A QR code is the cheapest bit of marketing a small business owns, and also the easiest to buy wrong.
Three mistakes people make
Printing a code from a trial plan
QR Tiger's free tier is three dynamic codes with 500 scans each, and Uniqode's trial codes stop working when the trial ends, which is exactly when the printed banner is still up.
Skipping the scan test after adding a logo
A logo or a bright colour can break a code's readability. QR Code Monkey does not tell you if the design still scans; you have to check it yourself.
Paying monthly for tracking you do not need
Bitly Core is $10 a month billed annually and QR Tiger Regular is $7 a month on annual billing, both for scan tracking. A code that goes on a menu once and stays there does not need either.
The fix: a tested static code, free
The Jobbit QR code generator makes static codes only, so the link is baked into the pattern and cannot expire. It tests that the finished code scans, including with a logo or a colour, and hands back a PNG and an SVG with the print size for where it is going. The full comparison scores five services on six criteria.
How the free options compare
| Tool | Free plan | Paid price |
|---|---|---|
| Bitly | 5 links a month, dynamic only | Core $10 a month billed annually |
| QR Tiger | 3 dynamic codes, 500 scans each | Regular $7 a month annual, $9.99 monthly |
| Jobbit | Unlimited static codes, free plan | Plus £15 a month for heavier use |
A market stall's banner code
A market stall holder wants a code on her stall banner that opens her online shop. A dynamic trial code would risk going dead mid-season; a static code from Jobbit keeps working every market day without a subscription to remember.
When to pay instead
If you run real campaigns across many locations and need scan counts by date and place, Bitly Growth or QR Tiger Advanced earns its monthly fee. For a code printed once and left alone, a free static code is all that is needed.
