Based on the sources, palm scans (such as those used by Humanity Protocol) differ from Worldcoin's iris scans in several key ways:

Accessibility and Hardware: Worldcoin's iris verification requires users to travel to specific physical locations to be scanned by specialized hardware devices known as "Orbs". In contrast, palm scans can be captured quickly and conveniently using standard smartphone cameras, making the onboarding process much more accessible.Invasiveness and User Comfort: Palm scanning is widely considered to be a more comfortable and less invasive verification method. Many users find the idea of iris scans to be unfamiliar or even "dystopian," whereas scanning a palm with a mobile device is less intimidating and offers a better overall user experience.Privacy and Regulatory Hurdles: Because iris data is highly sensitive, Worldcoin's approach has raised significant privacy concerns and faced regulatory pushback in multiple jurisdictions. Palm scanning mitigates these issues by relying on data that is inherently less invasive than facial or iris biometrics.Data Richness: The palm offers a very large surface area with a highly complex set of features—such as skin lines, creases, and internal vein patterns—which actually provides more measurable information for identity verification than an iris scan