The remarkable rise of contactless technology has paved the way for QR Codes to become one of the most powerful tools for marketing. The global pandemic has made the use of QR Codes more mainstream than ever. Whether in the form of menu cards or cashless payments, QR Codes can be your solution to scale up your business.
Choosing the correct QR Code generator for your business can be extremely tricky with many options available. In this article, we will share our evaluation of the best QR Code generators out there to help you pick the one that works best for your next campaign.
How to choose the best QR Code generator for your business?
What exactly do you think led to the increased adoption of QR Codes by industries worldwide? The visible hike in the number of smartphones used and the facilities that followed it are the key reasons behind the common sight of QR Codes.
With the latest updates on Android and iOS mobile devices, customers don’t need any dedicated apps to scan a QR Code. Instead, they can use their phone cameras. This number is only expected to increase, with research showing a considerable increase in smartphone users scanning QR Codes, reaching a whopping 99.5 million by 2025.
In order to take advantage of this, your business needs the right type of QR Code Generator. The QR Code you create should help you scale your business and determine the success of your performance-driven campaigns.
There are several essential features that a QR Code generator should have for a seamless customer experience. To make it easy for you, here are some must-have features for you to look out for in a QR Code generator:
Static vs dynamic QR Codes
There are 2 types of QR Codes: static and dynamic.
Static QR Codes are non-editable. In other words, the information a static QR Code contains cannot be changed once generated.
On the other hand, a dynamic QR Code can be edited as often as required without reprinting or redeploying the QR Code, saving time, money, and paper!
Static QR Codes are ideal for one-time and seasonal campaigns when you don’t need to update their destination URL on a regular basis.
However, if your business needs and requirements are rapidly changing, then a dynamic QR Code would be the best choice since it enables you to edit it as much as you need and track QR Code scans. The best part? You can reuse it for multiple marketing campaigns.
Security and Compliance
Businesses are not ready to make any compromises when it comes to data security. You don’t want your data to be exposed to third parties or outsiders. Choosing a safe QR Code generator that is compliant with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and is data encrypted will keep your data secure and confidential.
QR Code solution providers such as Uniqode, are SOC2 Type 1 & Type 2 certified, which means that data management is secure.
To raise the security bar, look for a QR Code generator that provides SSO (Single-Sign-on) for maximum security so that only authorized users can access the platform.
Performance tracking
Knowing how well your campaigns did is imperative for your business to plan for other future events. QR Code tracking is an essential feature that will allow you to monitor QR Code scans, the location of scanning, and the devices used.
Choose a QR Code generator that gives you the ability to track the performance through analytics. This way, you can understand the areas where you are lacking, work towards improving them and increase the chances of campaign success.
Customization
One of the best ways to stand out from competitors is to have a unique appearance. Even with QR Codes, this is possible. A custom QR Code allows you to add colors of your choice, patterns, logos, and a CTA to make your QR Codes distinctive to your brand. This way, your customers can quickly identify and scan them to get updates.
Furthermore, unique-looking and personalized QR Codes tend to invoke more interest among people, leading to more scans. In fact, a branded QR Code can offer conversions as high as 70% as opposed to a non-branded QR Code that offers far lesser conversions.
10 best QR Code Generators in 2023: A comprehensive list
Here are the 10 top QR Code generators for businesses to try out in 2023.
- Uniqode’s QR Code generator
- The QR Code Generator
- QR.io
- QR Tiger
- Flowcode
- QR Code Generator Pro
- QR Code Monkey
- GoQR
- Scanova
- Shopify
1. Uniqode’s QR Code generator
With a 4.9/5 rating on G2 and ranked #1 for the easiest QR Code generator to use, Uniqode offers one of the most advanced QR Code solutions that can help any business scale up in no time.
The solution is economical and extremely convenient to use. With Uniqode’s QR Code generator, you can create both static and dynamic QR Codes for your campaigns with ease.
The dashboard seamlessly integrates with Google Analytics to provide you with comprehensive analytics, so you can measure the performance and fine-tune your campaigns and content if needed.
