The Best QR Code Generators for 2024

QR codes can be used in virtually any business. They are highly applicable, affordable, and go a long way in creating the perfect user experience. 

In this review, we examine the best QR code generators in 2024, breaking down their most notable features, advantages, and disadvantages.

Best QR Code Generators

Our Approach:

To determine the best QR code generators for small businesses, we have used the following criteria:

  • Ease of use
  • Number of features
  • User experience
  • Price
  • Privacy (i.e., degree of private information required).

Recommended: Use our free QR code generator tool to create fully customizable QR codes without disclosing any personal information.

Best QR Code Generators Compared

1. QR Creator: Best Overall Option

Arguably one of the best options available right now, QR Creator is very user-friendly (i.e., no sign-up process, straightforward design, fast loading times, etc.) while allowing users to enjoy a variety of QR code options.

Moreover, QR creator stands out from the rest because it offers dynamic QR codes entirely for free. 

QR Creator allows users to create the following QR codes:

  • Single-URL QR code
  • Multiple-URL QR code
  • URL Shortener
  • Email QR code
  • Email with preset QR code
  • SMS QR code
  • Plain text QR code
  • Phone number QR code
  • Contact QR code
  • Map QR code
  • Event QR code
  • Icon QR code
  • Artistic QR code

The provider’s biggest advantages include:

  • No registration process 
  • No restrictions or expiration dates on the number of QR code scans
  • Multiple free URL QR codes
  • Free dynamic QR codes with no sign-up process
  • High customization: Can choose between size/magnification, download format, color, cell style, margin, etc. 
  • Ability to download QR codes in vector data (e.g., EPS format) and then scale your images with high quality. 
  • Can choose between PNG, JPG, and EPS format
  • Artistic QR code backgrounds: This can be a great addition for musicians and/or artists

2. TRUiC QR Code Generator: Best for Small Business

The TRUiC QR Code Generator is one of the best options for small businesses for several reasons, including:

  • AI-powered: Artificial intelligence makes this QR code generator tool very fast and smooth-running.
  • Entirely free
  • Unlimited scans and downloads: Unlike other providers, our QR code allows users to download and scan as many QR codes as they wish. No limit, no expiry date.
  • No sign-up process: TRUiC does not require your name, phone number, or even email in order to download your QR codes. This makes the process more private and significantly faster.
  • High customization: Users can add their logo, choose any combination of colors that they want, and choose the shape of their QR code.
  • Large number of features: Users can choose between a variety of QR code types, including:

Having said that, there are a couple of disadvantages to using TRUiC’s QR code generator tool:

  • No dynamic QR codes
  • No EPS downloading option

3. QR Code Generator: Best for Targeting Broad Audiences

The aptly-named QR Code Generator allows users to create the following QR codes:

  • URL
  • vCard
  • Text
  • Email
  • SMS
  • WiFi
  • Bitcoin
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • PDF
  • MP3
  • App stores
  • Images

Note: Bolded QR code types require users to sign up in order to access them.

The main advantages of using QR Code Generator include:

  • The ability to add a frame with a “scan me” icon
  • The ability to add specific calls to action if you sign up (e.g., scan me, view pdf, rate us, etc.)
  • High customization and choice: Can choose the colors, shape, and logo of any QR code made. 
  • Relatively private: Even though sign-up is required for most usages, this does not require users to disclose their phone number or any financial information.
  • Completely free: Even after signing up, no fees are incurred by users.

However, the provider’s QR code generator does come with a few disadvantages:

  • Users must sign up in order to access several “essential” QR code types
  • Poor user experience: The website often displays “sign up for free” pop-ups when users try to download QR codes

4. QRTiger: Best Scalability

QRTiger offers users an exceptionally diverse number of QR code types to choose from. It is also highly customizable, allowing users to choose their QR code’s:

  • Patterns
  • Logo
  • Eyes
  • Colors
  • Frame
  • Background transparency 

Other notable advantages of using QR Tiger for your QR codes is that the provider offers both static and dynamic QR codes — albeit at a price. 

Users also have the option of downloading QR codes as an SVG file in order to achieve higher post-print quality. 

QR Tiger allows you to create the following QR codes:

  • URL
  • vCard
  • File 
  • Social media (all profiles)
  • Menu 
  • H5 editor
  • Multi URL
  • App stores
  • WiFi
  • Mp3 
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Text

Keep in mind that you will need to sign up in order to download any of QRTiger’s QR codes. After you sign up, you will be able to choose between four packages:

Trial version ($0/month):

  • Three dynamic QR codes
  • Unlimited amount of static QR code scans
  • Ads on QR codes
  • Limited number of static QR codes

Regular package ($7/month):

  • 12 dynamic QR codes
  • High-resolution images
  • vCard QR codes
  • App store QR codes
  • No limits on scans and downloads 
  • No ads

Advanced users ($16/month):

  • 200 dynamic QR codes per year
  • Larger file QR code size (up to 10MB)
  • API: 3000 requests per year
  • Mass creation of QR codes
  • Google analytics integration
  • Ability to choose QR codes expiry date

Premium users ($37/month):

  • 600 dynamic QR codes per year
  • File QR code size of up to 20MB
  • API: 10,000 requests per year
  • Ability to use your own domain 
  • Access to multi URL QR codes

With this in mind, there are disadvantages to QRTiger:

  • Ease of use: Choosing between QR codes can be slow/glitchy. 
  • Limited free features: Even though QRTiger has many features, several types of QR codes are not offered on the free package.
  • Limited free QR codes
  • Ads included
  • Poor privacy and high sign-up time: Requires users to disclose their name, email address, phone number, and interests. 

