Best Free QR Code Generators in 2026: No Expiry, No Sign-Up, and the Trial Traps
Most free QR code generators make static codes that never expire. The trap is a dynamic code from a free trial or capped plan. We checked 12 generators' own pages on 28 October 2026: which to use and which to avoid.
The best free QR code generators make static codes. Your link is stored in the image itself, so the code works for as long as your link does. FattyURL and goQR.me make them without an account, and QR Code Monkey adds your logo for free.
The codes that stop working are dynamic codes from free trials and capped plans. We checked 12 generators against their own pricing and help pages on 28 October 2026. Here is which to use, which to avoid, and a pick for each job.
Short answer: Use FattyURL or goQR.me for a code that never expires and needs no account, and QR Code Monkey to add your logo. Don't print dynamic codes from a free trial: QR Code Generator and Uniqode switch them off after 14 days. QR TIGER's free dynamic codes also stop working at 500 scans.
Which free QR code generators need no sign-up and add no watermark?
FattyURL and goQR.me need no account for a static code, and QR Code Monkey's page doesn't say you need one. FattyURL's page promises no watermark, and the other two call their codes free and mention none. QR Code Generator skips sign-up only for a JPG, while Adobe Express's and Canva's QR pages don't say whether you need an account.
Checked 28 October 2026 on each generator's own website. "Not stated" means its page doesn't say.
| Generator | Static code with no account? | Downloads and logo |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Express | Not stated | PNG, JPEG or PDF; logo upload; web links only |
| Canva | Not stated; you add it to a Canva design | Its QR page lists PNG, JPG, SVG and PDF, but SVG isn't on Canva's Free plan; static codes never carry the Canva logo |
| FattyURL | Yes, with no watermark | PNG or SVG in any colors; no logo |
| goQR.me | Yes, including SVG and EPS | PNG, JPG, GIF, SVG, EPS or PDF; logo on request |
| QR Code Generator | JPG only | PNG, SVG and EPS need an account, which starts a 14-day trial |
| QR Code Monkey | Not stated; its sign-up buttons are upsells | PNG, SVG, PDF or EPS; logo up to 2 MB on PNG and SVG |
QR Code Monkey is the best free choice for a logo, and its page says codes work forever with no scan limits. You can upload a PNG, JPG, GIF or SVG logo up to 2 MB. Logos apply only to PNG and SVG downloads; its PDF and EPS files are plain codes.
Its sign-up buttons lead to QR Code Generator PRO and to Bitly. The page doesn't say you need either for a static code, and the first is the 14-day trial covered below.
goQR.me has the widest choice of formats, which helps when a print shop asks for EPS or PDF. Its page allows commercial and print use, and says it does no scan tracking. For a logo, it asks you to get in touch.
QR Code Generator, owned by Bitly since December 2021, gives a free static code without sign-up only as a JPG. PNG, SVG and EPS need an account, and signing up starts its 14-day free trial.
FattyURL's free QR code generator makes a static code from any link up to 1,000 characters, in any colors, as PNG or SVG. The code holds your own link, so scans go straight to it, not through FattyURL. It has no logo option and no EPS or PDF, so QR Code Monkey and goQR.me beat it there.
Which free QR code generators make codes that stop working?
Static codes keep working as long as your link does, because nothing sits between the scan and your page. Dynamic codes hold the vendor's redirect link, so they work only while the vendor allows it. Free trials and scan caps are where printed codes die, as the table below shows.
For the full static versus dynamic explanation, see our guide to whether QR codes expire.
Checked 28 October 2026 on each vendor's own pricing and help pages.
| Generator | Free dynamic offer | When the free offer runs out |
|---|---|---|
| QR Code Generator | 14-day free trial | Dynamic codes are switched off and send scans to a service page. Static codes keep working. |
| Uniqode | 14-day free trial | Dynamic codes become inactive and stop redirecting. Static codes keep working, but you lose account access. |
| QR TIGER | 3 dynamic codes, 500 scans each | Each code stops working at 500 scans. Scans show a QR TIGER logo pop-up. |
| The QR Code Generator (TQRCG), part of Uniqode | 2 dynamic codes, plus a 14-day trial | After the trial, the 2 codes stay live but show ads. Scan analytics cover 14 days. |
| Bitly | 2 codes a month | Links never expire and scans are unlimited. You can't change the destination, and free accounts get ads. |
| Flowcode | 2 dynamic codes | Analytics cover up to 500 scans. Its help center says scans are unlimited and codes never expire. |
| Hovercode | 3 dynamic codes | Nothing runs out: the first 3 never expire, with unlimited scans and 3 months of analytics. |
| Canva | Dynamic codes with the Canva logo | No expiry unless you set a date. Expiry dates and scan Insights need Business, Enterprise or Nonprofit. |
The trial codes are the real trap. You print the code, the trial ends, and scans stop reaching your page. QR Code Generator says upgrading reactivates them, so your choices are a paid plan or a reprint.
goQR.me's homepage is blunt about this model: some providers "switch off the redirection after a short time frame." Scan any downloaded code with your phone before printing. If the preview shows the generator's web address instead of your own link, the code is dynamic and lives on that company's terms.
Already printed a code that stopped? Our guide to why a QR code stops working walks through the causes and fixes.
Can you get a free QR code you can edit and track?
Yes, within limits. Hovercode gives three free dynamic codes it says never expire, Flowcode gives two, and Canva's free dynamic codes are editable but carry its logo. The other route is a static code that holds a short link you control, so the link does the editing and counting.
