Is a free QR code generator enough? An honest free vs Pro comparison for Australian businesses: tracking, editing, branding and AUD billing.
Free vs Pro QR codes
Free QR codes are great. Until you need to know if they work.
Let’s be honest: for some jobs, free is all you need.
If you want a QR code for your home Wi-Fi or a permanent link that will never change, a free static code is perfect. QRco makes them instantly, at no cost, with no login.
But if you’re using a QR code to win customers, free has a hidden cost: you could be working blind.
What free gives you. What Pro adds.
For the links that stay put
Create a code, download it and put it to work.
- Instant static QR codes for URLs, text, phone, SMS, email, WhatsApp, Wi-Fi, vCards, events, locations and more
- Barcodes including EAN13, UPC-A, ITF14 and Code 128
- Colours and styling
- Download and print
For campaigns you want to improve
Keep control after printing and see how your codes perform.
- Dynamic destinations: change the link after printing
- Two years of scan analytics: how many, when, where and on what device
- Smart routing: send people to different pages by device, location or language
- Campaign scheduling and expiry
- Tracking pixels: Facebook, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Quora and TikTok
- Branded short links and custom domains
- QR-powered Smart Page with lead capture
- Projects and team access for organising by brand, location or client
The questions to ask any QR code provider
Before you put a code on a sign, vehicle or stack of flyers, check what you’re actually getting.
- Can I edit the destination after printing?
- Can I see scan data, and for how long?
- Will my codes keep working if I stop paying? Read the fine print. Check whether dynamic codes remain active when a subscription ends.
- Is billing in AUD? If a provider bills in USD, check how exchange rates and any foreign transaction fees affect your total cost.
- Is support in my time zone?
- Can I use my own domain?
- Can my team share access without sharing a password?
Why Australian businesses choose QRco
AUD billing
No exchange rate surprises on your subscription.
Australian support
Local support for Australian businesses.
Built for the way you work
Real estate boards, tradie utes, café menus, school handbooks and clinic forms.
More than a generator
Smart Pages, short links, pixels, teams and an API in one place.
The real cost of “free”
A free static code doesn’t charge you money. But without scan tracking, it can leave you short on information.
Which flyer worked? Which suburb responded? Did anyone scan at all? Without QR scan analytics or separate tracking, those questions can be hard to answer.
Over a year of print, that missing feedback can cost more than the tool you saved money on.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start free and upgrade later?
Yes. Create static codes free, then upgrade when you’re ready to use dynamic codes and analytics on your next print run. Use a dynamic code from the start if you expect to change its destination after printing.
Is Pro worth it for a one-person business?
If a single extra job or customer covers your subscription, the answer may be yes. The value is in being able to update your destination and use scan data to improve your campaigns.
Do you offer team plans?
Yes. Teams can start self-serve or contact QRco sales for rollout support and higher-volume deployments.
Stop working blind.
Keep free codes for the simple jobs. Choose Pro when you need to update destinations, track scans and learn what works.
Compare plans and start QRco Pro