Static vs Dynamic QR Codes in Simple Words

Plan to create QR code for your printing material? Before choosing any online generator, you need to choose what kind of QR code to generate. They are functionally different. But first, you need to know how every single QR code generated.

How static vs dynamic QR codes are generated?

Every single QR code is generated in the same way: it converts text into visual patterns using binary math. You absolutely don't need (and probably don't want) to know how these math-thing work. The more important thing you want to know is how this text is prepared for the QR conversion.

• For static QR code: QR types such as URL, number, phone number is keep as is when generate QR code. Other types like WiFi, SMS, email has their own convention to create a string of text, before convert to QR code. But all static QR codes are similar: the actual data is never leave the QR image. Or, each static QR code's data is embeded directly to the QR image.
• For dynamic QR code: the text to generate this kind of QR code is created in a different way - it is a link, which the domain own by the QR code generators, like ZodQR. Even when you generate dynamic for a simple link, the online generator still create a different link from that platform, convert that link into QR code. So where your data go? Well, it's stored in a separated storage, normally call a database.

Now, the next question is: How QR codes work?

How static vs dynamic QR codes work?

When your phone camera point to a QR code, it treat the QR in different ways, base on what type of the QR is.

• For static QR code: if the QR code only contains plain data, like a link, a number, a phone number, your phone will show the text result in the QR code scanner. You can copy that text, then go to the link or make a phone call yourself. If the text is modified from raw info before converting to QR code, like a SMS, WiFi or email QRs, your phone will understand the pattern, and automatically open SMS app, connecting to WiFi network, or open the default email app to send email with prepared message.
• For dynamic QR code: dynamic QR code always generated from a link from the generator, as mentioned above. So your phone will simply show the link, ask you whether you want to visit the link. If yes, it simply open the link in the browser. What happen next is more interesting. From the moment you visit the generator's link, every things is will handle by generator's server. The generator will looking from their storage, find actual data of the QR, and then decide to redirect you to the destination, show a landing page like MP3 player, PDF viewer, link tree, or any rich content that you use for the QR code.

The way each kind of QR code work come with pros and cons, and choosing which kind to generate depend on your use case.

Pros and cons of static and dynamic QR code

Static QR code

• Pros: your data is embeded directly to the QR image, and smartphone understand the convention. When scanned, no server proxied is made. A link QR will open the website instantly, a WiFi QR will let the phone access the network instantly,...
• Cons: again, since data is embeded directly to the QR image, there is a limits on the information the QR can contains. When scanned, no proxied through generator server is made, so there is no way to know how many time the QR is scanned, when it get scans, from which device or location it get scans,... One extra cons is that after you print your QR code, you will not able to update its data, e.g. no way to change link if it's incorrect.

Dynamic QR code

• Pros: the QR image is just a link from generator. This means, you can create QR codes that contain rich data: a customizable, styling landing page with MP3 player, PDF viewer, link tree,..., while your QR keep very minimal (e.g. for small printing materials). You can update QR's content any time without reprinting QR, track the scans data for makerting campaign, set password, schedule, or limit scans volume. There are many advanced features that only a dynamic QR code can do.
• Cons: to make all advanced features available, there must be a proxy server handle request from users. Your brand may not well-recognized at first, because user see generator's URL first. But these can be fixed, by using your own domain, use a custom backhalf for the link, or add a welcome screen showing your logo.

What kind of QR code should you use?

Depends on your use cases:

• Choosing static QR code if you: have a very simple data (URL, WiFi, SMS,...), want your users quick access to your content, don't need to update the content after printing, don't need the tracking function at all.
• Choosing dynamic QR code if you: want to create rich content QR code, need to update QR content without reprinting, track scans data to use in marketing campaigns, and use a lot of advanced features.

Last words: Choosing the right QR code generator

Many QR code generator either: show Ads when QR code scanned (Me-QR, QR Tiger), don't offer a free static QR code generator (Me-QR), cap the total scans of each QR code (QR Tiger, QRCodeChimp), or only offer a short free trial before require a paid plan to keep your QR code work (QRfy, QR.io, QR code generator PRO,...). Before choosing a generator, read their pricing carefully.

We, at ZodQR, have tried all other QR code generators and decided to build ZodQR - the best free QR code generator with never expired QR codes, no Ads, and unlimited scans. Just getting started? We offers: unlimited static QR codes, 5 dynamic QR codes with 20 dynamic QR types, advanced features like password protection, schedule, limit scan volumes, edit QR any time, track QR code scans,... available for all free users.

When you need more dynamic QR codes, or advanced features for teams/agencies, we offer the most affordable pricing (2x to 10x better price) compare to other generators. Visit our comparison hub to see how ZodQR out perform other generators with its features and pricing.