Free, permanent QR code generator?
March 9, 2025 11:23 AM Subscribe
I created a whole bunch of QR codes using qr-code-generator.com. The codes were meant to be be permanent (they are affixed in the landscape.) I clearly failed to read the fine print because after 2 weeks I discovered they no longer work and I'm being asked to pay 8 EUR / month to keep them going.
I was an idiot. Anyway, are there free QR code generators out there? Ones that simply encode my URL and last forever?
The annoying thing is that this only happened because I created an account on qr-code-generator.com, and the only reason I created an account was so I could download the QR code file, instead of just screengrabbing it as I have in the past. QR codes you create anonymously on the site simply encode the original URL, so last forever. But when you are signed in, the QR codes encode a qrco.de URL, which belongs to qr-code-generator.com. That enables them to turn it off. I never realised when I created an account I was creating time-limited QR codes (and I'm sure this is what they bargain on for all their victims.)
I have now wasted a lot of money printing signs with QR codes that force me to keep paying, and hours putting them up. I don't think I have any choice but to replace them. Please help me not make this mistake again.
The annoying thing is that this only happened because I created an account on qr-code-generator.com, and the only reason I created an account was so I could download the QR code file, instead of just screengrabbing it as I have in the past. QR codes you create anonymously on the site simply encode the original URL, so last forever. But when you are signed in, the QR codes encode a qrco.de URL, which belongs to qr-code-generator.com. That enables them to turn it off. I never realised when I created an account I was creating time-limited QR codes (and I'm sure this is what they bargain on for all their victims.)
I have now wasted a lot of money printing signs with QR codes that force me to keep paying, and hours putting them up. I don't think I have any choice but to replace them. Please help me not make this mistake again.
The one at https://www.qrcode-monkey.com/ seems to have no tricks, it directly encoded the URL I gave it, no redirector.
posted by kschang at 11:31 AM on March 9 [2 favorites]
posted by kschang at 11:31 AM on March 9 [2 favorites]
There is a command line utility using the qrencode library for multiple platforms. Then you can enter the destination URL, size, and have your own control of it permanently.
posted by nickggully at 1:30 PM on March 9 [4 favorites]
posted by nickggully at 1:30 PM on March 9 [4 favorites]
You can easily create them in Chrome, and there are a number of ways in both macOS with shortcuts app and in iOS.
posted by rambling wanderlust at 1:31 PM on March 9 [4 favorites]
posted by rambling wanderlust at 1:31 PM on March 9 [4 favorites]
https://ss64.com/tools/qr-web.html
source code: https://github.com/six-two/qr.html
posted by Lanark at 1:37 PM on March 9 [2 favorites]
source code: https://github.com/six-two/qr.html
posted by Lanark at 1:37 PM on March 9 [2 favorites]
rambling wanderlust, your Chrome link is out of date (now you have to go to Case, Save and Share in the Chrome menu, then Create QR Code, but the QR code is Chrome-dinosaur-branded which is kind of annoying for the kind of use the OP is talking about). Your second link is the same as the first, you probably meant something like this for the Shortcuts app.
posted by ssg at 3:43 PM on March 9
posted by ssg at 3:43 PM on March 9
I use https://www.qrcodemaker.app/ and the QR codes appear to generate literal results instead of shortened URLs. Bonus: you can do the stylistic tricks of changing the pixel shapes and adding an image to the centre. Also, cool gradients!
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 4:00 PM on March 9
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 4:00 PM on March 9
Kind of a quick & dirty solution, but I like using DuckDuckGo. You just type qr code https://www.example.com/ (replacing https://www.example.com/ with your URL) into the search box, and it'll generate a QR code for you. You can then right-click on the image to download it. Definitely not the highest quality, but still quite scannable.
posted by retypepassword at 4:19 PM on March 9 [2 favorites]
posted by retypepassword at 4:19 PM on March 9 [2 favorites]
It’s been ages since I last made one that way, ssg, so thanks for pointing out that they moved it around. I used to just erase the dinosaur since it isn’t a part of the code itself.