We really liked Uniqode’s custom QR Code option that lets you add your company logo and color palette that suits your branding. You can even change the QR Code size to match your campaign requirements and add a CTA or change the background color.
It is the only enterprise-ready QR solution that enables you to create, manage and personalize QR Codes with enterprise-level SSO, GDPR compliance, and SOC2 Type 1 & Type 2 certification.
Although Uniqode does not offer free plans for dynamic QR Codes, their 14-day free trial lets you explore the platform’s extensive features. You can test out the solution thoroughly and decide which features you’ll need for your requirements. Once the free trial ends, you’ll need to choose from one of their paid plans.
Pricing:
The basic plan starts at $5/month, billed annually. Uniqode’s QR Code solution also offers custom packages for enterprises with flexible needs.
2. The QR Code Generator
The QR Code Generator is a free tool that allows you to effortlessly create static QR Codes tailored to your specific requirements. Whether you intend to encode the text, URLs, contact details, vCards, initiate phone calls, or send SMS messages, this generator is equipped to meet your needs. Furthermore, by upgrading, you gain access to the dynamic QR Code feature, which offers even greater versatility and functionality.
In addition to the basic QR Code functionalities, this tool also provides dynamic QR Codes that offer added benefits. On upgrading, you can use your own domain name in these dynamic QR Codes and establish trust and enhance brand recognition. To ensure secure content delivery, the QR Code Generator automatically sets up SSL for your domain. When individuals scan your QR Code, they will see your domain name displayed in their camera app, fostering a sense of credibility.
Pricing:
It is a free tool if you only want to create static QR Codes and basic dynamic QR Codes. For advanced features, the user needs to sign up.
3. QR.io
Next on our list of top QR Code generators is QR.io, a beginner-friendly QR Code solution that lets you create various types of QR Codes such as video, social media, and so on. The solution enables you to customize your QR Codes with different colors and shapes. You can even add your brand logo to personalize it further. However, most of these features are similar to other QR Code generators.
What stood out the most for us is that QR.io can be used by non-developers, since creating customized landing pages here does not require any coding knowledge. Users will have a personal dashboard from where all the QR Codes generated can be managed. The solution also provides basic analytics, such as the number of scans, location, and date of scanning. Compared to other QR Code generators, QR.io is pricier and hence may not be our most preferred solution.
Pricing:
QR.io offers both monthly and yearly plans. The monthly plan is available at $35/month, whereas the annual plan is at $350/year. In both plans, you get unlimited QR Code scans.
4. QR Tiger
QR Tiger is yet another reliable QR Code solution that offers both static and dynamic QR Codes on its platform. On a free plan, you can create up to 3 active QR Code campaigns, static or dynamic, depending on your needs, with unlimited scans for static and up to 500 scans for dynamic QR Codes.
The solution has an easy-to-use interface and navigation, suitable for a beginner, which is a big bonus. When it comes to customizations, QR Tiger may not be the best bet after all.
With the custom QR Code API, you can get decent customizations for your QR Codes. Along with this, you also get custom templates, analytics, and a data tracking system.
QR Tiger’s solution covers many purposes, such as social media, multiple URLs, various apps, etc., making it an easy choice for many.
Pricing:
The regular plan starts at $7/month and goes up to $37 for the premium plan. QR Tiger also offers custom plans for enterprises.
5. Flowcode
Flowcode is another unique QR Code solution with advanced technology and customizable QR Codes. It allows you to create personalized landing pages called flow pages for your QR Codes based on your business needs.
They also offer a good amount of customization capabilities with colors, patterns, backgrounds, and themes.
One feature that not many QR Code generators offer is dynamic QR Codes on a free plan. But, Flowcode has got you covered there! It also provides detailed analytics to track the performance of the QR Codes, all in real-time.
The free plan, however, does not let you create any static QR Codes. Moreover, the free plan only lets you track the total number of scans received, which can be a downfall for someone looking to get more insights into their QR Codes.
Flowcode stands out for its consistent offerings, both in its free and paid plans. They are also GDPR and CCPA-compliant, so you don’t have to worry about any data leaks.
