ScanMePlz vs QRCode Monkey
QRCode Monkey is a free static QR generator with good design controls and no account. Here is how the two compare on the things that decide it — price, limits, and what happens to a printed code when billing goes wrong.
Side by side
| ScanMePlz | QRCode Monkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 3 dynamic codes, unlimited static, no scan cap | Unlimited static codes, free, no signup |
| Entry paid price | $4/month | Free (a paid tier is reported but conflicts with "completely free") |
| Top published price | $35/month | Reported $9.99/mo annual or $149 lifetime — unconfirmed |
| Scan recording | Never capped, any plan | Not applicable |
| Monthly billing | Yes, every paid plan | Not applicable |
| Code limits | 3 → 25 → 500 → unlimited | Unlimited static; no dynamic codes at all |
| Codes if you stop paying | Keep resolving, frozen not disabled — in our Terms | See their terms |
| Static backup export | Yes, on every plan including free | Not offered |
| Custom domain | Included from $12/month | Higher tiers |
Choose QRCode Monkey if
• Genuinely free, with no signup and no watermark
• Logo upload, gradients, custom eye shapes and SVG export
• Nothing to cancel, because there is nothing to subscribe to
• For a one-off static code, it is hard to beat and we say so
Choose ScanMePlz if
• You print codes onto things that are expensive to reprint, and you want a written
commitment that they keep resolving if your card fails or you downgrade.
• You do not want scan analytics to stop recording at a threshold.
• You want monthly billing and a price under $15 for a custom domain and API
access.
• You want to be able to export static fallbacks of every code, so the decision is
reversible without reprinting.
Static only — no editing, no analytics
QRCode Monkey produces static codes, which means the destination is baked into the pattern. That is a real advantage (it can never expire) and a real limit: you cannot change where a printed code points, and you cannot see how many times it was scanned. If you need either, you need dynamic codes from somewhere.
QRCode Monkey plans as published
| Plan | Price | Codes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Unlimited static | No account needed |
Is ScanMePlz cheaper than QRCode Monkey?
At the entry tier, yes: ScanMePlz Starter is $4/month against QRCode Monkey’s Free (a paid tier is reported but conflicts with "completely free"). Our free plan also includes 3 dynamic codes with no scan cap, against QRCode Monkey’s Unlimited static codes, free, no signup. Checked 2026-10-04.
Can I move my QRCode Monkey codes to ScanMePlz without reprinting?
Yes, and you do not have to choose immediately. Point each QRCode Monkey dynamic code at the matching ScanMePlz code's address. Your printed codes still scan, they just route through QRCode Monkey to us. Once you are happy, reprint from the new codes at your own pace — or do not, and leave the chain in place.
What does QRCode Monkey do better?
Genuinely, several things — see “Choose QRCode Monkey if” above. We are not trying to be the best platform for everyone, and pretending QRCode Monkey has no strengths would just tell you this page is not worth reading.