All in all, QRTiger can be a good option for businesses that can afford its more premium packages. If you are a small business looking to generate basic, free QR codes with as little hassle as possible, this tool is unlikely to be for you.

5. Wix: Great for Privacy

Wix is one of the most user-friendly QR code generators out there. It requires no registration or signing up, and the entire QR code creation process can be completed within a few seconds. 

Users are also able to choose their QR code’s size — between 100 and 1,000px — which can come in handy for businesses interested in printing their QR codes. 

Similarly to other providers on the list, Wix allows users to download QR codes in the following formats:

  • PNG
  • SVG
  • JPEG

The following QR codes can be made using Wix’s QR code generator:

  • Text
  • URL
  • Image
  • PDF
  • Phone
  • Geolocation
  • SMS
  • WiFi
  • vCard
  • Email

Even though most common forms of QR codes are included, Wix misses out on a handful of QR code options (e.g., Facebook QR code, LinkedIn QR code, etc.). 

Furthermore, Wix offers significantly fewer customization options in comparison to other providers. Users are unable to upload a business logo or choose any specific “shape” of QR code and can really only choose the code’s background and foreground colors.

6. Shopify: Fastest Creation Process

Although relatively limited, Shopify provides a competitive “essentials” package for businesses looking to create basic and non-customizable QR codes with a trustworthy provider. 

Shopify’s QR code generator allows users to create the following QR code types:

  • Website URL 
  • Phone URL
  • SMS URL
  • Plain text URL

The main advantages of using Shopify include:

  • Extremely user-friendly
  • Smooth interface
  • QR codes can be made quickly
  • Does not require users to disclose any private information besides their email address

The main disadvantages of choosing Shopify include:

  • QR codes can only be downloaded as PNGs
  • Users cannot choose colors other than black or white
  • Users cannot add their own logo
  • Low number of features: Shopify offers only four types of QR codes
  • Users need to include and have access to their email

7. Visualead: Great for Owners of Multiple Businesses

Visualead actually breaks down QR codes into categories to make users’ experiences smoother (e.g., URL, business, personal, social, utility, etc.).

Its largest advantage is that it offers a very high level of customization and a very large pool of QR codes to choose from. These include:

Visual lead requires all users to sign up in order to download a QR code. They can then choose between four packages:

Free:

  • Three QR codes
  • Up to 500 scans
  • Mobile landing pages
  • Ads displayed (i.e., Visualead logo)

Basic ($7.52/month):

  • Five QR codes
  • Up to 1,000 scans
  • Ad-free QR codes
  • Dynamic QR codes
  • Analytics software

Advanced ($15.85/month):

  • 50 QR codes
  • Unlimited scans
  • Ad-free mobile pages
  • Vector forms (e.g., EPS, PDF, etc.)
  • Two direct codes per month

Premium ($36.75/month):

  • 150 QR codes
  • Five direct codes per month
  • The ability to extra analytics reports

Users should keep in mind that, even though Visualead offers an exceptionally large number of QR code options, many of these options may not be necessary for small businesses

Visualead’s user experience is also not the best because the website’s design is quite complex. This is particularly the case when you are navigating around the non-labeled tabs in order to customize your QR code. 

Furthermore, Visualead’s free choice options are extremely limited, and even its most expensive packages seem to fall short in comparison to the free alternatives that are found on this list. 

Visualead may be a good choice for business owners with more than one business who do not want to worry about finding different types of QR codes. 

How do QR Code Generators Work?

QR code generators encode information into a QR code. In practice, this generally translates into converting website links, contact information, and document files into a QR code. 

When scanned, the QR code will then direct users to a specific source. This will depend on the type of QR code that was used. 

For example, you can use QR codes to direct your audience to:

  • A PDF file
  • A website
  • A social media profile
  • A YouTube video

QR code generators often also allow users to create dynamic QR codes. These are QR codes that can be edited after they have been created — and even after they have been printed — which can be extremely valuable for business owners that rely on printed advertising methods. 

Generally speaking, the best QR code generators focus on allowing users to create QR codes quickly and without needing to sign up for anything. Another important factor to consider is the level of customization that is offered. 

As a small business, you will want to choose a provider that allows you to include your personal logo in order to build your brand image.

Should I Use QR Codes for my Small Business?

Most businesses can benefit greatly from using QR codes. This is because a business QR code can:

  • Generate increased leads
  • Increase revenue
  • Blend online and offline marketing methods
  • Proliferate social media popularity
  • Improve your customers’ experiences

QR codes can be incorporated in virtually any business and/or industry because they exist in so many different forms (e.g., website URL QR code, phone number QR code, WiFi QR code, etc.). 

At the same time, free QR code generator tools allow business owners to introduce QR codes into their business at practically no opportunity cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the best QR code generators free?

Some QR code generators are free, while others are not. Most of the time, QR code providers will offer free plans with limited features that can then be upgraded by signing up for a monthly plan.

What is the difference between a PNG and SVG file?

An SVG file is a vector-type file, meaning that it can be used in Photoshop software (e.g., InDesign, Illustrator, etc.). 

On the other hand, a PNG file is a format that is primarily used online. PNG formats can still be printed but at a much lower quality than SVG files.

Why is my QR code not working?

There are many reasons why your QR code may not be working, including:

  • Blurry images
  • Color and contrast variations
  • High complexity
  • QR code error correction issues

For more information, see our guide on how to fix your QR code scanning problems.

Can I change the colors of my QR code?

Yes, but you maintain a lighter background and darker modules. 

Since QR codes originally had a white background coupled with black modules, most QR code readers were developed to read that type of contrast. This means that placing darker colors in the background can lead to scannability problems.