KoloQR vs qr.io: Which QR Code Generator Fits the Job?

KoloQR is free. Codes are generated and downloaded without an account, without a watermark and without a scan limit, and there is no charge for commercial use. The codes are static, so nothing runs on a subscription that can lapse - the code keeps resolving as long as the destination URL exists.

qr.io offers a 7-day free trial rather than a permanent free tier, and an account is required before anything can be created. After the trial, access to the platform is a paid subscription, listed at $39.99 per month or $350 per year in July 2026. qr.io states that static codes made during the trial keep working afterwards. Confirm current pricing on the qr.io pricing page.

A static QR code stores the destination inside the pattern itself, so it works without any service behind it and cannot be edited after printing. A dynamic QR code stores a short redirect URL owned by the provider, so the destination can be changed at any time and every scan is logged. Dynamic codes need an active account; static codes do not.

Not directly - KoloQR generates static codes, and the destination is baked into the pattern. The standard workaround is to encode a short URL on your own domain and redirect it server-side, so the printed code stays identical while the destination moves. That redirect has to be in place before the print run, not after it, and the domain has to stay renewed.

No. KoloQR has no analytics, because static codes send the phone straight to the destination without passing through any server that could count them. The closest approximation is giving each printed placement its own URL or UTM parameter and reading the traffic in your web analytics. That measures page visits rather than raw scans, so the totals run slightly low, but the comparison between placements is reliable. For real scan counts, use a dynamic service.

Use a static code from KoloQR if the menu lives at a stable URL such as yoursite.com/menu, and update the page rather than the code. Use a dynamic code from a service such as qr.io if the menu URL itself changes each season or lives on a platform that generates new links. Table codes are read from about 30 cm, so 3 cm of code width is enough.

No. A static QR code has no expiry mechanism - the pattern encodes the destination directly, so it resolves for as long as that URL exists. This is a real difference from dynamic codes on any platform, which route through the provider and stop resolving if the account ends or the redirect is disabled. It is the main reason to prefer a static code for packaging, signage and anything printed once.

qr.io states that static codes continue to work after the trial expires. Dynamic codes on any platform, qr.io included, depend on the provider's redirect staying active, so they can stop resolving when a plan ends. Check the current terms with qr.io before printing dynamic codes at scale, and treat a lapsed plan as a reprint risk rather than an inconvenience.

Yes, when the module grid, the quiet zone and the contrast are intact - the shape affects the frame and the styling around the symbol, not the data it carries. Styling never improves scan performance, so size, contrast and a clear four-module quiet zone still decide whether a code works. Rescan every styled code at printed size before signing off the artwork.

KoloQR, for two practical reasons: codes copy directly into Figma, and a Chrome extension generates a code from whatever page is open, which removes the copy-paste round trip during layout work. Vector export in SVG, PDF and EPS then hands the print team a file they can scale. qr.io has no Figma path, so its codes arrive as downloaded files.