Quick response (QR) codes offer a way to share information quickly, but they’re not always free to set up. QR code cost can vary, depending on where you source your codes and what you need them to do.
In some cases, QR codes cost nothing to create. Using the right online tools can help you generate free QR codes that do the work you need.
Static vs dynamic QR codes: The cost of each
Both static and dynamic QR codes are two-dimensional barcodes that encode digital information. A user scans the code with a smartphone or other device. The device reads the code, then provides access to the information contained within it.
The cost of creating QR codes varies, depending on whether it’s static or dynamic.
Static QR codes are pre-generated. Each contains a fixed, specific piece of information, such as a website URL.
Once you’ve created a static QR code, you can’t change it. Essentially, a static QR code is similar to printing a website URL on a flyer. As long as the URL points to the information you want your audience to have, it works — but you can’t automatically update every flier you’ve handed out if the URL changes.
You can, however, change or update dynamic QR codes even after you’ve generated them. Dynamic QR codes also provide built-in opportunities to track engagement and make real-time changes.
Because dynamic QR codes call for regular interaction from their creators, they tend to be more costly to create. But dynamic QR codes aren’t always necessary. Often, a static QR code connected to the appropriate form or template can do the job effectively.
An overview of QR code costs
A survey by Popupsmart of several popular QR code tools revealed that QR code costs range from free (often related to free trials of QR code software) to hundreds of dollars per year.
Many dedicated QR-code generation tools offer free trials. These trial periods may expire after a few days, limit the number of QR codes generated, or both.
Most paid subscriptions range from $5 to $10 per month — but some cost considerably more. Subscriptions that allow for QR code use tracking often come with higher price tags. For these, dynamic QR code costs can run as high as $35 per month.
Tools for generating free QR codes
A monthly subscription to a QR code tool makes sense for businesses that generate and use a huge number of QR codes. For those that need only occasional codes or need a code for a specific purpose, adding a separate QR code cost line item to your monthly budget may not be the best financial choice.
For these organizations, other QR code options exist. Tools like Jotform allow users to create forms, surveys, and other online tools based on easy-to-use templates. Jotform also allows users to generate free QR codes that link to these online forms.
Jotform’s offerings include an ability to add dynamic QR codes to forms. A dynamic QR code can adapt to provide tailored information based on previous answers entered into the form. For instance, a dynamic QR code might adapt to share links, coupon codes, or other information, depending on the information a respondent provides on the form.
By using Jotform, you don’t need to calculate QR code cost separately. Instead, you can easily generate QR codes for nearly any purpose for free.
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