leader, a device fleet refresh isn’t just an opportunity to cut costs. It also gives you the chance to unlock new business value.

Your barcode scanning hardware plays a pivotal role in capturing business data. Choosing the right devices boosts front-line speed, ensures data accuracy, and gives business leaders the confidence to act.

Not convinced? By upgrading their barcode scanners, Staples Canada cut hardware costs by 45% — while also saving thousands of associate hours and achieving 100% inventory accuracy.

Scandit's advanced barcode scanning software runs on any smart device. Based on deployments with over 2,100 customers worldwide and device tests conducted by our product engineering group, the Scandit Enterprise-Level Success Team created this guide to help real customers choose the best devices for their environments. The guidance is backed by real-world experiences and data.

If your device fleet is at the end of its refresh cycle, consider more than the minimum viable replacement. If your team is experiencing headaches with legacy hardware, think beyond firmware updates and OS patches.

Modern smart devices and software can connect barcodes to real-time insights and automate processes. They turn the question, “How fast can my users scan barcodes?” into “How do these devices save costs, boost employee satisfaction, and increase customer loyalty?”

Before rethinking your roadmap, though, you need to assess your options and determine how your hardware choices will affect your workforce, customers, and operations.

This barcode scanner buyer’s guide will help you identify the right hardware for your team, and opportunities for barcode scanners to add value in other areas of your business.

Let’s get started.

Every barcode scanning device requires three basic things: a sensor, processing and memory units, and a display. Many scanners are also networked to a server for data transfer.

While traditional laser barcode scanners are still in use, this guide focuses on smart devices and handheld computers. These units use some type of imager or camera to capture barcode information, and process data using software running on onboard processors.

If you're still using laser scanners, it's worth considering that upgrading to smart devices may be more efficient and cost-effective. And if you’re looking for a wireless barcode scanner, all smart devices will fulfil this need.

This guide covers the following device types:

	Smartphones and tablets	Handheld computers
Examples	Apple iPhone, Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy, Xiaomi 14, Google Pixel 8a, Samsung Galaxy A52	Zebra TC21, TC22, TC52, TC53, Honeywell CT40, CT60
Primary use cases	Designed for consumer use but now often included in bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programs and workplace device fleets.	Designed solely for tasks in professional and industrial environments.
Ruggedized options available?	Yes (e.g., CAT S62, Kyocera DuraForce PRO 2, Samsung XCover6 Pro)	Yes (e.g., Winmate E500, Zebra TC7X)
Key features related to barcode scanning	Camera Touchscreen Wi-Fi Chipset and CPU	Camera and/or imager Optional RFID Touchscreen Wi-Fi Chipset and CPU
Applications	Consumer and enterprise apps	Enterprise apps
Operating system	Typically Android or iOS	Various operating systems, including Android, Linux, and custom operating systems
Price range	Typically less expensive than handheld computers	Typically more expensive than consumer smart devices

When discussing device cost, we follow these per-unit price ranges (in USD):

Low	Mid	High
< $200  Basic processing and camera capabilities e.g. Samsung Galaxy A14, Samsung Galaxy Xcover 7, Nokia X20, CAT S62 pro, Xaomi Redmi 9A	$200 to $500  Improved processing power and camera sensors e.g., Samsung XCover 6 Pro, XCover 7 pro, Google Pixel 8, CAT S41	> $500  Advanced architectures, high-resolution cameras, and sophisticated image processing e.g., Samsung Galaxy S10 EE, iPhone 16

It may be tempting to procure the newest device from a vendor you already know, select one your employees already use, or just go with the lowest-cost option.

But rather than hope it all works out, a more practical approach with fewer long-term risks is to take a little time upfront. Understand how your users scan now, and envision the experience you want to give them in the future.

To choose the best barcode scanner for your team, first think about what you need it to do. This will help you search through the available options and focus on the characteristics necessary to support your users and business goals.

1. How much scanning does the device need to support?

• Do users scan high volumes of barcodes (e.g., hundreds vs. thousands)?
• How frequently do they scan barcodes (e.g., every minute vs. a few times per hour)?

