The best free QR code generator depends on how you will use it. For a fixed QR code that never expires, needs no sign-up, and comes in types like Wi-Fi and app store, we recommend QR Code Free Forever. To add a logo today without creating an account, QRCode Monkey. For people already designing their artwork, Canva or Adobe Express. And to send the link of the open page to your phone, Google Chrome itself. Transparency: this comparison was written by the team behind the first tool on the list, which is an interested party, so every claim about the other tools comes from their official pages, checked in September 2026.
- The six generators compared all make free static QR codes that don't expire; the differences are in sign-up, formats, customization, and content types.
- They create and download without sign-up: this site, QRCode Monkey, and the Google Chrome generator. Canva asks for a free account, and Adobe Express asks for an account to download.
- For the print shop, SVG is free and needs no account here and on QRCode Monkey; on Adobe Express and QRCG, it needs an account; on Canva, only paid plans.
- Free trials have deadlines: on QR Code Generator (QRCG, by Bitly), dynamic QR codes are deactivated when the 14 days end, until you subscribe.
How did we compare?
Only with criteria you can check on screen, with no scores and no opinions:
- Truly free: can you create and download without paying and without a deadline?
- Expires: does the QR code keep working if you never come back to the site?
- Sign-up: do you need an account to create or to download?
- Customization and logo: what changes in the look without paying?
- Formats: PNG for screens and regular printing, SVG (vector) for the print shop.
- Content types, ads, and language: link only, or also Wi-Fi, contact, and app store; how the site pays for itself; whether it is available in your language.
We don't mention prices, because they change and vary by country. For that, check each service's own page.
Comparison table of free QR code generators
| Criteria | QR Code Free Forever | QRCode Monkey | Canva | Adobe Express | Google Chrome | QR Code Generator (QRCG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truly free? | Yes | Yes | Yes; the free dynamic code carries the Canva logo | Yes | Yes | Static QR code only |
| Does the QR code expire? | No | No | No, unless you set a date on the dynamic one | No | No | Static, no; dynamic, at the end of the trial |
| Do I need to sign up? | No | No | Yes, free account | To download, free account | No | For PNG, SVG, and EPS |
| Free customization | Hex colors, dots, corners, transparent background | Colors, gradient, shapes, and templates | Static: colors and margin; dynamic: patterns and corners | Color and style of the dots and corners | None | Colors and frame |
| Logo in the middle | Yes, with a free account (sign in with Google) | Yes, no sign-up | Only on the dynamic QR code, on the Business, Enterprise, and Nonprofit plans | Through the editor, with an account | No; on a computer, you get the Chrome dinosaur | Paid plan only |
| Download formats | PNG (200 to 4,000 px) and SVG | PNG, SVG, PDF, and EPS | PNG, JPG, and PDF; SVG on the paid plan only | PNG, JPG, and SVG | PNG | JPG without an account; PNG, SVG, and EPS with an account |
| Content types | 9, including Wi-Fi, WhatsApp, and app store | Link, Wi-Fi, vCard, event, and others | Link only | Link only | Link of the open page | Link, vCard, Wi-Fi, text, and others |
| Ads or how it makes money | Ad spaces on the site; Pro on the way | Ads for paid QR services | Paid plans | Paid plans | None: it comes built into the browser | Subscription, with a 14-day trial |
| Available in Portuguese | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
When is each generator the best choice?
QR Code Free Forever: fixed QR codes, no sign-up
It is ours, so take this with a grain of salt. What you can verify on screen: all 9 types (link, WhatsApp, Wi-Fi, contact, location, event, email, phone, and app store) generate static QR codes in your browser, with no sign-up and commercial use allowed. Free customization includes hex color codes, five dot shapes, three corner shapes, a transparent background, and eight ready-made styles, and an automatic scan test warns you when contrast is low or the QR code is inverted. You download it as a PNG, from 200 to 4,000 px, or as an SVG.
Where we fall short, for now: the logo in the middle requires a free account (just sign in with Google); dynamic QR codes and the scan counter are part of Pro, which is on a waitlist; and the site has ad spaces. The app store QR code is the only type that goes through our server, so each phone can be sent to the right store. Best choice when: you want a QR code that doesn't expire, with no account to create, or you need a Brazil-specific type like the Pix QR code, in the Central Bank of Brazil's BR Code standard.
QRCode Monkey: logo today, no account needed
QRCode Monkey presents itself as 100% free. According to its own page, the QR codes are static, don't expire, have no scan limit, and can be used commercially. Its strength is the look: you can upload your logo (PNG, JPG, GIF, or SVG up to 2 MB) or pick one from the gallery, apply a gradient, change the shape of the body and corners, and start from ready-made templates. It downloads as PNG, SVG, PDF, and EPS; to take the full design as a vector, the site itself recommends SVG, because PDF and EPS have design limitations.
Watch out for: the page shows ads for paid QR code services, and there is no dedicated type for Pix. Best choice when: you want the logo on the QR code right now, with no sign-up.
