Bitly vs QR Code Monkey vs QR Tiger in 2026: Best QR Code Generator for Business, Static vs Dynamic (Uniqode, Canva, Jobbit)
Bitly vs QR Code Monkey vs QR Tiger vs Uniqode vs Canva for business QR codes in 2026: static vs dynamic codes, whether free codes expire, logo and colour options, print-ready SVG, scan tracking and price, scored on six criteria, plus the free Jobbit QR code generator that makes static codes with your logo that never expire.
A QR code is the cheapest piece of marketing a business owns and the easiest to get wrong. The failure is always the same: a "free" code from a trial plan goes on 500 menus or a van, the trial ends, and the code points at an error page. The best QR code generator for business is therefore not the one with the most features. It is the one whose codes keep working, print cleanly, carry your logo, and cost what the job is worth, which for a menu, a business card or a window sticker is nothing.
This comparison puts Bitly, QR Code Monkey, QR Tiger, Uniqode and Canva side by side on the six things that matter: static or dynamic, expiry, design options, print output, tracking and price. It then covers the free alternative, Jobbit's QR code generator, where an AI agent makes a static code with your logo and brand colour in PNG and SVG that cannot expire, and can build a short link on your own domain if you want one. Where a paid dynamic-code service is still the right buy, this guide says so.
Need a code for a menu or a card today? Open the Jobbit QR code generator, paste the link, choose the style. Free to try, no card, and the code never expires.
How we scored the QR code generators
- Static or dynamic. A static code has the URL inside the pattern and works forever. A dynamic code redirects through the vendor, can be edited and tracked, and stops working if the plan lapses.
- Free plan honesty. Do free codes expire? Is the free tier a trial?
- Design. Logo in the centre, brand colours, frames, error correction high enough to survive a logo.
- Print output. SVG or high-resolution PNG, and guidance on size.
- Tracking. Scans by date, location and device, if you need them.
- Price on the vendor's page in September 2026, in the currency it quotes.
Static vs dynamic QR codes: the one decision that matters
A static code encodes the destination itself. It cannot be changed after printing, cannot be tracked by the generator, and cannot expire because nothing sits between the phone and your page. A dynamic code encodes a short redirect link owned by the vendor; you can change the destination later and see scan counts, and you pay for that convenience monthly. Dynamic codes suit campaigns with many placements and destinations that change. Static codes suit everything that is printed once and expected to work for years: menus, packaging, vans, business cards, table stickers, invoices. Most small businesses need static codes and are sold dynamic ones.
Bitly vs QR Code Monkey vs QR Tiger vs Uniqode vs Canva: the comparison table
| Tool | Free plan | Static codes | Dynamic codes | Do free codes expire? | Logo and colour | Print output | Tracking | Paid price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitly | 5 short links a month, 2 QR codes, bit.ly domain | Dynamic only (bit.ly link) | Yes | Codes tied to links on your account; free links limited | Colour and logo on paid plans | PNG, SVG on paid | Yes, 90 days on Core | Core $10 a month billed annually, Growth $29 |
| QR Code Monkey | Unlimited static codes, free | Yes | Via a sister service | No, static codes never expire | Logo, colours, shapes, free | PNG, SVG, PDF, EPS | No | Free |
| QR Tiger | 3 dynamic codes, 500 scans each | Yes | Yes | Free dynamic codes are capped and can stop after the trial | Logo, colours, frames | PNG, SVG | Yes | Regular $7 a month annual or $9.99 monthly, Advanced $16 |
| Uniqode (ex Beaconstac) | Trial | Limited | Yes | Trial codes stop when it ends | Templates, logo | PNG, SVG | Yes, detailed | Essential $9 a month billed yearly ($108), Core $49 |
| Canva | Free QR element in designs | Yes | No | No | Colour, inside any design | PNG, PDF; SVG on Pro | No | Pro £13 a month or £100 a year plus VAT for SVG and Magic Resize |
| Jobbit QR code generator | Free plan credits, unlimited static codes | Yes | Short link on your own domain on request | No, static codes never expire | Logo, brand colour, black or white | PNG and SVG, tested to scan, print size advised | No, unless you add your own short link | Free plan; Plus £15 a month for heavier use |
Read across the "expire" column first. Two tools make free static codes that cannot expire: QR Code Monkey and Jobbit. Canva's are static too, but you build them inside a design. Bitly, QR Tiger and Uniqode are dynamic-first businesses; their free tiers exist to sell the subscription, and a printed code on an expired trial is the classic failure.
Bitly: link management with QR codes attached
Bitly is a short-link service first. Its QR codes are dynamic, built on bit.ly links, so they are trackable and editable and they depend on your Bitly account. The free plan allows five links a month, two QR codes and the shared bit.ly domain; Core at $10 a month billed annually gives 100 links, custom back-halves and 90 days of analytics, Growth at $29 adds more. It is the right choice if you already run campaigns through Bitly and want scans in the same dashboard. It is the wrong choice for a menu. Best for: marketers with many campaigns.
