How this free service works
QRcode.so makes QR codes and standard barcodes. Most of it runs in your browser and needs no account. The parts that cannot run in a browser are named below.
- Free to use
- No watermarks
- No account for static codes
What the site does
13 QR code types and 14 barcode symbologies, a bulk generator that turns a spreadsheet into a ZIP of images, a label maker for A4 sheets and thermal rolls, a scanner, a GTIN check digit calculator, and two print calculators. There is also QR Shops: a hosted page behind a stable code, for venues that need to change what a printed code shows.
Which parts run where
| Feature | Where it runs |
|---|---|
| QR and barcode generation, previews, downloads | Your browser. The content you type is encoded locally and is not sent to us. |
| Bulk generation, label PDFs, scanning an image or camera frame | Your browser. |
| QR Shops hosted pages, orders, owner dashboard | Our servers — a hosted page has to be served and orders have to be stored. |
| AI experience builder | Our servers, which call a language model with what you describe. |
| Destination checking in the scanner | Our servers, because the link has to be fetched from somewhere that is not your browser. |
The short version: static generation is local; anything hosted is not. The privacy page is the detailed statement.
What it costs
Every generator, calculator and export on this site is free, with no watermark and no signup, and you may use the output commercially. A free account is needed only for hosted QR Shops pages, because those have to be stored and served. Everything available today is free.
Advertising
Some pages carry advertising slots to cover hosting. They are placed below or beside the tool, never as a full-screen interstitial, and no download is ever gated behind one.
Good to know
- Scanning depends on your printer, the surface and the reader, so print a proof and test it. Our own checks decode our exports with our own scanner, which is not the same as your hardware.
- Payments are not verified automatically. In QR Shops a customer's claim to have paid stays a claim until the owner confirms it, with the method, reference and time recorded.
- Barcode images are drawn, not issued. A retail EAN or UPC number must be licensed from GS1 before you print it.
- The scanner's destination check reports reachability and redirects. It is not a malware or phishing reputation service.
How to reach the tools
The full tool directory lists everything with a search box. The guides cover printing and the static-versus-hosted decision, and the FAQ answers the recurring questions.