Canva: when you are already designing the artwork
If the QR code is going on an invitation, poster, or menu you are building in Canva, generating it right there is the shortest path: the code goes straight into the design, with no downloading and uploading files. According to Canva's help center, there are two tools. The static QR code is free on any plan, never expires, doesn't carry the Canva logo, and lets you change the code color, the background color, and the margin. The dynamic QR code lets you change the link later and choose patterns and corners, even on the free plan, but on the Free and Pro plans it comes with the Canva logo; viewing scans, uploading your own logo, and setting an expiration date require the Business, Enterprise, or Nonprofit plans. Without a date set, neither one expires.
Watch out for: it needs a (free) account, both tools make link QR codes only, and on the free plan the download comes as PNG, JPG, or PDF, because SVG and a transparent background are paid features. Best choice when: your artwork is already in Canva.
Adobe Express: stylish link QR codes, for people who create in Adobe
The generator page says Adobe Express QR codes don't expire and that commercial use is allowed. In the tool, you can choose the color and style of the dots and corner markers and download as PNG, JPG, or SVG; the logo goes in through the Adobe Express editor, in the design. The generator opens without logging in, but asks for a free account when it's time to download the file.
Watch out for: it only makes link QR codes, and Adobe itself says that for Wi-Fi or contacts you need another tool. Best choice when: you want a stylish link QR code and will build your piece in Adobe Express.
Google Chrome: the fastest for the link of the open page
You might already have a generator without knowing it. In desktop Chrome, the path is More (the three dots), Cast, save, and share, and Create QR code, according to the Google Chrome Help Center; on Android, it is More, Share, and QR code. The QR code comes with the address of the open page, and on a computer you can edit that text before downloading.
It is static, with no sign-up and no ads. In exchange, there is no customization: on a computer, the code comes with round dots, rounded corners, and the Chrome dinosaur in the middle, as a PNG, as the Chromium source code shows. Best choice when: you want to send a link to your phone right now. For printed material that carries your brand, use another tool.
QR Code Generator (QRCG, by Bitly): for people who will pay for dynamic QR codes
QRCG is a QR code service that is part of Bitly. According to the site's FAQ, static QR codes (website, vCard, text, email, SMS, Wi-Fi, X, and Bitcoin) are free and never expire, with color and frame options. The free download comes as a JPG; PNG, SVG, and EPS require sign-up, and the logo in the middle is a paid-plan feature.
The dynamic QR code comes with a free 14-day trial. The help center explains what happens at the end: the account doesn't turn into a paid plan on its own, but dynamic QR codes are deactivated and start pointing to a service page until you subscribe, while static ones keep working. Best choice when: you already know you want stats and editing and plan to pay for them. What paid plans usually charge is covered in how much a QR code costs.
Which one should you pick? Quick answers by situation
- Pix QR code (Brazil's instant payment system): among the six, only this site has a dedicated type for Pix, in the BR Code standard.
- Wi-Fi password: this site, QRCode Monkey, or QRCG, which have Wi-Fi in the free static QR code.
- File for the print shop (SVG): this site or QRCode Monkey, with no account; Adobe Express or QRCG, with an account.
- Logo in the middle, today: QRCode Monkey, with no account; Adobe Express, through the editor.
- An invitation or poster you are designing: Canva or Adobe Express.
- Editing the destination after printing: Canva's dynamic QR code does this even on the free plan, with the Canva logo on the code.
- Counting scans: paid plans only, like QRCG's or Canva's Business and Enterprise plans.
- Sending this page's link to your phone: Chrome itself.
What should you check in any generator before printing?
- Scan the QR code with your camera and check that the address that appears is your destination, not a short link from the vendor.
- Look for deadlines: "trial" or "free days" point to a dynamic QR code with an end date.
- If you add a logo, test scanning again. The precautions are in QR codes with a logo.
- Test on an iPhone and an Android phone, at the final size of the material.
Where did the information come from?
From each tool's official pages, checked in September 2026:
- QRCode Monkey: generator page, in English and Portuguese.
- Canva: help center (articles on QR codes and downloads) and the generator page.
- Adobe Express: generator page, the tool itself, and Adobe's help.
- Google Chrome: Google Chrome Help Center and the Chromium source code.
- QR Code Generator (QRCG): the site's FAQ and the help center article on the free trial.
Tools change. If any information here has gone out of date, let us know through the site's contact page, and we will check and fix it.
Create a free QR code, no sign-up
Frequently asked questions
Which free QR code generator doesn't expire?
All six in this comparison make static QR codes that don't expire: this site, QRCode Monkey, Canva, Adobe Express, the Google Chrome generator, and QR Code Generator. What expires is the dynamic QR code on a free trial, like the one from QR Code Generator, which is deactivated when the 14 days run out without a subscription.
Which free QR code generator doesn't ask for sign-up?
Of the six compared, this site, QRCode Monkey, and the Google Chrome generator create and download without an account. QR Code Generator offers the static code as a JPG without an account, and Canva and Adobe Express ask for a free account.
Which generator adds a logo to the QR code for free?
Among the six, QRCode Monkey adds your logo with no sign-up, and Adobe Express allows it through the design editor, with a free account. Here, the logo feature is coming soon, also with a free account.
Is the Google Chrome generator good for printing?
It covers the basics: it downloads a PNG of the page link, with no customization and, on a computer, with the Chrome dinosaur in the middle. For the print shop, choose a generator that delivers SVG.
