bcWebCam vs Brother iPrint&Scan
bcWebCam
bcwebcam.deBrother iPrint&Scan
support.brother.comSide by side
| Figure | bcWebCam | Brother iPrint&Scan |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 2 |
| Spec score · Scanner Software | 9.0 (#2) | 8.9 (#3) |
| Headquarters | Hamburg, Germany | Nagoya, Japan |
| Licence | The application is proprietary freeware for private use; the agreement says all rights are reserved, while the package includes the DirectShowNet library under LGPL 2.1. | Brother’s licence agreement says Brother retains the software copyrights and does not undertake to disclose source code, so the product is proprietary rather than open source. |
| Support | The maker lists telephone support at +49 (0)40 790 100 40 and the email address [email protected]. | Brother directs users to its Mobile Print/Scan Guide and customer service for further assistance. |
| What it does | bcWebCam uses a webcam to read EAN and QR barcodes and copies the decoded value into the active application field. | Brother iPrint&Scan prints from and scans to mobile devices over a local wireless network and also provides PC/Mac scanning and workflow functions. |
Plans
bcWebCam
- bcWebCam Free EditionFree
- bcWebCam FREE EDITIONFree
- bcWebCam PRO1 EDITION€4,989, paid once
- bcWebCam PRO1 EDITION€4,998, paid once
- bcWebCam PRO2 EDITION€11,662, paid once
- bcWebCam PRO2 EDITION€11,662, paid once
In their own words
bcWebCam
bcWebCam uses a Windows PC webcam to read EAN barcodes and QR codes, then enters the result into the active field of another application. Position the cursor in a browser, notebook, or other program and hold a code in front of the camera; the recognized item number or contents are copied there. The Free Edition reads EAN8, EAN13, and QR codes and is restricted to private use. PRO1 adds linear types including Code 128, Code 39, Code 2/5, SS1, and Post Codes; PRO2 also adds Data Matrix, PDF417, and Aztec. The maker says the free edition can be used to evaluate PRO1 and PRO2. The software is 64-bit and requires Microsoft.NET Framework 4.8. Its maker describes 640×480 as the optimized webcam resolution and says lowering a higher resolution may improve preview and recognition performance. QS QualitySoft GmbH, based in Hamburg, Germany, makes the product. Listed plans are free for Free Edition, €4,998, paid once for PRO1, and €11,662, paid once for PRO2; the pricing note says paid from €49.98.
Brother iPrint&Scan
Brother iPrint&Scan lets owners of supported Brother machines print from and scan to the machine using mobile devices or computers. On mobile, it can print photos, documents, and web pages; the Android FAQ also lists Gmail and cloud services. Depending on the platform, scans can be saved to the device or cloud storage, emailed, or opened in other apps. The iOS listing names Dropbox, OneDrive, and Evernote for printing, and iCloud as a scan destination. On supported newer models, mobile features may include image editing, fax sending and preview, copy preview, and machine status. Windows and macOS provide detailed scan controls, and users can save settings as reusable Workflows. The app is free, with listed output formats of PDF and JPEG, and support for OCR and ADF. Brother lists Windows 7 or later and macOS 10.10 or later. Printing and scanning are not available on every Brother machine; mobile devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network as the machine.