What is the best URL shortener with a QR code generator?
A printed QR code lives for years. Your subscription might not. Pick the tool for the day you stop paying.
You print a QR code on a menu, a flyer, packaging or a business card. You also want clean short links for emails and social posts, with click counts. One tool can do both. The catch: many QR generators create a "dynamic" code by default (it routes through their server before reaching your page), then switch it off when the trial or plan ends. Your 500 flyers now point nowhere.
The short answer. Short.io is the best pick for most small teams: 1,000 branded links on your own domain for free, QR codes on every plan, and it states in writing that your links keep working if you drop back to free. Dub is a close second with 3 custom domains on the free plan. Rebrandly suits brands that need lots of QR codes cheaply. QRCode Monkey is the answer when you want a free QR code that never expires and never needs editing.
The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always flagged on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
The best link and QR tool for your situation
1,000 links on your domain free, Hobby at $5/mo
Most free domains3 domains, 25 links/mo, Pro at $27
Most QR codes per dollar250 links and 250 QR codes on Essentials
Best known, tightest free plan5 links and 2 QR codes a month free
Richest QR generator12 dynamic codes for $7/mo, but they stop if you lapse
Free QR that never expiresStatic codes, unlimited scans, commercial use OK
6 URL shorteners with QR codes compared
This ranking is for a small business, a shop, a nonprofit or a lean marketing team that wants one tool for tracked short links and printable QR codes. All prices come from the vendors' official pricing pages, in US dollars.
| Best for | What sets it apart | Free plan | Team size | Visit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Short.io | Best for most teams | Links keep working on the free plan after you cancel | 4.2/5 | Free; Hobby $5/mo | ✓ | Shops, freelancers, small marketing teams | |
| 2 | Dub | Most free domains | 3 custom domains without paying | 4.1/5 | Free; Pro $27/mo | ✓ | Teams that want their domain on no budget | |
| 3 | Rebrandly | Most QR codes per dollar | Unlimited clicks and scans on every plan | 4.0/5 | Free; Essentials $8 to $11/mo | ✓ | Brands printing many QR codes | |
| 4 | Bitly | Best known, tightest free plan | QR codes don't die when you stop paying | 3.9/5 | Free; Core $10/mo billed yearly | ✓ | Teams already on Bitly | |
| 5 | QR TIGER | Richest QR generator | Many QR types, but codes stop on expiry | 4.3/5 | Free; Regular $7/mo | ✓ | Time-boxed QR campaigns | |
| 6 | QRCode Monkey | Free QR that never expires | Free, no account, no scan cap | 3.6/5 | Free | ✓ | Fixed QR to a page that won't move |
The order follows what matters for a printed QR code: how long it lives, then the free plan and the domain. Overall scores for Bitly, QR TIGER and QRCode Monkey come from our Uniqode alternatives comparison and rate each tool in absolute terms. That's why QR TIGER, the highest-rated, sits fifth here: its codes stop working when the subscription expires.
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How we compared and ranked
This page is for someone who prints QR codes for their business and shares links every day. You don't want two tools, and you definitely don't want to find out six months from now that your flyers lead to an error page.
We read every vendor's official pricing page: what the free plan includes, which plan lets you connect your own domain, and what the vendor says happens when a plan ends. Then we went through user reviews, worst first. One complaint shows up across QR generators again and again: a "free" code goes to print, gets switched off a week or two later, and the vendor asks for $100 to $240 to turn it back on. That's why QR lifespan carries the most weight in our scoring.
Two tools that rank well in search aren't on the list. QR Code Generator PRO hides its prices on its pricing page, and its dynamic codes stop after the 14-day trial. Uniqode is a strong QR generator with its own full review and pricing breakdown; its plans just changed, and we'll rank it once that review is updated.
- Lifespan of printed QR codesWhat the vendor says happens to your codes and links after a trial, a cancellation or a downgrade.30%
- Short links and QR togetherShort links and QR codes in one account, with codes you can redirect after printing.25%
- Real free planLinks and codes per month, scan caps, watermarks, ad-supported preview pages.20%
- Your own domainWhich plan lets you use your own domain, and what it costs.15%
- Paid plan pricingEntry price of the first paid plan, and whether annual billing is forced.10%
The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always flagged on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
Short.io
Short.io is built on one idea: your short links should carry your domain, not theirs. The free plan already gives you 1,000 branded links, 5 domains and 50,000 tracked clicks a month for one user. Connect something like go.yourbrand.com, and every short link can be exported as a QR code, on every plan.
What puts it on top is a sentence the others don't write. Its pricing page says your account automatically moves to the free plan if you stop paying, and your links keep working within its limits. Since the QR code encodes your short link on your domain, the code survives too. If you ever leave Short.io, you point your domain elsewhere and your printed codes follow.
