Static vs dynamic QR codes: which one do you need?
A static code holds your content. A dynamic code holds a short address that can be pointed somewhere new. Here is how to choose in under a minute.
Utilica3 min read
The short answer: use a dynamic code for anything you are going to print and might want to change, and a static code for anything that will never change, like your Wi-Fi password or a contact card.
What a static QR code is
A static code holds the content itself. If the content is a web address, that address is drawn straight into the pattern of dots. Scan it and your phone reads the address and opens it. Nothing else is involved.
That has three consequences:
- It works forever. There is no service behind it that could close, expire or ask for money.
- It cannot be changed. A different address means a different pattern, which means printing again.
- Nobody can count the scans. The phone goes directly to the destination, so there is nothing in between to count.
The more you put in a static code, the denser the pattern gets. A long web address makes a busy code that needs to be printed larger to scan well.
What a dynamic QR code is
A dynamic code holds a short address that belongs to the service you made it with. When someone scans it, that service looks up where you want people sent and redirects them there, usually faster than you can notice.
- You can change the destination after printing. The pattern holds the short address, and that never changes.
- You can see how many scans it gets. Each scan passes through the redirect, where it can be counted.
- The pattern stays simple. A short address makes a clean code that scans easily at small sizes.
- It depends on the service. If the service stops redirecting, the code stops working. This is the part to check before you print anything.
Side by side
| Static | Dynamic | |
|---|---|---|
| Change where it goes after printing | No | Yes |
| Scan counts | No | Yes |
| Works without any service | Yes | No |
| Holds Wi-Fi details, contact cards, plain text | Yes | Not usually |
| Pattern stays simple with long links | No | Yes |
Which one to use
Choose dynamic for menus, flyers, posters, packaging, business cards and table signs. These are expensive or annoying to reprint, and the thing they point to will change eventually: a new menu, a new booking page, a new website.
Choose static for Wi-Fi logins, contact cards, a phone number, a plain message, or a link you are certain will never move. Static codes are also the right choice when the code must work with no dependence on anyone.
The catch with dynamic codes, and how to avoid it
Because a dynamic code depends on the service behind it, the terms matter. Some generators let you make a dynamic code for free and then stop it redirecting when a trial ends, which is a bad surprise once the menus are printed.
Before you print, find out two things: does the code expire, and what happens if you stop paying?
On Utilica, dynamic codes never expire on any plan, including the free one, and leaving Pro does not switch off anything you have printed. The free plan includes 3 dynamic codes and 10 static ones, with every design option included.
A quick way to decide
Ask one question: will I ever want this to go somewhere else? If the honest answer is "maybe", use a dynamic code. If it is "never", use a static one.