Pricing:
Flowcode offers a free plan where the user can create up to 3 QR Codes with unlimited scans. The PRO plan starts at $9/month and is billed annually.
6. QR Code Generator Pro
QR Code Generator Pro allows you to create different types of QR Codes, such as URL, vCard, PDF, Facebook, Twitter, and many more, right from its home page. Like most QR Code generators, they also offer API, and the free plan comes with color and logo insertion options. However, the free plan is only for static QR Codes.
With the paid version of QR Code Generator Pro, you can create dynamic QR Codes and receive in-depth analytics on your marketing campaigns.
We think QR Code Generator Pro is an excellent choice for both small and medium-sized businesses due to its ease of use. You can create a free account to check out the tool and its usability for 14 days before purchasing.
Pricing:
The starter plan is $5/month, billed annually. Apart from the three pricing plans they offer, QR Code Generator also has custom solutions and prices for enterprise-level businesses.
7. QR Code Monkey
QR Code Monkey is a free QR Code generator tool from which you can create high-resolution QR Codes for your print purposes. What caught our attention about QR Code Monkey is that it lets you generate plenty of QR types with several customization options, making it an ideal choice for businesses.
The drawback is that all the best features come at a price with QR Code Monkey. But, it is still an excellent tool for generating QR Codes for one-time use or on a small scale.
It also offers bulk QR Code generating options, making it suitable for marketing campaigns. You can unlock much more with the paid plans and get more editing options, statistics on scans, and more.
The tool is now acquired by Egoditor (runs QR Code Generator Pro) and has the same pricing plans as QR Code Generator Pro.
Pricing:
The starter plan is at $5/month and is billed annually. Based on the requirements, you can also get custom quotes.
8. GoQR
GoQR might not be the most popular QR Code generator out there when it comes to user experience or usability. But if your business’s primary focus is to print QR Codes on different merchandise such as mugs, t-shirts, and business cards, then GoQR might interest you. The solution does not offer too many customization options, but you can get the best of them with its free plan itself.
Overall, GoQR offers a simple and hassle-free UI and based on your needs, you can even import your QR Codes to Zazzle to get them printed on your merchandise.
Pricing:
The starter plan is available at $5/month and goes up to $49/per month for the unlimited creation of QR Codes.
9. Scanova
Another popular QR Code solution that is comprehensive and easy to use with smooth navigation is Scanova. We liked the QR Code generation and management tools Scanova provides that let you create QR Codes based on your specific needs, such as QR Codes for print purposes, bulk custom QR Codes, static QR Codes, and even QR Code tickets.
The tool also offers good customer support and analytics for the QR Codes generated. On the flip side, you have to create an account with Scanova to create QR Codes, and the mobile landing page created by Scanova is not up to the mark. Overall, the tool delivers good results and is worth a try.
Pricing:
The basic plan is called Lite, and it starts at $15/month that lets you create up to 5 QR Codes with unlimited scans. If your requirement is enterprise-level, then you can get in touch with them to get a custom quote.
10. Shopify
We all know Shopify as a popular eCommerce platform. But how many of us knew about Shopify’s QR Code generator? It might not be the most popular QR Code generator but it’s still dependable and free.
The solution does not offer many QR Code types and is not ideal for marketing strategies that require any campaign analytics. Moreover, Shopify’s QR Code generator lets you only create static QR Codes, which will be sent to you via email upon completion.
Pricing:
There are no paid plans.
To Sum it Up
QR Codes are leading the way in the advancement of touchless technology, and their adoption will only increase in the coming years. The use of QR Codes has prompted users to take action almost immediately, compared to other methods.
Furthermore, the appearance of a QR Code is intriguing and creates a sense of curiosity among viewers. Be it on billboards or on packaging such as your coffee cups, QR Codes have transformed marketing strategies and campaigns into something bigger and more successful.
So if you are new to this, choose a QR Code platform that helps you create QR Codes catering to your tailored business needs, so your business can scale up in the most effective and secure manner.