This was the intended second link, it failed to copy the first time, and includes numerous options.
posted by rambling wanderlust at 4:18 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]
This was the intended second link, it failed to copy the first time, and includes numerous options.
posted by rambling wanderlust at 4:18 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I like the look of the iQR app, via rambling wanderlust's second link. It's a one-off purchase on the App Store, and comes with a URL shortener for dynamic links with lifetime validity without subscription. If anyone can see a catch, let me know!
posted by snarfois at 5:54 AM on March 10
posted by snarfois at 5:54 AM on March 10
Response by poster: Although I asked for a QR codes that simply encode my link, I definitely see the benefit of dynamic links. Not only can they be changed later (helpful for something affixed in the landscape), but a shortened link greatly reduces the visual size of the QR code. I just don't want to pay a subscription! I'm cool with a one-off payment.
posted by snarfois at 6:01 AM on March 10
posted by snarfois at 6:01 AM on March 10
Best answer: I would strongly suggest NOT using "dynamic" links unless you personally control the domain in question. Being able to change the forward is a nice benefit, but I would absolutely not trust any provider to maintain those...there is always the risk that they will be sold or even hacked and then your links send people to scam or ad sites.
Even simply encoding the URL might end up that way unless you, again, control the domain.
posted by griffey at 6:50 AM on March 10 [5 favorites]
Even simply encoding the URL might end up that way unless you, again, control the domain.
posted by griffey at 6:50 AM on March 10 [5 favorites]
Strongly agree with griffey, do not use a dynamic link tool, do not use shortened links unless you own the domain that the shortening is happening on -- i.e. snarfois.com/78f02 redirects to snarfois.com/longer-link-thats-annoying-for-qr.
posted by gregr at 6:56 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]
posted by gregr at 6:56 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]
Best answer: This made me realise I can simply use web forwarding on my domain name, for every QR code. And then I have a personally branded URL in the bargain!
Slightly tempted to register another domain name that's very short. I can get something on .xyz for quite cheap. But that would just save me a few pixels per side on the QR code, not sure if it's worth the expense.
posted by snarfois at 7:47 AM on March 10
Slightly tempted to register another domain name that's very short. I can get something on .xyz for quite cheap. But that would just save me a few pixels per side on the QR code, not sure if it's worth the expense.
posted by snarfois at 7:47 AM on March 10
Commercial url shorteners are in a paradigm set by twitter for maximum shortness. This is less than ideal for printed matter where people might have to type it in (lots of people either don't know how or won't use qr codes (because of security concerns)).
You can use a diceware word list to generate unique urls that are also easy to type in because they are words instead of line noise. 2 words off the EFF word list gives you 60 million unique entries, three 470 billion.
Depending on your domain a two word shortner code will probably fit in a 25x25 QR code with low level error correction. It'll almost certainly fit in a 29x29 with low error correction and most likely with any of the higher levels.
Other lists are available that have shorter words too.
posted by Mitheral at 8:25 AM on March 10
You can use a diceware word list to generate unique urls that are also easy to type in because they are words instead of line noise. 2 words off the EFF word list gives you 60 million unique entries, three 470 billion.
Depending on your domain a two word shortner code will probably fit in a 25x25 QR code with low level error correction. It'll almost certainly fit in a 29x29 with low error correction and most likely with any of the higher levels.
Other lists are available that have shorter words too.
posted by Mitheral at 8:25 AM on March 10
Best answer: Thanks! The diceware author has a nice simple QR code generator too:
httpbin.dmuth.org/qrcode/
For my domain name + 10-character shortcode, it generates a 33x33 QR code. (So does CyberChef). If I register myname.xyz I can get it to 29x29. Not sure that's worth it.
posted by snarfois at 8:42 AM on March 10
httpbin.dmuth.org/qrcode/
For my domain name + 10-character shortcode, it generates a 33x33 QR code. (So does CyberChef). If I register myname.xyz I can get it to 29x29. Not sure that's worth it.
posted by snarfois at 8:42 AM on March 10
You can generate QR codes in Librewriter:
1. Open document
2. Insert -> OLE Object -> QR and Barcode
3. Enter your URL -> OK
4. Admire QR code!
There are similar way to do this in Word, but it looks like they need an add-on or something.
posted by jquinby at 1:39 PM on March 10 [1 favorite]
1. Open document
2. Insert -> OLE Object -> QR and Barcode
3. Enter your URL -> OK
4. Admire QR code!
There are similar way to do this in Word, but it looks like they need an add-on or something.
posted by jquinby at 1:39 PM on March 10 [1 favorite]
Just found one more: Wise Toys from the folks who brought you Wise Utilities. One of the plugins is is a QR code generator: https://toys.wisecleaner.com/
posted by kschang at 11:50 PM on March 12
posted by kschang at 11:50 PM on March 12
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posted by ssg at 11:30 AM on March 9 [6 favorites]