QR Code Monkey: the best free static generator
QR Code Monkey makes unlimited static codes free, with a logo upload, colour and shape controls, and downloads in PNG, SVG, PDF and EPS, which is exactly what a printer wants. It is ad-supported and offers no tracking, because static codes cannot be tracked. Its only weakness is that it does not tell you whether the design still scans after you have added a logo and a gradient; you test that yourself. Best for: anyone who wants a free, permanent code and is happy to test it.
QR Tiger: the dynamic specialist
QR Tiger leads on dynamic codes: free tier of three dynamic codes with 500 scans each, then Regular at $7 a month on annual billing ($9.99 monthly) with unlimited dynamic codes, Advanced at $16 with bulk generation and analytics, up to Professional at $89. Designs are strong, tracking is detailed, and the free dynamic codes are capped, so treat them as a trial. Best for: campaigns where the destination will change or scans must be counted.
Uniqode: enterprise features, annual commitment
Uniqode, formerly Beaconstac, is built for teams: templates, brand controls, detailed analytics, integrations. Essential is $9 a month billed yearly only, so a $108 commitment, and Core is $49. Trial codes stop when the trial ends. Best for: a marketing team running QR codes across many locations, not a sole trader.
Canva: QR codes inside your design
Canva has a free QR code element you drop into any design, static, with the design's colours. It is ideal when the code lives on a flyer you are already making. SVG export needs Canva Pro at £13 a month or £100 a year plus VAT. Best for: people who design in Canva and want the code on the artwork.
The free alternative: a static code with your logo, tested, from one form
The Jobbit QR code generator asks for the link, where the code will go (menu, window, card, packaging, invoice) and the style (black, your logo in the centre, your brand colour). The agent generates a static code with error correction set high enough to survive the logo, tests that it scans, and returns a PNG for screens and an SVG for print, with the minimum print size for the placement you chose. Because the code is static, it cannot expire and there is no subscription to lapse.
Two things the websites do not do:
- The test. A logo and a colour can break a code; the agent checks the result scans before handing it over.
- A short link on your own domain. If you want a code you can redirect later without paying Bitly, ask in the same chat and the agent builds a short link on yourbusiness.co.uk and encodes that. You own the redirect.
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, Manus and Meta's Muse can generate a basic QR code if asked, but none tests it, sizes it for print or returns an SVG with your logo; the tool page writes that first message for you. Where the paid services still win: scan analytics across many campaigns, which is Bitly Growth or QR Tiger Advanced territory. The seven uses, the print rules and the exact message the tool sends are in how to make a free QR code that never expires, and the paid market is ranked in best paid QR code generators.
Which QR code generator should you use?
- A menu, card, van or sticker that must work for years: a static code from Jobbit or QR Code Monkey.
- A code on a flyer you are designing in Canva: Canva's QR element.
- A campaign whose destination will change: QR Tiger Regular.
- Scan analytics across many links and codes: Bitly Core or Growth.
- A team with brand templates and many locations: Uniqode.
- A code you can redirect later without a subscription: Jobbit, with a short link on your own domain.
The four Jobbit tools are compared with their paid rivals in free tools vs paid plans, and all four are on the tools page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bitly or QR Code Monkey better for QR codes?
For a permanent printed code, QR Code Monkey: free, static, with logo and SVG. For trackable codes tied to campaigns, Bitly, whose codes are dynamic and depend on a paid plan for more than two. Jobbit's generator matches QR Code Monkey on static codes and adds a scan test and print sizing.
Do free QR codes expire?
Static codes never expire because the destination is inside the pattern. Dynamic codes from free or trial plans on QR Tiger, Uniqode, Bitly and similar services can stop working when the trial ends or the plan lapses. Check which kind you are making before printing anything.
What is the best free QR code generator with a logo?
QR Code Monkey and Jobbit both make free static codes with a logo in the centre and export SVG for print. Jobbit also tests that the finished code scans and tells you the minimum print size.
Should I use a static or dynamic QR code for my business?
Static for anything printed once and expected to last: menus, packaging, vehicles, cards, invoices. Dynamic for campaigns where the destination changes or you need scan counts, and then budget about $7 to $10 a month for it.
Can I track scans of a static QR code?
Not through the generator, but you can encode a link that you control, such as a short link on your own domain or a page with analytics, and read the visits there. Jobbit's agent can build that short link for you in the same chat.
How much does QR Tiger cost compared with Bitly?
QR Tiger Regular is $7 a month on annual billing or $9.99 monthly; Bitly Core is $10 a month billed annually. Both are for dynamic, trackable codes. A static code from Jobbit's QR code generator or QR Code Monkey is free.
What size should a QR code be printed?
About 2 cm square minimum for a card or menu scanned from 30 cm, and roughly one tenth of the scanning distance for posters and vehicles, so 20 cm for a code read from 2 metres. Jobbit's generator states the minimum size for the placement you pick.