What is a static QR code?
A static QR code stores its data — a link, Wi-Fi login or contact card — directly in the black-and-white pattern. Nothing sits between the scanner and the content. Because the data is baked in, a static code never expires and keeps working even if the company that made it disappears.
The trade-off: you cannot change where it points after printing, and it cannot count scans on its own. Every code on this site is static.
What is a dynamic QR code?
A dynamic QR code encodes a short redirect URL that you control. When scanned, it hops through that URL to the real destination. Because you own the redirect, you can change the destination later and track scans (count, time, rough location, device).
The trade-off: dynamic codes depend on a third-party service and usually a paid subscription. If that service shuts down or you stop paying, the code can stop working.
Which should you use?
- Choose static for anything permanent: Wi-Fi codes, business-card vCards, product packaging, a fixed website, or when you simply want a code that works forever for free.
- Choose dynamic when you need to edit the destination after printing, or when scan analytics matter — marketing campaigns, A/B tests, or a menu link that changes often.
Our free QR code generator creates static codes, so they never expire and cost nothing.