Static or Dynamic? Why Some "Free" QR Codes Suddenly Stop Working

A checklist before you print flyers, menus or business cards

Making a QR code takes about a minute. You search for "free QR code generator," pick one of the first results, download the image and send it to the printer. 100 flyers, done.

Here's a scenario that can happen. Two weeks later, the code stops working. Instead of your menu, people see a notice saying the code has been deactivated and a paid plan is required. The flyers are printed and the money is gone.

This doesn't happen with every provider. But there's a simple technical reason behind it, and you should know about it before you print anything.

Disclosure: I'm the founder of QRlogic, a QR code generator. That's why I'll also explain how we handle this and where our limits are.

Static vs. dynamic: the difference that matters

Static QR codes

• The destination URL is encoded directly in the pattern.
• They never expire, as long as the destination page stays online.
• Downside: you can't change the destination later, and there are no scan statistics.

Dynamic QR codes

• The code points to a short link run by the provider, which then forwards people to your destination.
• Upside: you can change the destination at any time, and you get statistics and routing rules.
• Downside: the code only works as long as the provider keeps that redirect running. In practice, that means as long as your account or subscription is active.

Where the trap is

Some providers create dynamic codes during their free trial. When the trial ends, those codes get deactivated and lead nowhere.

That follows directly from how dynamic codes work. It becomes a problem when you don't know which type of code you just created and the flyers are already printed. So before you print, find out what happens to your codes when the trial ends.

Privacy is the other issue. With dynamic codes, every scan goes through the provider's server. If you run a business in the EU, it matters where that server is, whether cookies are set and what data gets stored.

The checklist before you print

1. Is the code static or dynamic?
2. What happens to the code when the trial or subscription ends?
3. What does it cost after the trial, and does the subscription renew automatically?
4. Where are the servers, and is there a data processing agreement (DPA)?
5. Does a scan set cookies, and are IP addresses stored?
6. Is the export free of watermarks, and is there a vector format (SVG) for print?
7. Have you tested the code with your phone before printing?

How we handle it at QRlogic, and where the limits are

Static codes are free with us, permanently. No sign-up, no expiry date, no ads, no watermark. You can export up to 4096 × 4096 pixels or as an SVG vector file. Scans of static codes don't pass through our servers, so there's nothing to track and no cookies are set. We host in Germany, in ISO-certified data centers.

Dynamic codes are paid, starting at €14.90 per month including VAT (Bronze plan, 5 dynamic codes). There's a 14-day trial. A payment method is required, the subscription renews automatically, and you can cancel any time in your account. To be upfront about it: with us, too, dynamic codes only work as long as the subscription is active. For statistics we truncate IP addresses, no cookies are set when a code is scanned, and a DPA is publicly available.

What does this mean for you?

A simple rule of thumb: if the printed code should outlive the content behind it, you need a dynamic code. If the destination stays the same for good, a static code is enough.

A static code is enough if…

• the destination is fixed, like on a business card or a link to your own website,
• you don't need scan numbers,
• the code points to a page you run and keep up to date yourself, such as the menu on your own website.

A dynamic code is worth it if…

• the destination will change after printing, for example a new offer, a seasonal promotion or a new landing page. The code stays the same, only the destination changes, and nothing needs to be reprinted.
• the same code should show something different depending on the time of day. A restaurant prints one code for all its table stands: in the morning it opens the breakfast menu, at lunch the lunch menu, in the evening the dinner menu.
• you want to know what your flyer or poster actually brings in: how often it was scanned, when, where and on which device.
• one code should send people to different places depending on their phone, for example iPhone users to the App Store and Android users to Google Play.
• content should be time-limited, like a promotion that is no longer reachable after a certain date.

Conclusion

Don't blindly trust the first search result. Before you print, ask: is the code static or dynamic? What happens after the trial? And test it with your phone. Do that, and you protect your marketing budget, whichever tool you use.

A code that adapts to the time of day saves printing costs and looks professional. If you want a tool that handles both static and dynamic QR codes, take a look at (https://qr-logic.com). Static codes are free permanently and need no sign-up, dynamic codes start at €14.90 a month, and everything is hosted in Germany.