Free or paid QR generator: what you actually need
Search "QR generator" on Google and you will find dozens of sites that look free… until you discover your code expires in 14 days. Let's sort it out: what paid services offer, what is genuinely free, and how to decide.
What is free forever (and nobody tells you)
Generating a static QR code — the kind with your link encoded inside the image — is a mathematical operation your own browser can perform, which is exactly what this site does. Therefore:
- It costs nobody anything: no server is involved.
- It cannot expire, and scans cannot be limited.
- It is fine for commercial use without restrictions.
What paid services do add
| Feature | Do you need it? |
|---|---|
| Edit the destination after printing | Useful if you print thousands of units and the destination will change. Free alternative: point the QR to a fixed page on your own site and edit that page. |
| Scan statistics (when, where, which device) | Interesting for funded marketing campaigns. Free alternative: add UTM parameters to your link and check your web analytics. |
| QR with logo and colors | Cosmetic; some free generators offer it too. Mind the contrast: an over-designed QR scans worse. |
| Hosted landing pages (menus, "plus" vCards) | Convenient, but it ties you to the provider: cancel the subscription and you lose the page — and the QR dies. |
The three classic traps
- The disguised free trial: you create a "free QR", print it, and two weeks later it stops redirecting. It was a dynamic QR on a trial. Always verify the code points directly to your URL.
- The "free" plan with scan limits: some services cut the redirect after 50-100 scans to force an upgrade.
- Expensive renewals: $5-15/month subscriptions you only actually use once a year.
Rule of thumb
If your answer to "do I need to change the destination after printing?" and "do I need detailed statistics?" is no, a free static QR code is objectively the better option: more robust, more private, zero cost. If either answer is yes, consider a reputable paid provider or the fixed-link trick on your own website.
💡 Try it yourself: use our QR code generator — free, no sign-up, no watermarks.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a "free" generator will give me an expiring code?
Generate the code and scan it: if the URL it points to is exactly yours, it is static and will never expire. If it points to the provider's redirect domain, it is dynamic and depends on that company.
Can I get scan statistics without paying?
Partially, yes: add UTM parameters to your link (e.g. ?utm_source=qr&utm_medium=poster) before generating the code, and you will see QR-driven visits in Google Analytics or your site's analytics.
Do QR codes with logos scan as well?
If the logo is small (under 20-25% of the area) and contrast is high, yes: the QR's error correction compensates for the covered area. Large logos or low-contrast colors reduce reliability.
What happens to my QR codes if this website shut down?
Nothing: your codes are static and the information lives inside the image you downloaded. They do not depend on this site or any server to work.