QR codes that don't need a subscription
A dynamic QR code is worth having because you can change where it points after it is printed. Almost everywhere, that ability is rented monthly — and when you stop paying, the code on your menu, packaging or business card stops working. QRW.io sells it once.
Why most dynamic QR codes expire
Dynamic codes work by pointing at a short redirect the vendor operates. That redirect is the product, so it is usually sold as a subscription with a quota attached. What that means for a code you have already printed varies more than you would expect — here is what each vendor's own material says, checked on 21 August 2026:
QRCode.io
Editable codes are a paid-plan feature with a per-plan quota. The free tier covers static codes only, which cannot be edited.
| Plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $3.99/mo · $29.99/yr | 10 dynamic codes |
| Pro | $9.99/mo · $69.99/yr | 25 dynamic codes |
| Unlimited | $29.99/mo · $199.99/yr | Unlimited dynamic codes |
Uniqode
Annual subscription only — their FAQ states they do not offer monthly plans.
Source: https://www.uniqode.com/pricingBitly
QR codes are a monthly allowance rather than a one-off purchase: you get so many new codes per month at each tier.
| Plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 2 QR codes/month, 5 links/month |
| Core | $10/mo billed annually ($120/yr) | 5 QR codes/month, 100 links/month |
| Growth | $29/mo annually ($348/yr), or $35/mo | 10 QR codes/month, 500 links/month |
| Premium | $199/mo annually ($2,388/yr), or $300/mo | 200 QR codes/month, 3,000 links/month |
Two patterns are worth separating. QRCode.io and Uniqode gate the editable code behind an active plan — their free or expired state leaves you with static codes, which genuinely never expire but cannot be changed, which is the only reason to want a dynamic one. Bitly is fairer about longevity and says its links do not expire, but sells QR codes as a monthly allowance, so the constraint there is how many you may create and what that costs every month, forever.
Either way you are renting. We think a printed code should be something you own. What happens to your QR code when you stop paying goes through this vendor by vendor.
How QRW.io works instead
You buy credits once and spend them on links. There is no plan, no renewal date and no monthly charge. A link you minted stays live whether you come back tomorrow or never.
- A standard link — 10 credits, once. Shorter links cost more, because short ones are scarce.
- Changing the destination — 1 credit per save, whenever you want, for as long as the link exists.
- Downloading the QR image — 1 credit.
- Scan analytics — included, no extra charge.
- A new account — starts with 15 free credits, enough for your first link and a few downloads.
- Credit packs — from 5 € for 10 credits. They do not expire either.
So a printed code costs you 10 credits and then nothing. Re-pointing it later costs a single credit, not a reactivated subscription.
What “permanent” means here
It means there is no expiry date and no payment that keeps it alive. We would rather be precise than sweeping, so the two real limits: a link can be disabled if it is used for phishing, malware or other abuse, and editing a link needs a credit in your balance, though the link keeps redirecting either way.
Everything else — the short URL, the QR image you printed, the redirect — keeps working with nothing further to pay.
Build and preview a QR code with no account. Your first dynamic link is free.
Competitor plan names, prices and quotas above are taken from each vendor's own published pricing page, linked in each section, and were checked on 21 August 2026. Terms change; verify before relying on them.