by Albright Labs
If you are shopping for a QR code tool, two names come up again and again: Bitly and QR Code Generator (the service at qr-code-generator.com, now sold as QRCG by Bitly). Both belong to Bitly today, but they are separate products with separate plans. Both are well known and both work. Scanley is newer and smaller.
This post lays out what each one is built for. We make Scanley, so read our take with that in mind. We have tried to describe the other two fairly; check their own pricing pages before you decide.
The short version
- Bitly started as a link shortener and is still best known for short links. QR codes are part of the product. It suits teams whose main job is sharing links online.
- QR Code Generator is focused on QR codes, with a wide range of code types and design options. It suits businesses that make a lot of QR codes and want many formats.
- Scanley does QR codes and short links in one dashboard, with flat monthly prices and limits listed up front. It suits small businesses that print codes on flyers, menus and signs and want to change them later.
What to look for in any QR code tool
First, the features that matter for printed materials.
Dynamic codes. A static code can never change once printed. A dynamic code can be pointed somewhere new at any time. If you print anything that might outlive its link, you want dynamic codes.
Scan counts. You want to know whether a code gets used, and which printed piece gets the most scans.
Clear limits. How many codes you can make, how many scans are counted, and what happens if you cancel. A code that stops working when a subscription ends can strand everything you printed.
Price you can predict. A flat monthly price is easier to plan for than one that climbs with usage.
Bitly
Bitly is one of the best-known names in link shortening. Its strength is links: shortening them, branding them and seeing how they perform across social posts, emails and ads.
QR codes are available in Bitly, and they are built on its short links. They point to a web address, and design options include colors, a logo and a frame. If most of your work is sharing links online and QR codes are an occasional extra, Bitly is a reasonable place to look.
What Bitly’s plans look like, as of October 2026:
- The free plan includes 2 QR codes and 5 short links a month.
- Changing where a code or link points needs a paid plan. On the free plan, a code keeps the destination you gave it.
- Paid plans are Core, Growth, Premium and Enterprise. Core starts at $10 a month billed yearly and includes 5 QR codes and 100 links a month. Growth is $29 a month billed yearly or $35 billed monthly.
QR Code Generator
QR Code Generator is a dedicated QR code service, now sold under the name QRCG by Bitly. It offers more than 20 code types and a wide set of design options, and its scan statistics include location and operating system. It is aimed squarely at people who make QR codes as a regular part of their marketing.
If you need a very broad range of code formats, or you make a large number of codes each month, it is worth a look.
What to know before signing up, as of October 2026:
- There is no permanent free plan. You get a 14-day free trial with no card, then choose a paid plan: Starter, Advanced, Professional or Enterprise.
- When a trial ends without an upgrade, dynamic codes are deactivated and point to a service page instead of your destination. Static codes keep working.
- If you cancel a paid plan, dynamic codes keep working through the paid period plus 30 days. After that the account is locked and the codes point to a service page.
- The Starter plan includes 2 dynamic codes, and each code on Starter can be scanned up to 10,000 times.
Scanley
Scanley is built around one job: putting a QR code on something you print and keeping it useful afterward. Here is what it does, in plain terms.
QR codes and short links together. Both live in the same dashboard. Short links get a 7-character code and can show a confirmation page before sending visitors on.
Four QR code types. URL, email (with the subject and message filled in), WiFi and vCard contact cards. The free plan makes URL codes. The other three types come with Basic and above.
Dynamic codes you can edit after printing. Change where a code points without touching the printed piece. Available on Basic and above for URL, email and vCard codes. WiFi codes are always static.
Scan counts that ignore your own tests. Each dynamic code shows total scans, unique visitors, and the time and result of each scan. Scans made while you are signed in are not counted, so the numbers reflect real people. Campaigns roll up the totals for a whole promotion.
Expiry dates and scan limits. Set a code to stop working on a date or after a set number of scans. Basic and above.
Codes that outlive your plan. If your subscription lapses or you move down to the free plan, your dynamic codes keep working and keep sending people to their last destination. Only an expiry date or scan limit you set yourself stops them. You need Basic or above to change where they point.
Branded designs. Custom colors, your logo in the center, and a frame with a prompt such as “Scan for Menu” or “Scan to Pay”. Pro and above.
Flat pricing. Free for 5 QR codes and 5 short links with no card. Basic is $15 a month for 50 of each and up to 3 users. Pro is $30 a month for 500 of each and up to 10 users. Enterprise is unlimited, priced on request. Yearly billing saves about 10%.
Where Scanley is not the best fit
- No custom short link codes. Scanley picks the 7-character code for you. If you need a specific word in the link, look elsewhere.
- Simple analytics. Scanley counts scans, unique visitors and the time and outcome of each. It does not break scans down by country, city or device model.
- No API or bulk import. Codes are made one at a time in the app. If you need to generate thousands of codes from a spreadsheet, a larger tool will suit you better.
- Free plan codes are static. They work fine, but you cannot change them later or see scan counts. For that you need Basic.
- Analytics history tops out at 120 days, on Enterprise.
Side by side
| Scanley | Bitly | QR Code Generator | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main focus | QR codes and short links for printed materials | Short links, with QR codes | QR codes |
| Free option | 5 static QR codes and 5 short links, no card | 2 QR codes and 5 short links a month | 14-day free trial, no permanent free plan |
| Changing a code after printing | Basic and above | Paid plans | Paid plans |
| QR types | URL, email, WiFi, vCard | URL | More than 20 |
| Short links | Yes, in the same dashboard | Yes, core product | Each dynamic code has a short URL, no separate link tool |
| Entry paid price | $15/month | $10/month billed yearly | Starter plan, after the trial |
Which one should you choose?
Pick Bitly if short links are the center of your work and you live in social media and email campaigns.
Pick QR Code Generator if you need a very wide range of QR formats or produce codes at high volume.
Pick Scanley if you are a small business printing codes on menus, flyers, cards and signs, you want to change them later without reprinting, and you want a clear monthly price with the limits spelled out.
Try Scanley free
The fastest way to compare is to make a code in each tool. Create a free Scanley account. No credit card needed.
Want the full feature list first? See scanleyapp.com.