Which QR code generator is actually worth it?
Pick one without getting caught by a "free" plan that isn't, a code that dies when you stop paying, or an ad in front of your customers.
- 13QR code generators ranked on this page
- 7digital business card apps compared
- 3tests we ran ourselves
Every fact links to the vendor's own page and the date we checked it.
What do you need?
- Edit a code after it is printed
- Hundreds of codes from one spreadsheet
- Scan analytics I can export
- Google Analytics, Zapier, a CRM or an API
- HIPAA for healthcare
- SOC 2, ISO 27001 and SSO for an IT review
- GS1 codes for product packaging
- Digital business cards for a team
- One platform for a whole company
Top 7 for individuals and small teams
Our take: Our top pick is The QR Code Generator. Static codes are free without limit, 2 dynamic codes are free for good (shown with an ad), and its $5-a-month Flex plan includes bulk creation, CSV export of scan data and 60 days of analytics, which the other tools in this list sell on higher plans. Its Core and Plus plans run on Uniqode, so the same account can grow into integrations, an API and security certifications.
| # | Tool | Best for | What is free | Cheapest paid plan | What that plan includes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Small businesses that want to start free and grow into business features | Unlimited static codes, 2 dynamic codes (with ads) | Flex, $5/mo billed yearly for 5 dynamic codes ($10 for 45) | Bulk creation, CSV scan export, 60 days of analytics, ad-free and watermark-free codes | |
| 2 | Your own domain on the cheapest paid plan | Unlimited static, 3 dynamic codes, no ads | Pro $12/mo or $120/yr (100 dynamic codes) | 100 codes and a custom domain; bulk, CSV export and API start at Business, $39/mo | |
| 3 | A cheap plan with a dozen dynamic codes | 3 dynamic codes, 500 scans each | $7/mo or $65/yr (Regular, 12 dynamic codes) | 12 codes; bulk and password protection start at Advanced, $16/mo billed yearly | |
| 4 | High code limits on a free plan | Up to 10,000 codes | Lite $16.99/mo or $10.50/mo billed yearly | 1 ad-free code on Lite; all ad-free on Premium | |
| 5 | Every feature on one flat plan | 7-day trial | $228/yr, $174 per 6 months or $117 per quarter | No monthly billing; VAT extra | |
| 6 | People already designing in Canva | Static and dynamic codes | Canva Business US$250 a year per person | Scan insights and logo removal on Canva Business | |
| 7 | A quick static URL code inside Adobe Express | Static URL codes | Not needed for QR codes | Static URL codes only |
Why this order
Criteria for this list: bulk creation on the cheapest paid plan, scan export on that plan, analytics on that plan, free dynamic codes that do not expire, and price. Each tool is ranked on what its own pages state. More stated items rank higher; a lower price breaks ties; where the order departs from that, the row says why. See how we compare.
| # | Tool | States | Does not state, or costs extra | Cheapest paid plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bulk creation, CSV export and 60 days of analytics on its cheapest plan; 2 free dynamic codes that never expire; lowest price in the list | None of the five | $5/mo billed yearly (Flex, 5 codes) | |
| 2 | Analytics with 12 months of history on its cheapest plan; 3 free dynamic codes with no ads; a custom domain on that plan | Bulk creation and CSV export only on Business ($39/mo) | $12/mo or $120/yr (Pro) | |
| 3 | Analytics on Regular; 3 free dynamic codes; cheaper than Hovercode | Bulk only from Advanced ($16/mo billed yearly); export not stated; free codes capped at 500 scans each. Below Hovercode on the scan cap and the missing export | $7/mo or $65/yr (Regular) | |
| 4 | Bulk creation on Free; analytics on every plan; up to 10,000 free codes | Export not stated; every free code carries an ad and Lite makes only one code ad-free | $16.99/mo or $10.50/mo billed yearly (Lite) | |
| 5 | Bulk by CSV or API and analytics on every plan | No free plan, only a 7-day trial; no monthly billing; VAT extra; charged in euros | $228/yr ($19/mo) | |
| 6 | Static and dynamic codes on Free | Bulk and export not stated; scan insights only on Canva Business; the Canva logo stays on Free and Pro codes | Canva Pro US$144/yr; Business US$250/yr per person | |
| 7 | Free static URL codes | No dynamic codes, so no analytics, bulk creation or export | Not needed |
Top 6 for businesses and enterprise
Our take: Our top pick is Uniqode: two-factor login on every plan, Google Analytics, Zapier and an API from its Core plan, single sign-on, role-based access, and the only trust center we checked that claims SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA and GDPR together. Flowcode is the pick for landing-page campaigns. Scanova is the cheapest way in with a compliance story.
