Static
Phone → your website
The scanner reads your URL straight from the code and opens it. Nobody sits in between.
▸ Guide
Static vs dynamic QR codes
The one decision that determines whether your printed code still works in five years.
The short answer
A static QR code stores your data — a link, WiFi login or contact card — directly in the pattern. It never expires and needs no account, but you can't change it after printing. A dynamic QR code stores a short link to the provider's server, which forwards to your destination. You can change the destination and see scan counts, but the code only works while that provider keeps the redirect running — usually tied to a subscription.
How each one works
Dynamic
Phone → provider's redirect → your website
The code holds the provider's short link. Each scan is logged and forwarded — as long as the redirect is active.
Side by side
| Static | Dynamic | |
|---|---|---|
| What the code contains | Your actual data (link, WiFi login, contact card) | A short link owned by the QR provider |
| Can it expire? | No — nothing to expire. A link code needs the target page to stay online | Can stop working if the plan lapses or the provider closes |
| Change destination after printing | No — print a new code | Yes, from the provider's dashboard |
| Scan statistics | Not built in (use your own analytics or a short link) | Usually included |
| Works offline (WiFi, vCard, text) | Yes — data is read straight from the code | No — always needs the redirect server |
| Privacy | No third party sees the scan | Every scan passes through the provider |
| Typical cost | Free tools, or a one-time fee for design/export | Usually a monthly or yearly subscription |
Which one should you use?
Choose static if…
- the code goes on something printed that should last (menus, packaging, signs, business cards)
- it encodes WiFi, a contact card or text that should work offline
- you don't want a subscription or a third party in every scan
- you control the destination page and can update it yourself
Choose dynamic if…
- the destination must change after printing and you can't control that page
- you need scan analytics built into the QR tool
- you're fine paying for as long as the code should work
Full disclosure: qrcodeonce only makes static codes. We think they're the right default for most printed uses — but if you need the dynamic features above, a dynamic service is the better tool.
Questions people ask
Do static QR codes expire?
No. A static QR code is just a pattern that encodes data. There is no account, server or timer behind it, so the code itself cannot expire. If it encodes a web link, it works as long as that web page exists.
Why did my QR code stop working?
Most often it was a dynamic code: it pointed to a provider's redirect, and the redirect was switched off — typically after a free trial ended or a subscription was cancelled. The other common causes are a deleted target page, too little contrast, or printing it too small.
How can I tell if a QR code is static or dynamic?
Scan it and look at the link before opening it. If it shows your own domain or the final destination, it's static. If it shows a short link on the QR provider's domain, it's dynamic and depends on that provider.
When is a dynamic QR code the better choice?
When you must change where a printed code points without reprinting, or when you need built-in scan analytics. That's a real advantage — you pay for it with an ongoing subscription and a dependency on the provider.
Can I change a static QR code later?
Not the code itself. But if it points to a page you control, you can change that page's content any time — the printed code keeps working. That gives you most of the flexibility of a dynamic code without the subscription.
Can static QR codes track scans?
Not by themselves. You can point the static code at a URL with UTM parameters (e.g. ?utm_source=poster) and read the visits in your own analytics tool.
Make a static code that lasts.
Design it free with your logo and colors. Pay once from $5 for clean PNG, SVG, PDF and a print sheet.