Static vs. dynamic QR codes, and when each makes sense
2026-09-04 · 4 min read
A static QR code encodes its destination directly in the modules. It works forever, with or without anyone's account existing, and nothing can switch it off — including us. The trade-off is that the destination is permanent: change the underlying page's address and the printed code stops working.
A dynamic code encodes a short link instead, and the short link's destination lives in a database that can be edited. The printed artwork never has to change; only where the short link points does.
The right choice tracks how likely the destination is to move. A code on a one-off flyer for an event that happens once is a reasonable candidate for a static code — there's nothing to redirect later. A code on a menu, a van, a piece of packaging or anything printed in volume and meant to outlive a single version of its destination is worth making dynamic from the start, because the alternative to editing a link is reprinting the artwork.