| # | Platform | Best for | Cheapest paid plan | Security | Integrations and API |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brands that need security sign-off and scale | $9/mo billed yearly (Essential, 15 dynamic codes) | Two-factor login on every plan; SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022, HIPAA, GDPR claimed; single sign-on (SAML) as a Plus add-on, included on Business+ | Google Analytics, Zapier, Make, Slack and an API (250,000 requests a month) from Core, $49/mo billed yearly | |
| 2 | Landing-page-led conversion campaigns | $25/mo billed yearly or $60 monthly (Pro Plus, 50 codes) | SOC 2 Type 2, HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA and TX-RAMP Level 2 claimed; single sign-on on Enterprise | CRM integrations from Pro Plus per its feature table; API on Growth, $250/mo billed yearly | |
| 3 | Tiered plans from $5 a month up to enterprise | $5/mo billed yearly (Basic, 3 codes) | ISO 27001:2022, SOC 2, GDPR claimed; MFA from Lite | API on Enterprise only | |
| 4 | Mid-size teams with many codes | $20/mo billed yearly (Starter, 100 codes) | ISO 27001, GDPR claimed; SSO on Enterprise | API on Enterprise ($150/mo billed yearly) | |
| 5 | A published enterprise price with SSO | $10/mo or $100/yr (Lite Suite, 50 codes) | SOC 2 (type not stated), GDPR; SAML and OpenID Connect SSO on Enterprise | API from Full Suite ($25/mo) per its API page; Google Analytics from Full Suite per its integrations row | |
| 6 | White-label QR management for agencies | $5/mo billed yearly (Starter, 5 codes) | GDPR; 2FA on paid plans; SSO and SCIM on Enterprise | Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Facebook Pixel, batch creation, CSV export and API (100 requests a day) from Starter |
Why this order
Criteria for this list: integrations and an API and the plan they sit on, how long scan history is kept, security and compliance claims, and price. Each tool is ranked on what its own pages state. More stated items rank higher; a lower price breaks ties; where the order departs from that, the row says why. See how we compare.
| # | Tool | States | Does not state, or costs extra | Cheapest paid plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google Analytics, Zapier, Make, Slack and an API from Core ($49/mo); history up to lifetime; two-factor login on every plan, single sign-on, SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022, HIPAA and GDPR | None of the four | $9/mo billed yearly (Essential) | |
| 2 | CRM integrations from Pro Plus; SOC 2 Type 2, HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA and TX-RAMP claimed; single sign-on on Enterprise | API only on Growth ($250/mo billed yearly); analytics capped by scans; two-factor login not stated | $25/mo billed yearly or $60 monthly (Pro Plus) | |
| 3 | ISO 27001:2022, SOC 2 and GDPR claimed; MFA from Lite; no time limit on history from Lite; lowest price | API on Enterprise only; no integrations stated below Enterprise | $5/mo billed yearly (Basic) | |
| 4 | ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and GDPR claimed; single sign-on on Enterprise | API on Enterprise only ($150/mo billed yearly); history not stated; two-factor login not stated. Below Scanova: fewer stated items at four times the price | $20/mo billed yearly (Starter) | |
| 5 | API from Full Suite ($25/mo) and Google Analytics from Full Suite; SOC 2 and GDPR claimed; SAML and OpenID Connect single sign-on on Enterprise | History not stated; SOC 2 type not stated; 200 scans a month on Lite Suite. Below QRCodeKIT: fewer compliance claims, and its API tier is stated differently on two of its own pages | $10/mo or $100/yr (Lite Suite) | |
| 6 | Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Facebook Pixel, batch creation, CSV export and an API from Starter; 5 years of history; two-factor login on paid plans | Only GDPR claimed, no SOC 2 or ISO 27001; single sign-on only as an add-on; API capped at 100 requests a day; 3-month minimum term. Last despite the most integrations at the lowest price: the thinnest compliance claims in the list | $5/mo billed yearly (Starter) |
Every fact above comes from the vendor's own pricing, help or trust pages, last read November 2026. Prices in USD unless marked. Prices change, so check the vendor's page before you buy.
Why this site exists
Every QR code tool says it is the best. Most are paid, most limit what the free plan can do, and a dynamic code (one you can edit after printing) only works while the company behind it keeps its link alive. Those details sit in pricing tables, help articles and terms pages that almost nobody reads before printing a code on 5,000 flyers. So we read them for you.
How we compare
We read each vendor's own pricing page, help center and trust page, record what they say with a link and a date, and flag where their pages contradict themselves. Three automated tests record what we observed: what a free static code contains, which domain a dynamic code redirects through, and which vendor sites enforce HTTPS. How we compare
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best QR code generator?
For individuals and small teams, our top pick is The QR Code Generator, with Hovercode second. For businesses, our top pick is Uniqode. Both rankings above link to each vendor's own pricing page.
What is the most trusted QR code generator?
Trust comes down to three things you can check: whether the code points to your link or through a redirect the vendor controls, what happens to that redirect if you stop paying, and whether the vendor publishes its security claims. Our dynamic codes page and security ranking cover all three.
What is the difference between static and dynamic QR codes?
A static code stores your link or text directly in the pattern. It can't be edited and doesn't depend on any company to keep working. A dynamic code stores a short link that redirects to your destination, so you can change where it goes and count scans, but it only works while the provider keeps that redirect live.
Do QR codes expire?
A static code never expires; it works for as long as the link inside it works. A dynamic code depends on the vendor keeping its link alive, so check the plan before you print. The QR Code Generator's 2 free dynamic codes never expire, though they show an ad, and its static codes are free without limit. See the dynamic ranking.