- 1,000 branded links and 5 domains on the free plan
- QR codes on every plan
- Automatic downgrade to free on cancellation, links kept
- ✓The most generous free plan for your own domain
- ✓Hobby at $5/mo: the cheapest paid plan here
- ✓Your codes depend on your domain, not on the tool
- ✗You need a domain: the tool requires one
- ✗One user on the free plan
- ✗Prices in dollars only
The default pick if you print QR codes. Grab a short subdomain, connect it for free, and only move to Hobby when you outgrow the free plan.
Dub
Dub is the newest tool on this list, and it shows: a clean interface, readable click analytics, and 3 custom domains on the free plan. The trade-off: the free plan caps you at 25 new links a month, 1,000 tracked events and 30 days of history.
Every short link has its QR code. On free, the code is "basic" and carries a Dub logo you can't remove. Pro, at $27 a month, unlocks custom QR codes (your logo, your colors), 10 domains, a year of analytics and 3 users. The code encodes the short link, so if that link lives on your domain you can change where it goes without reprinting.
- 3 custom domains free
- Custom QR codes with your logo on Pro
- 10% off on yearly billing
- ✓Most custom domains without paying
- ✓Links on your domain keep your QR codes yours
- ✓Simple for a small team
- ✗25 links a month and 30 days of analytics on free
- ✗Dub logo stuck on free QR codes
- ✗Pro at $27 is a big jump from free
Great if you create few links but want your domains now. If you print branded codes, budget for Pro.
QR generator pricing changes often. Get the changes that affect your printed codes
Rebrandly
Rebrandly made branded links its whole business. The free plan is thin: 10 links and 10 QR codes a month, watermarked codes, a demo domain, and no destination edits. Treat it as a trial.
Essentials changes the picture for $8 to $11 a month: 250 links and 250 QR codes, 2 domains of your own, and 10 destination edits a month. One rare perk: clicks and scans are unlimited on every plan, only detailed analytics are capped. Your code won't stop because it worked too well.
- 250 links and 250 QR codes on Essentials
- Unlimited clicks and scans on every plan
- 2 domains on Essentials, 10 on Growth
- ✓Lots of QR codes on a small budget
- ✓No scan cap
- ✓Codes tied to your branded links
- ✗Very short free plan: 10 watermarked codes a month
- ✗Editing a destination is paid and capped at 10 a month on Essentials
- ✗The pricing page doesn't label which price is yearly
The best volume for the money if you print many codes. Skip free and start on Essentials with your domain.
Bitly
Everyone knows Bitly, and its QR codes have one real strength: Bitly's help center says QR codes created there never expire. A code only stops if you delete it or delete its link. Bit.ly links also keep working after a downgrade to free.
The rest is stingy. Free gets you 5 links and 2 QR codes a month, with no redirects and no click analytics, and links on a free account may show an ad-supported preview page before reaching your site. That's awkward on a printed code. Core costs $10 a month, billed yearly only, with no custom domain. You need Growth, $348 a year, for that. Planning to leave? Our guide on switching from Bitly covers the move.
- QR codes that don't expire, even on free
- Bit.ly links kept after a downgrade
- Domain included from Growth
- ✓The most widely used tool, familiar to your team
- ✓Your codes don't die when you stop paying
- ✓Monthly redirect allowance, no surprises
- ✗5 links and 2 QR codes a month free, no analytics
- ✗Possible ad-supported preview page on free links
- ✗Core is yearly only and has no custom domain
Fine if your team already uses it. To start fresh, Short.io or Dub give you your own domain without paying $348 a year.
QR TIGER
QR TIGER is a QR generator first, and a thorough one: many code types, scan analytics, and short links on top. Its overall score is the highest on this page because it does a lot for little money. Regular, at $7 a month, gives you 12 dynamic codes with unlimited scans.
It still ranks fifth because of its own FAQ: if your subscription expires, your dynamic codes stop working. Data is kept for up to a year, you get two days to renew, and there's no cancelling a plan mid-term. The free plan caps you at 3 dynamic codes and 500 scans per code, which a busy flyer burns through fast.
- 12 dynamic codes with unlimited scans on Regular
- White-label domain on Premium
- Short links included
- ✓The most feature-rich QR tool here
- ✓Regular at $7/mo
- ✓Detailed scan analytics
- ✗Dynamic codes stop if the subscription lapses
- ✗Free plan capped at 500 scans per code
- ✗No mid-term cancellation, refunds case by case
Solid for a campaign with an end date. For codes printed to last years, pick a tool that points to your own domain.
QRCode Monkey
QRCode Monkey does one thing: static QR codes, free, no account needed. A static code holds your page address directly. It goes through no server, so it never expires and scans are unlimited. Commercial use is allowed, and you can add your logo and colors.
The limit is the flip side. You can't change the destination after printing, there are no scan stats, and no short links. If your page moves, you reprint. Workaround: point the code at a URL on your own site that you control (yoursite.com/menu), then redirect it yourself when needed.
