by Albright Labs
You print 500 flyers. Two weeks later the event moves, the menu changes, or the landing page gets a new address. The QR code on every one of those flyers now points to the wrong place, and the only fix is to print them again.
Scanley exists to stop that from happening. It is a small, focused tool for making QR codes and short links that you can update after they are out in the world, and that tell you how often they get used.
What Scanley is
Scanley is a web app for creating and managing QR codes and short links. You sign in from any browser, make a code, download it as an image, and put it on whatever you are printing or sharing.
It is built by Albright Labs as part of Albright Software, so it runs on the same account and the same bill as our other small-business tools.
The whole idea fits in one line: print once, change the destination anytime, count every scan.
Who it is for
Scanley is made for people who put QR codes on real things and need them to keep working:
- Restaurants and cafes with table cards, menus and window signs
- Shops and local businesses running promotions on flyers, posters and receipts
- Service businesses handing out business cards, brochures and yard signs
- Event organizers printing banners, badges and programs
- Small marketing teams who want to know which printed piece actually got scanned
You do not need to be technical. If you can fill in a form and save an image, you can use Scanley.
Codes you can change after printing
Scanley offers two kinds of QR code, and the difference matters.
A static QR code has the destination baked into the pattern itself. Once it is printed, it can never be changed.
A dynamic QR code points to a Scanley link, which then sends the person on to your destination. Because the destination lives in Scanley and not in the printed pattern, you can change it whenever you like. The square on the paper stays exactly the same.
That means you can:
- Swap last season’s menu for this season’s without reprinting table cards
- Point an event flyer to a “sold out” page, then to next year’s event
- Fix a typo in a web address after the posters are already up
Dynamic codes are available on the Basic plan and above.
Four kinds of QR code, plus short links
Not every code needs to open a web page. Scanley makes four types:
- URL: opens a website or page
- Email: opens the phone’s email app with the address, subject and message already filled in
- WiFi: lets guests join your network without typing a password
- vCard: saves your contact details straight into someone’s phone
It also makes short links, which are the text version of the same idea. You paste in a long web address and get back a short one with a 7-character code, ready for a social post, a text message or an email signature. On paid plans you can switch a short link off at any time, and you can turn on a confirmation page so visitors see where the link goes before they open it.
The free plan includes URL codes. The email, WiFi and vCard types come with Basic and above.
Make it look like yours
On the Pro plan and above, you can style each code to match your brand:
- Choose the code color and background color
- Upload your logo to sit in the center
- Add a frame with a short prompt, such as “Scan Me”, “Scan for Menu”, “Scan to Pay”, “Scan for Info” or “Scan to Learn More”
The editor shows a live preview as you go, so you can see the result before you download it.
See how often each code gets scanned
Every dynamic QR code and short link keeps a record of its activity. For each code you can see the total scans, the number of unique visitors, and the time and result of each scan. Short links also record where the visitor came from.
Put a different code on your mailer, your window sign and your trade show banner, and you can see which one people actually used. Group codes into campaigns (and short links into groups) to see the totals for a whole promotion in one place.
Scanley does not count your own test scans while you are signed in, so the numbers reflect real customers. How long activity is kept depends on your plan: 30 days on Basic, 90 days on Pro and 120 days on Enterprise.
Control when a code stops working
Some promotions should end. On Basic and above you can set a code or link to switch itself off:
- On a date, for a sale or offer that expires
- After a number of scans, for a limited giveaway or the first 100 sign-ups
Once either limit is reached, the code stops sending people on to the destination.
Plans and pricing
Scanley has flat monthly prices and the limits are listed up front.
| Plan | Price | QR codes and short links | Users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 5 of each | 1 |
| Basic | $15/month | 50 of each | Up to 3 |
| Pro | $30/month | 500 of each | Up to 10 |
| Enterprise | Contact us | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Paying yearly saves about 10% ($162 a year for Basic, $324 a year for Pro). The free plan needs no credit card and makes static URL codes, which is a fine way to try the tool. To edit codes after printing and see scan counts, you need Basic or higher.
Try it with your next flyer
The easiest way to see if Scanley fits is to use it on the next thing you print. Make a code, put it on the piece, and check back in a week.
Create your free Scanley account. No credit card is needed.
If you also send a newsletter to your customers, take a look at Sendly, which runs on the same Albright Software account.