2. How long must the battery last?

• Is the device used for an entire shift before charging?
• Is the device mostly kept in a charging cradle?
• Can employees access spare batteries and does the device support hot swapping?
• Are employees comfortable carrying devices with extended-use battery packs?

3. What does your scanning environment look like?

• Are barcodes often small, poorly printed, or damaged?
• Is scanning performed under harsh conditions, such as frequent bumps, high moisture environments, water drops, or dusty air?
• What type of lighting is present in the scanning environment (e.g., bright store lights, low-light stockrooms, or a mix of both)?
• Do users scan from long distances (e.g., if items are stacked high or placed in hard-to-reach locations)?
• Do users wear gloves, safety goggles, or other clothing that may interfere with device operation?

4. What is your desired user experience?

• Does the device need to be usable over prolonged scanning operations (e.g., an entire 8-hour shift)?
• Do users need guidance through scanning workflows (e.g., with augmented reality)?
• Do users need clear feedback (e.g., sound, vibration, or haptics) under harsh visual conditions or noisy environments?
• Do users require access to other apps on the same device?

5. How will the device integrate with existing IT systems?

• Is continuous network connectivity required?
• How will data backup and recovery be managed?
• Does the device need to support a Mobile Device Management (MDM) or Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solution?
• Does the device need to comply with any security or privacy rules?

Make a list of the pain points you want to solve with your new barcode scanners, and determine what device features are necessary to do it. The next sections explain what hardware features to look for based on how they influence barcode scanning performance.

Today’s devices are more powerful than ever. Even low-end smartphones can boost scanning effectiveness when combined with the right software.

Basically, there’s something for everyone and every budget.

The following sections explain the things to evaluate when choosing barcode scanning hardware. Some measures will be more important than others, depending on your use case.

For example, scanning speed and accuracy are critical for high-volume situations, such as retail inventory. Here, workers are scanning hundreds of items per day. It’s less valuable when workers scan fewer items, such as a delivery driver capturing five to ten package labels per hour.

1. Time to scan (speed)

Why it matters

Time to scan is the absolute time it takes to capture, decode, and present the results of a barcode scan. Users expect performance comparable to other apps they’re used to, and businesses want to minimize time spent scanning barcodes.

Things to look for

• How fast the camera focuses on an object, and its shutter speed.
• The time it takes to capture and decode label data.
• The latency between decoding and presentation to the user (note that this is highly dependent on the barcode scanning software).

Budget choices

Low Cheap barcode scanners are suitable for scanning single barcodes where time isn’t an issue.	High High-frequency, high-volume scanning requires a high camera frame rate and a fast CPU.

2. Scan accuracy

Why it matters

Accuracy is defined as the number of times the scanner thinks it has scanned a barcode successfully, but actually decoded it incorrectly.

Often expressed as a false positive rate, the higher the number, the more likely rescans and errors are. This frustrates users and causes inaccuracy and error handling costs further down the line.

Barcode characteristics (such as size, label condition, and distance from the camera) affect how fast and how accurately the sensor can capture data. Environmental factors like lighting, reflections, and dust will also impact accuracy.

Things to look for

• Camera sensor resolution, and sensitivity to changes in a scene (ISO, aperture, shutter speed).
• Advanced image processing capabilities, including autofocus (Phase Detection Autofocus, Dual Pixel PDAF, or AF with Fixed Pixel), digital zoom, and noise reduction.

Budget choices

Low Low-cost barcode scanners are suitable for environments where barcode labels are clear, well-lit, and easily accessible.	High Dynamic or degraded conditions require sophisticated camera hardware and image processing to capture data accurately.

3. Scan range

Why it matters

Many situations call for barcode scanners that can capture labels at longer distances, without forcing users to lean, bend, or stretch at awkward angles. For example, scanning packages on the bottom of a retail shelf or pallets stored high above the floor.

Devices supporting longer ranges become even more important in high-volume scenarios, where slowing users down to scan translates into significant lost time.