- Free static QR codes, no account
- Unlimited scans, no expiry
- Custom logo and colors
- ✓Truly free, commercial use included
- ✓No subscription that can kill your code
- ✓Ready in a minute
- ✗Destination can't change after printing
- ✗No scan analytics
- ✗No short links
The best pick for a fixed code. Pair it with a URL on your site and you get a permanent, editable code for free.
What happens to your QR codes when you stop paying
Nobody's roundup asks this, and it's behind most one-star reviews. A dynamic QR code holds the vendor's server address, not yours. If the vendor cuts it, your printed code leads nowhere. Here's what each vendor says, and what they leave out.
They say your links survive
Short.io: your account drops to free and links keep working within its limits. Bitly: QR codes never expire and bit.ly links keep working, with a possible preview page on free accounts.
They say your codes stop
QR TIGER: dynamic codes stop when the subscription expires. QR Code Generator PRO: a 14-day trial, then you pay to continue, and you must cancel by email at least 30 days before renewal.
They don't say
Dub and Rebrandly give no clear answer on their pricing pages. The fix is the same: put your links on your own domain. If you leave, you repoint the domain and your codes follow.
- Scan your code before printing: if the address shown is the vendor's, your code depends on them
- Search the vendor's FAQ for "expire" and "cancel"
- Be wary of a "free" QR that needs an account and shows scan stats: it's a dynamic code on trial
- Put the trial end date and the renewal date in your calendar
- For anything printed to last years, use your own domain or a static code
Five tips for QR codes that won't let you down
The method matters more than the tool. These settings come straight from the mistakes that keep showing up in user reviews.
Connect your own subdomain before your first code
Most importantRegister a short subdomain like go.yourbrand.com and connect it before creating any code. The code then encodes your address. If the tool raises prices or shuts down, you change one DNS record (the setting that tells the internet where your address points) and your printed codes keep working.
Short.io and Dub allow it free, Rebrandly from its first paid plan, Bitly from Growth.
- Cost
- $0 at Short.io and Dub
- Setup
- A few minutes
Pick static or dynamic based on the medium
Before printingA static code (QRCode Monkey) lasts forever but can't change. A dynamic code can be edited and tracked, but depends on a server. For a business card or a wall plaque, static to a page on your site is enough. For a campaign flyer or a menu that changes, go dynamic on your own domain.
- Static
- Free, no stats
- Dynamic
- Editable, trackable
Point a static code at a URL you control
FreeThe simplest workaround: a static code to yoursite.com/menu, plus a redirect set up on your site. You change the redirect, not the code. You won't get stats in a QR tool, but your site analytics counts the visits on that page.
- Cost
- $0
Check the scan cap before a big print run
TrapSome free plans count scans per code: 500 at QR TIGER. A code on packaging or a shop-window poster blows past that quickly. Rebrandly and Bitly have no scan cap, and Short.io tracks 50,000 clicks a month on free.
- QR TIGER free
- 500 scans per code
- Rebrandly
- Unlimited scans
Read the yearly terms before you pay
BudgetBitly Core and QR Code Generator PRO's Advanced and Professional plans are billed yearly. At QR Code Generator PRO, renewal is automatic and you must cancel by email at least 30 days before the renewal date. Set a reminder 45 days ahead and keep a copy of your request.
- Notice
- 30 days at QR Code Generator PRO
What people ask before choosing
What is the best free QR code generator?
For a code that never changes, QRCode Monkey: free, no account, no expiry and no scan cap. For a free editable code, Short.io or Dub on your own domain. Avoid free generators that require an account and show stats without saying how long the code lives.
Do free QR codes expire?
Static codes don't: they hold your address directly. Dynamic codes can, if they route through a vendor that switches them off. QR TIGER does it when the subscription expires, and QR Code Generator PRO after its 14-day trial.
Why did my QR code stop working?
Four usual causes: the trial or plan ended, the destination page is gone, a scan cap was hit, or the print is damaged. Scan it with your phone: if you land on a vendor page asking you to pay, it's the first one.
Can you change a QR code after printing it?
Yes, if it's dynamic: you change the destination in the tool and the pattern stays the same. Rebrandly charges for edits and caps them (10 a month on Essentials). A static code can't change unless you redirect the address it contains yourself.
Is Bitly still free?
Yes, but barely: 5 links and 2 QR codes a month, no redirects, no click analytics. Free-account links may show an ad-supported preview page. The first paid plan is $10 a month billed yearly.
How do I make short links with my own domain?
Create a subdomain (go.yourbrand.com), add it in the tool, then copy the DNS record it gives you into your domain registrar. Short.io and Dub do it for free. Use a dedicated subdomain so your main site stays untouched.
How much does a dynamic QR code cost?
Per year, on your own domain: $0 on Short.io or Dub free, $60 on Short.io Hobby, $348 on Bitly Growth. At QR TIGER, Regular costs $7 a month for 12 dynamic codes, for as long as the codes need to live.