Static vs Dynamic QR Codes
Learn the differences between Static and Dynamic QR Codes, why Static QR Codes are free, and why Dynamic QR Codes require managed services.
Static QR Code (Free)
Once created and printed, its content cannot be changed. If you need to change the information, you will need to create and print a new QR Code.Dynamic QR Code
The information or destination the QR Code points to can be changed after it has been printed, while the printed QR Code itself always remains the same. There is no need to print a new QR Code when the content changes.How Static QR Codes Work in CheapQRcode
In CheapQRcode, Static QR Codes share one core promise: once created and printed, their content cannot be changed. If you need to change the information, you have to create and print a new code.
However, not all types of Static QR Codes store information in the same way:
Most QR Code types store the content directly inside the QR Code itself — without depending on any server, they can even work without an internet connection.
Two types (Website/URL and Map Location) use a short, secure link through our scan-me.now domain. We chose this approach intentionally because it keeps the QR Code simple (regardless of how long the destination URL is), without affecting the core promise: the destination can never be changed once the code has been printed.
Complete Table by QR Code Type
| QR Code Type | How Is It Stored? | Does It Work Without Internet? |
|---|---|---|
| Open a website or any URL | Uses a short redirect link (scan-me.now) |
No — an internet connection is required to reach the destination |
| Show a location on a map | Uses a short redirect link (scan-me.now) |
No — an internet connection is required to open the map |
| Open a file (Google Drive) | The actual file link is stored directly in the QR Code |
No — an internet connection is required to open the file,
but it does not go through scan-me.now
|
| Connect to a Wi-Fi network | The network information (name and password) is stored directly in the QR Code | Yes — works 100% without an internet connection |
| Save a contact | The contact card (vCard) is stored directly in the QR Code | Yes — works 100% without an internet connection |
| Add an event to a calendar | The event (date, time, title, location) is stored directly in the QR Code | Yes — works 100% without an internet connection |
| Send a WhatsApp message | The WhatsApp link is stored directly in the QR Code | Yes, the QR Code can be read without internet. To send the message, you'll need an internet connection (just like with any message) |
| Send an email | The email information (recipient, subject, body) is stored directly in the QR Code | Yes, the QR Code can be read without internet. To send the email, you'll need an internet connection |
| Send an SMS | Uses a short redirect link (scan-me.now) |
No — an internet connection is required to process the link |
Why Does SMS Use scan-me.now While WhatsApp/Email Does Not?
This is a technical decision, not an arbitrary one: the correct way to create an SMS link varies slightly between iPhone and Android. By using scan-me.now, we can automatically detect what type of phone is scanning the code and create the correct link for each one — something that isn't possible if the link is permanently stored inside the QR Code when it is printed.
Simple Summary
Of the 9 types of Static QR Codes we offer, only 3 (Website/URL, Location, and SMS) use scan-me.now. The other 6 store the information directly in the QR Code, without depending on any CheapQRcode server.
An Additional Benefit: Speed
The types that store information directly in the QR Code (Wi-Fi, contact, calendar, and reading WhatsApp/email information) tend to feel faster when scanned — the phone doesn't need to make a trip to the internet to read the content, so the action happens almost instantly.
It's one of the trade-offs in favor of Static versus Dynamic: although it cannot be edited after it is generated and does not provide statistics, it offers a more direct scanning experience.
How Dynamic QR Codes Work in CheapQRcode
Dynamic QR Codes offer a different promise than Static QR Codes: you can change the QR Code's destination or information as many times as you want, even after printing it — without having to generate or print a new code.
How Is This Possible?
For a QR Code to be able to "point" to a different destination without changing its printed image, all Dynamic QR Codes — without exception, regardless of their type — use our redirect domain scan-me.now.
When someone scans the code, scan-me.now checks the most up-to-date information you've configured at that moment and takes them there.
This is different from Static QR Codes, where several types (Wi-Fi, contacts, calendar events, etc.) store the information directly inside the code without going through any server — with Dynamic, it always goes through scan-me.now, regardless of the type of content.
Complete Table by QR Code Type
| QR Code Type | How Does It Work? | Does It Work Without Internet? |
|---|---|---|
| Open a website or any URL |
Redirects through scan-me.now
to the destination you configured
|
No |
| Show a location on a map |
Redirects through scan-me.now
to the currently configured location
|
No |
| Open a file (Google Drive) |
Redirects through scan-me.now
to the currently linked file
|
No |
| Connect to a Wi-Fi network |
Redirects through scan-me.now,
which provides the updated network information
|
No |
| Save a contact |
Redirects through scan-me.now,
which provides the updated contact card
|
No |
| Add an event to a calendar |
Redirects through scan-me.now,
which provides the updated event
|
No |
| Send a message via WhatsApp, SMS, or email |
Redirects through scan-me.now
to the configured channel and content
|
No |
The Trade-Off: They Always Require an Internet Connection
Unlike several types of Static QR Codes (Wi-Fi, contacts, calendar events), which can work completely offline because the information is stored directly in the code, a Dynamic QR Code always requires an internet connection to work — regardless of the type of content.
It's the unavoidable cost of being able to edit the information after printing: something has to "check" which version is the most current, and that check requires an internet connection.
This also means that a Dynamic QR Code can feel slightly slower when scanned than its Static equivalent — there is an actual trip to the internet involved (sometimes with an additional intermediate step, such as a screen to confirm "Add to Calendar" or "Save Contact"), instead of the phone acting instantly on the information already stored in the code.
If your priority is for the code to work reliably without an internet connection, with the fastest possible response, and you don't need to edit it afterward, a Static QR Code of the same type may be a better option.
An Additional Benefit of Always Going Through scan-me.now
Because every scan goes through our server, Dynamic QR Codes give you real-time scan statistics — how many times your code was scanned, and when — something a completely offline QR Code cannot provide.
Simple Summary
All types of Dynamic QR Codes, without exception, use scan-me.now — this is what makes it possible for you to update the content as many times as you want without reprinting and to have access to scan statistics. In exchange, they will always require an internet connection to work.