QR code guide
Static or dynamic QR code: which do you need?
Answer three questions below, or read the table. The choice comes down to two things: will the destination change, and do you want scans counted.
By Wyatt, founder ·
Static vs dynamic QR codes at a glance
A static QR code holds your content inside the picture and never changes; a dynamic QR code holds a short link that the provider can point anywhere, which lets you edit it and count scans.
- Where the content lives
- Static
- Inside the pattern of dots
- Dynamic
- On the provider's server; the code holds a short address
- Change the destination after printing
- Static
- No: print a new code
- Dynamic
- Yes
- Count scans
- Static
- No: the scan goes straight to the destination
- Dynamic
- Yes: the provider counts each scan as it forwards
- Can a company switch it off?
- Static
- No: no company is involved
- Dynamic
- Depends on the provider. Some switch codes off when a trial or plan ends
- How the code looks
- Static
- Denser when the content is long
- Dynamic
- Usually simpler: a short address needs fewer dots
- Cost
- Static
- Free here and at free generators such as QR Code Monkey
- Dynamic
- Varies: free tiers with limits, one-time prices or subscriptions
- Privacy
- Static
- Nothing sits between the scanner and the destination
- Dynamic
- The provider sees each scan; what it records varies
- Best for
- Static
- Wi-Fi, contact cards, plain text, a link that will not change
- Dynamic
- Anything printed in quantity, or a link that may change
When static is the right choice
- Wi-Fi details, contact cards and plain text: there is no link to change, and a code that holds them needs no server.
- A link you control and will keep alive, such as your own website's address.
- Anything that must keep working with no one watching it, for years.
When dynamic is worth it
The trade-off is dependence. A dynamic code works for as long as its provider keeps forwarding, and some providers switch codes off when a trial or plan ends. Read their terms before you print.
- Printed in quantity or somewhere hard to replace: menus, signs, packaging, mailers, a yard sign.
- The destination may change: a campaign page, a menu link, a listing.
- You want to know how many people scanned, and when.
Both, here
Static codes are free and never expire. Editable (dynamic) codes forward through a short qrpolls.link address: 3 are free with an email. No expiry date. Codes keep forwarding after you cancel.
See editable QR codesQuestions
What is the difference between a static and a dynamic QR code?
A static code holds your content inside the picture, so it never changes and needs no provider. A dynamic code holds a short address that forwards to your content, so you can change the destination and count scans.
Is a dynamic QR code better?
Yes, if you need to change the destination or count scans. Otherwise a static code is simpler, free and permanent, with no company between the scanner and the destination.
Can I turn a static QR code into a dynamic one?
No. The content is baked into the picture. Make a dynamic code and print that instead.
Can a dynamic QR code be tracked?
Yes. The provider sees each scan as it forwards and can count it. What it records depends on the provider.