Things to look for

• Camera sensor factors, such as sensor size and resolution (4K, UHD).
• Camera focal length
• Advanced image processing capabilities, including autofocus, digital zoom, and noise reduction.

Budget choices

Low Cheaper barcode scanner models work well if users hold devices closer to the label (smaller scan range), as they feature fixed-focus or basic variable focus cameras and lower resolution sensors.	High Supports longer scan distances with  higher-resolution sensors, improved light collection, longer focal lengths, advanced autofocus systems, and noise reduction.

4. Low-light performance

Why it matters

Real-world scanning environments rarely have ideal lighting conditions. While a warehouse floor may be brightly lit, the package your user wants to scan could be shaded by a shelf or in a dark stock room. A delivery driver may have no problems scanning and packing their van under the morning sun, but struggle as night approaches.

A barcode scanner that performs poorly in low light will cause repeated failed scans, slowing down operations and frustrating users.

Things to look for

• Larger sensors with enhanced ISO sensitivity can capture more light in dim environments.
• Wider apertures allow greater light transmission to the sensor.
• Image stabilization minimizes blurring issues, as hand movements have a greater impact during long exposure times.

Budget choices

Low Ideal for consistently well-lit areas, as low-cost barcode scanners have smaller image sensors, narrower apertures, and basic image processing capabilities.	High Adaptable to varying lighting conditions with sensors that capture more light, and image processing algorithms that improve contrast and reduce noise.

5. Power efficiency

Why it matters

Allowing workers to use their devices for a full shift without recharging goes a long way towards improving productivity and happiness. Battery life is especially important where users perform hundreds or thousands of scans per day and access to power is difficult or impossible.

Battery life is measured in milliampere-hours (mAh), but a larger number doesn’t always mean a longer time between charges.

Things to look for

• Many factors influence power consumption, such as screen backlighting, refresh rates, and the sophistication of the power management scheme at processor and operating system levels.

Budget choices

Low Less sophisticated power management capabilities lead to less efficient operation. However, note that newer budget phones with 5000 mAh batteries (such as the Moto 5G (2025)) have a much improved battery life that may be sufficient for some use cases.	High Use hardware-software power management techniques, rather than larger battery sizes, to boost battery life (e.g., Apple’s Bionic silicon splits workloads between high-performance cores and high-efficiency cores, while newer Qualcomm silicon focuses on highly efficient main cores).

6. Ergonomics

Why it matters

Device ergonomics is the physical design of the device’s housing, input controls, and screen. It impacts barcode scanning efficiency and the comfort and health of users.

Under prolonged and repetitive scanning tasks, poor ergonomics can lead to hand fatigue, wrist strain, and repetitive stress injuries, particularly in high-volume environments like warehouses and retail stores.

Things to look for

• Ergonomic factors include device weight and balance, grip comfort, button placement, and overall form factor (size, shape, and style).
• Lightweight devices reduce arm and wrist fatigue during extended use. Proper weight distribution prevents the device from feeling front-heavy or awkward to hold.
• Grip surface texture and shape influence how users with different hand sizes operate the device, and how it works while wearing gloves.

Budget choices

Low Sufficient for lower volume use, as they tend to be heavier and use basic plastic materials that degrade over time.	High Designed for improved ergonomics, lighter weight, and improved grip textures. Ideal for repeated and prolonged scanning operations.

7. Ruggedness

Why it matters

Rugged devices protect the internal hardware from harsh conditions like drops, moisture, dust, temperature extremes, and chemical exposure. Without ruggedized protection, device screens may crack and components may fail, resulting in expensive downtime and replacement costs.

Protective cases are an alternative solution for environments with occasional rough handling at a lower cost, but with added bulk and potential functionality limitations.

Things to look for

• Reinforced housing, sealed ports, shock-absorbing materials, hardened displays, and extended temperature operating ranges.
• If required, certification to standards such as military-standard drop testing (MIL-STD-810G) and high IP ratings (IP65/IP67) for dust and water immersion protection.