With a free FattyURL account, shorten your link with FattyURL, then make the QR code from the short link. Each scan opens the short link and counts as a click, and you can change the destination later without reprinting. Links in a free account never expire.
The analytics show total clicks, unique visitors, clicks over time, country, city, device, browser, operating system and referrer. Our guide to tracking link clicks for free explains what those numbers mean.
Two honest caveats. Free FattyURL links may show ads; links on a paid plan never do. Links made without an account expire after 30 days without a click, so never print one.
Rivals win in places. Flowcode's pricing page lists its free plan as ad free, which free FattyURL links can't promise. If you only need two or three editable codes, Flowcode or Hovercode is the simpler start.
Bitly's free plan makes 2 dynamic codes a month, but you can't change where they point. Bitly says free accounts get a page with a link preview and an ad, without saying whether QR scans see it. Our Bitly free plan breakdown has the details.
Which free QR code generator should you pick?
Pick by the job, not the brand. For a code you print once and never change, any static generator works, so choose on file format and design. For a code you may need to change, use a free dynamic plan with no end date, or a short link you control.
| If you need | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A menu, sign or flyer code that never changes | goQR.me or FattyURL | No account, and an SVG stays sharp in print |
| Your logo in the middle | QR Code Monkey | Free logo up to 2 MB on PNG or SVG |
| EPS or PDF for a print shop | goQR.me | Six formats, with vector files and no account |
| A code inside a flyer or worksheet you're designing | Canva or Adobe Express | Static codes made inside the design tool |
| Two or three codes you can edit | Hovercode or Flowcode | Free dynamic codes with no end date on their pages |
| Many codes you can edit and count | FattyURL short links inside static codes | Free account, up to 1,000 links a day once verified; free links may show ads |
| A code from a 14-day trial | Skip it unless you will pay | Trial dynamic codes switch off when the trial ends |
Teachers sharing a quiz or sign-up sheet can follow our guide to a short link and QR code for a Google Form. For the steps to make and test a code, see how to make a QR code for a link.
How did we check these generators?
We read each generator's own homepage, pricing and help pages on 28 October 2026, noting only what the free version gives you. Where a page said nothing, the tables say "not stated" rather than guess. Review sites and search snippets were not used as sources.
Some pricing pages load prices with scripts, so we left out any figure that didn't load. Plans change often, so check the vendor's page again before you print.
FAQ
What is the best free QR code generator?
For most people, a free static generator: FattyURL or goQR.me for a plain code with no account, QR Code Monkey for a logo. For codes you can edit, Hovercode's three free dynamic codes or a free FattyURL short link inside a static code are the safest choices.
Is there a free QR code generator that doesn't expire?
Yes. Static codes from FattyURL, goQR.me, QR Code Monkey, Adobe Express, Canva and QR TIGER don't expire, according to each one's own pages. Among free dynamic codes, Hovercode says its first three never expire, and Flowcode says its codes never do.
Can I make a QR code without signing up?
Yes. FattyURL and goQR.me let you download a static code with no account, and QR Code Monkey's page doesn't say you need one. QR Code Generator gives you a JPG without an account, but PNG, SVG and EPS need one.
Do free QR code generators add a watermark?
FattyURL says its codes carry none, goQR.me and QR Code Monkey mention none, and Canva's static codes never carry its logo. Canva's dynamic codes on Free, Pro and Education plans show the Canva logo by default. QR TIGER's free dynamic codes show a QR TIGER logo pop-up when scanned.
Can I use a free QR code for my business?
Yes, with static codes from tools that allow it. QR Code Monkey says its codes can be used for any purpose, including commercial ones. goQR.me allows commercial and print use, including advertising.
Can I track scans of a free QR code?
Only through a dynamic code or a tracked short link. Hovercode keeps three months of scan history, Flowcode's free analytics cover 500 scans, and TQRCG's cover 14 days. A static code holding a short link from a free FattyURL account counts each scan as a click.
Sources
- QR Code Monkey homepage, read 28 October 2026
- goQR.me homepage, read 28 October 2026
- QR Code Generator homepage, pricing, what happens when the trial expires, 14-day free trial help section, free codes with no expiration and Bitly acquisition announcement, read 28 October 2026
- Adobe Express QR code generator, read 28 October 2026
- Canva QR code generator, Canva Help: create and manage QR codes and Canva Help: download options by plan, read 28 October 2026
- Uniqode pricing, read 28 October 2026
- QR TIGER FAQ, QR TIGER help: is using QR TIGER free? and QR TIGER pricing, read 28 October 2026
- The QR Code Generator (TQRCG) homepage, pricing and about page, read 28 October 2026
- Bitly pricing, Bitly: ads on free accounts, Bitly: do links expire and Bitly: how to make a QR code, read 28 October 2026
- Flowcode pricing, Flowcode Help: will my codes expire? and Flowcode Help: analytics data FAQs, read 28 October 2026
- Hovercode pricing, read 28 October 2026
- FattyURL QR code generator and the FattyURL promise, read 28 October 2026
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal or security advice. It was researched and drafted with the help of AI, and its facts were checked against the sources linked above, mostly each provider's own pricing, help and policy pages. URL shorteners, QR code tools and social platforms change their plans, prices and rules often, so confirm the details on the provider's website before you choose a plan, move your links or print a QR code. FattyURL is our own product. Spotted something out of date, or a FattyURL link being misused? Tell us and we will act on it.
