A qr.io alternative without a subscription
qr.io is a full QR code platform, priced at $39.99 a month or $350 a year after a 7-day free trial. If all you need is codes that keep working, static or dynamic, without a subscription, here's a factual comparison. Every qr.io figure was read on their public pages on November 1, 2026.
Create a dynamic QR code with no subscription
Up to 3 dynamic codes with a free account. No card, no trial, no expiry.
qr.io vs AwesomeToolkit
Every qr.io cell comes from one of their public pages, linked in the row. “Not stated” means we found nothing about it on their pricing page, FAQ, cancellation page or terms.
| Criterion | qr.io | AwesomeToolkit |
|---|---|---|
| Price | qr.io$39.99/month, or $350/year (list price $479), billed in US dollars Source: qr.io/pricing | AwesomeToolkitFree. A Pro plan is coming soon; there is nothing to pay today. |
| Free trial | qr.io7 days, premium features included Source: qr.io/pricing | AwesomeToolkitNo trial: the free plan has no end date |
| Refund | qr.ioFull refund within 7 days of the first purchase, then case by case Source: qr.io/refund-policy | AwesomeToolkitNothing to refund |
| Static codes after the trial | qr.io“Static QR Codes will continue to work after the free trial expires.” Source: qr.io/pricing | AwesomeToolkitWork forever, generated in your browser |
| Dynamic codes after the trial | qr.ioNot statedto verify Source: qr.io/pricing | AwesomeToolkitKeep working: the redirect checks neither the plan nor a date |
| Dynamic codes after cancelling | qr.ioNot statedto verify Source: qr.io/cancel-subscription | AwesomeToolkitNo subscription to cancel; leaving Pro keeps every code active |
| Dynamic codes without paying | qr.ioDuring the 7-day trial Source: qr.io/pricing | AwesomeToolkitUp to 3, with a free account and no time limit |
| Codes on the paid plan | qr.ioUnlimited Source: qr.io/pricing | AwesomeToolkitPro (coming soon): up to 100 dynamic codes |
| Scans | qr.ioUnlimited Source: qr.io/pricing | AwesomeToolkitUnlimited (anti-abuse cap per connection only) |
| QR code types | qr.io15 in the generator: Link, Text, E-mail, Call, SMS, V-card, WhatsApp, WI-FI, PDF, App, Images, Video, Social Media, Event, and 2D Barcode Source: qr.io | AwesomeToolkit18 types: URL, text, email, call, SMS, WhatsApp, Wi-Fi, vCard, event, location, app, Google review, payment (SEPA, PayPal.me, link), social media page, PDF, images, menu, video. Every type but Wi-Fi and the SEPA transfer can be dynamic |
| Design | qr.ioFrames with text, module shapes, gradients, transparent background, eye colours, logo (upload or ready-made icons) Source: qr.io | AwesomeToolkitModule shapes, eye frames and centres (shape and colour), solid or gradient (linear, radial) colours, transparent background, logo (upload or ready-made icons, modules cleared behind it), frames with text (font, colour). PNG, SVG and PDF. Saved with each dynamic code: change it or download it again at any time |
| Statistics | qr.ioHow many scans, when and where Source: qr.io/pricing | AwesomeToolkitScans and unique scanners over the last 7 days on every account; with Pro, up to 365 days by country, device, system, browser and hour, and CSV export |
| Hosted landing pages | qr.ioYes Source: qr.io/pricing | AwesomeToolkitYes: contact card (.vcf), event (.ics), app (store picked per phone), social links page, PDF, menu, gallery, video link, text. Hosted files: 20 MB free, 1 GB with Pro |
| API | qr.ioYes Source: qr.io/pricing | AwesomeToolkitNo |
| Bulk creation | qr.ioYes Source: qr.io/pricing | AwesomeToolkitYes: from a CSV (template per type), ZIP of PNG / SVG. Static codes: 50 per file free, 1000 with Pro; dynamic codes with Pro |
| Team members | qr.io5 Source: qr.io/pricing | AwesomeToolkitNo |
| Site languages | qr.io6 Source: qr.io/pricing | AwesomeToolkit3 (English, French, Spanish) |
What qr.io does better today
To be fair: if you need more than codes that keep working, qr.io offers several things we don't.
- A 2D barcode type in the QR generator itself: qr.io lists 15 types in its generator, we have 18. Data Matrix and PDF417 are in our separate barcode generator.
- An API.
- Team accounts with 5 members.
- A site in 6 languages.
This comparison is updated whenever either side changes.
What users report
On Trustpilot, qr.io has a TrustScore of 4.2/5 from 14,805 reviews (on November 1, 2026).
Among the negative reviews, several users report that the codes they made during the trial were dynamic without them realising it, and stopped working once the trial ended, after they had printed them. These are individual accounts, not facts we have checked. Reviews on Trustpilot: trustpilot.com/review/qr.io.
Cancelling qr.io without breaking your printed codes
qr.io's cancellation page asks for the email address you subscribed with, then a click on “Cancel Subscription”; their FAQ adds that you can also cancel from the dashboard at any time. Neither page, nor their pricing page or terms, says what happens to dynamic codes after you cancel. qr.io cancellation page: qr.io/cancel-subscription.
Before you cancel, protect what's already printed:
- List every dynamic code in circulation, with where it's printed and its destination URL.
- Ask qr.io support in writing what will happen to those codes after cancelling, and keep the answer.
- Create replacement codes and put them on your next print runs, or on stickers over the old ones.
- Cancel once the replacements are in place. Within 7 days of your first payment, their refund policy offers a full refund.
Switching: create a dynamic code that keeps working
A printed qr.io code contains a qr.io short link, and no other service can take it over. Switching means a new code that you swap in at your next print run.
- Create a free account and confirm your email address.
- In the QR code generator, pick URL, switch to Dynamic and enter the same destination as your old code.
- Download it as SVG for print or PNG for screens, and scan it with two phones.
- Replace the old code at the next print run, or cover it with a sticker. You can change the destination later without reprinting.
Not sure which kind you need? Our guide to static and dynamic QR codes explains the difference, and why some QR codes stop working covers the trial trap and how to check a code.
Open the QR code generatorqr.io alternative: your questions
Cite this page
Every qr.io figure on this page comes from their public pages, read on the date shown.
"A qr.io alternative without a subscription", AwesomeToolkit, last verified November 1, 2026. https://awesometoolkit.com/en/qr-io-alternative
<a href="https://awesometoolkit.com/en/qr-io-alternative">A qr.io alternative without a subscription — AwesomeToolkit</a>