Budget choices

Low Low-cost barcode scanners have minimal protection that isn’t certified to any testing standard. Usually capable of withstanding the occasional light drop and environmental conditions that require minimal protection.	High Improved protection, including reinforced housings with shock-absorbing materials, sealed buttons and ports, hardened display glass, and certification to industry standards.

8. Multiple barcode (batch) scanning

Why it matters

Multiple barcode scanning, or batch scanning, allows users to capture more than one barcode simultaneously. It can significantly improve scanning efficiency.

Scanning multiple barcodes at once requires two capabilities. Firstly, the ability to capture and recognize multiple barcodes within the camera’s field of view. Secondly, the ability to decode different symbologies at the same time (e.g., a shelf of packages labelled with both UPC and EAN barcodes).

Things to look for

In addition to the software supporting it (such as Scandit MatrixScan), multiple barcode scanning requires:

• Higher CPU processing power. The actual specifications depend on how the scanning software is designed and optimized. Greater power tends to increase the scan range and capture more barcodes within the camera’s frame. For example, Scandit MatrixScan works best on devices running processors like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, Samsung Exynos 9XXX series, or better, and have a minimum of 4 GB RAM.
• A high-resolution camera (4K) , 12MP or higher and image processing features (e.g., optical image stabilization) that can “clean up” the image before sending it to the barcode scanning software.
• Devices using PDAF and rangefinder technology enable faster and more precise focusing on multiple objects.
• Cameras with a higher field of view, measured in degrees, can capture more labels. For example, standard smartphone cameras have a field of view around 85 degrees, while ultrawide cameras can reach 120 degrees.

Low Cheaper models are only suitable for situations with fewer barcodes within the camera’s field of view and little to no variation in symbologies.	High High-resolution cameras with variable focus, wide fields of view, and dedicated image processing units can identify multiple barcodes in a single frame and handle challenging conditions like low contrast and distortion.

9. Tiny barcodes and electronic shelf labels

Why it matters

Certain use cases require devices to read tiny barcodes printed on small objects (such as cosmetics or electronics packaging) or electronic shelf labels (ESLs). Being able to scan these barcodes without physical effort – i.e. bending down or reaching up – makes users’ lives easier and scanning operations faster.

Things to look for

The ability to decode a tiny barcode or ESL is influenced by a device camera’s resolution, autofocus, and exposure capabilities.

Budget choices

Low Low-cost barcode scanners work in situations where tiny barcodes occur infrequently or users can easily place the camera near the label. Requires more manual effort to scan.	High High-resolution cameras with variable focus and advanced image processing units can capture and distinguish barcode elements with enough precision for the software to decode data accurately.

Selecting the right barcode scanning device isn't just about comparing hardware specs. It's about aligning technology with the realities of your workforce, environment, and business goals.

It’s also important to keep in mind that hardware alone won’t deliver the performance your business needs. As you weigh your options, remember that the right mix of hardware and barcode scanning software is what truly unlocks cost savings, efficiency gains, and better user and customer experiences.

Scandit has supported thousands of customers upgrading their barcode scanners, including industry leaders in retail, travel, and logistics:

• Enterprise-level support: High-quality support from concept to live operations and maintenance. Our Enterprise-Level Success Team includes a Device Solutions group that can replicate your environment, test different devices, and generate benchmarks to help you select the right device for your business. They also provide video guidance and onsite support to resolve any issues and improve adoption rates.
• Change management: Scandit’s Enterprise-Level Success Team facilitates smooth adoption of new barcode scanning devices by implementing proven best practices for organizational technology adoption. Through comprehensive stakeholder engagement, structured pilot programs, and customized training, the team ensures a smooth rollout, clear communications, and that any resistance points are overcome.
• SDK options to suit every development environment and level of effort: While hardware specifications are important, the software used for barcode scanning is where many of your business needs will be met. Scandit’s barcode scanning software delivers enterprise-grade scanning performance across a wide range of smart devices and handheld computers.