A static QR code has the destination built into the pattern. It never changes and nothing counts the scans. A dynamic QR code points to a short link, which then redirects to the destination. You can change where it goes after printing, and every scan is counted.
For almost anything printed in volume or tied to marketing, dynamic is the right choice. Static still has a place for things that genuinely never change.
Side-by-side comparison
| Static QR code | Dynamic QR code | |
|---|---|---|
| What it stores | The final destination | A short link that redirects |
| Change destination after printing | No, you must reprint | Yes, any time |
| Scan tracking | No | Yes: scans, location, device, time |
| Pattern density | Denser for long URLs | Simpler, because the short link is short |
| Depends on a service | No | Yes, the link must keep resolving |
| Typical cost | Free | Free tier or subscription |
| Best for | Wi-Fi details, vCards, permanent text | Marketing, packaging, menus, ads, events |
When to use a static QR code
Static codes are fine when the content will never change and you do not need to measure anything:
- Wi-Fi network details
- A contact card on a personal business card
- A permanent page you fully control and will never move
When to use a dynamic QR code
Use a dynamic code whenever any of these are true:
- It is printed in volume. Packaging, flyers, posters, direct mail. Reprinting is expensive; editing a link is free.
- The destination might change. Seasonal menus, campaigns, product launches, app store links.
- You need to know if it works. Scans per placement, per city, per day.
- It drives sales. You want to connect scans to purchases, not just visits.
The risk with dynamic codes nobody mentions
A dynamic code is only as durable as the link behind it. If the QR service shuts down, changes its domain, or deactivates your link when a plan lapses, every printed code stops working at once.
Protect yourself by:
- Putting the short link on your own domain, so you can move to another tool without breaking printed codes
- Avoiding services that deactivate codes on free plans after a trial
- Testing a printed code regularly, not just at launch
This is the same lesson many teams learned when Firebase Dynamic Links shut down.
Tracking scans all the way to sales
A scan count tells you a code was seen. It does not tell you whether it made money. To get from scans to revenue:
- Give each placement its own dynamic code, for example one per store, flyer, or packaging run.
- Connect your sales system so purchases after a scan are matched back.
- Compare scans, visits, and sales per code.
That is how you learn which flyer, store, or partner actually drives purchases. See QR code tracking and analytics.
Design tips for either type
- Keep strong contrast: dark code on a light background.
- Leave a quiet margin around the code.
- Print it large enough to scan from the expected distance.
- Add a short call to action, such as "Scan to get 10% off".
- Test on several phones before printing the full run.
How Bridgly handles QR codes
Every Bridgly link can be a QR code. Codes are dynamic, can sit on your own domain, and can be re-pointed after printing. Scans are tracked by placement, and with a sales source connected, scans can be followed through to purchases and partner commission.
The short version
- Static: permanent, untrackable, fine for Wi-Fi and contact cards.
- Dynamic: editable after printing, tracks scans, right for marketing.
- Put dynamic codes on your own domain so printed codes survive a change of tools.
- Use one code per placement and connect sales to see which ones make money.
Create trackable QR codes with Bridgly → · QR codes on product packaging
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between a static and a dynamic QR code?
- A static QR code stores the destination itself, so it can never be changed and scans cannot be counted. A dynamic QR code stores a short link that redirects to the destination, so you can change where it goes after printing and see how many times it was scanned.
- Can you change where a QR code goes after printing it?
- Only if it is a dynamic QR code. A dynamic code points to a short link you control, and changing the link's destination changes where every printed copy goes. A static code has the destination baked into the pattern and has to be reprinted to change.
- Do dynamic QR codes expire?
- The code itself does not expire, but it depends on the short link behind it. If the service hosting that link shuts down or your subscription lapses, the code can stop working. Using a short link on your own domain protects printed codes from that risk.
- Can you track scans on a static QR code?
- Not directly. A static code sends people straight to the destination, so nothing in between counts the scan. You can add UTM parameters to the destination URL to see visits in web analytics, but you cannot count scans or change the destination later.
Read more
QR codes · 3 min read
QR codes on product packaging: ideas, design tips, and tracking
How to use QR codes on product packaging to drive reorders, reviews, app downloads, and loyalty signups, with design and placement tips, what to link to, and how to track packaging scans through to repeat sales.
QR codes · 2 min read
QR code tracking: what you can measure and what you cannot
A QR code is just an encoded URL, so tracking scans means tracking that URL. Here is what a scan can and cannot tell you, how to tell print placements apart, and why static store links waste the whole exercise.
QR codes · 4 min read
QR codes for app downloads: what actually works in the wild
QR codes fail for boring, physical reasons — size, contrast, placement, and dead destinations. Here's what to get right so scans turn into installs, and why a static store link on a poster is a mistake.