Static vs Dynamic QR Codes
The choice comes down to two questions: will the destination ever change, and do you need to know how many people scanned it? If the answer to both is no, a static code is free and will outlive your website. If either answer is yes, you want dynamic.
How a static QR code works
A static code stores everything inside the pattern itself — the URL, the WiFi credentials, your contact details. Nothing is looked up, nothing is hosted, and no server is involved when somebody scans it.
That has two consequences worth understanding. First, it never expires: there is no subscription to lapse and no service that can shut down. Second, it can never be changed — the destination is baked into the ink.
How a dynamic QR code works
A dynamic code stores a short address that you control. When someone scans it, that address redirects to wherever you currently want it to point. Change the destination in your dashboard and every printed code follows, instantly, with no reprinting.
Because the scan passes through our service, you also get a count: how many times each code was scanned, and when.
- Editable destination — fix a typo, swap a menu, move a campaign on.
- Scan analytics — per-code counts, so you can compare placements.
- Requires an active plan — the redirect depends on the service running.
Choose static when…
- The destination will not change — a website home page, a phone number, a WiFi password you rarely rotate.
- You want something that keeps working with no ongoing cost or dependency.
- You are printing at scale and reprinting would be expensive.
- You are encoding data rather than a link — text, a vCard, a calendar entry.
Choose dynamic when…
- The destination may change: menus, price lists, booking pages, campaigns.
- You need to know what gets scanned — which window, which table, which poster.
- You are printing hundreds of codes for a building and cannot reprint them all when a process changes.
- You want to fix a mistake after the ink has dried.
What it actually costs
Static codes are free and unlimited here. Dynamic codes start at a monthly subscription — see pricing for current plans.
The honest comparison is not free versus paid, it is reprinting versus subscribing. Twenty table tents that have to be remade every time a price changes will cost more than the subscription does.
| Feature | Static | Dynamic |
|---|---|---|
| Destination can change after printing | No | Yes |
| Scan counts and analytics | No | Yes |
| Codes expire | Never | While the plan is active |
| Works with no service running | Yes | No |
| Cost | Free | From £4.99/month |
The mistakes people make
- Assuming dynamic is always better. If the link never changes, you have added a dependency for nothing.
- Repointing a dynamic code at something unrelated. A code on a hotel door that used to open the spa menu and now opens a car insurance page damages trust in every other code you print.
- Printing thousands of dynamic codes without a plan. Decide what happens if you ever cancel before the ink goes down.
- Forgetting the quiet zone. A code with artwork pressed right up against it scans badly, static or dynamic.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, static or dynamic?
Neither in the abstract. Static is better when the destination is fixed and you want zero dependencies; dynamic is better when you need to change the destination or count scans.
Do static QR codes expire?
No. The data lives inside the pattern and no service is involved, so there is nothing to expire. A static code keeps working as long as the thing it points at exists.
Can I convert a static code to a dynamic one later?
Not the code itself — you generate a new dynamic code, print it, and retire the old one. Plan for that when you choose where to place it.
Do dynamic QR codes need an internet connection?
The phone needs a connection to follow the redirect, which is normal for anything that opens a web page. A static code pointing at a URL needs a connection too — only static codes encoding plain text work fully offline.
What happens to a dynamic code if I stop paying?
The redirect depends on the service, so it needs an active plan to keep working. That is the trade-off of being able to edit it, and it is worth deciding before you print thousands of them.
Try both
Create a static code in seconds, or make a dynamic one and watch the scan count build up.