QR code statistics: what’s real, what’s a scam, and what you’ll pay
If you’re putting a QR code on a menu, sign, or product, you probably want two things: people will scan it, and it won’t break or trick someone. Below is a short reading list we use—government, standards body, and public research—plus a plain cost table so you can compare our one-time model to typical monthly QR tools. We don’t copy their numbers here; open each link for the latest figures.
Do people still scan QR codes?
Yes—widely enough that analysts track it. For U.S. smartphone users and QR scanner usage over time, see Statista’s U.S. QR scanner chart. For how deeply phones are embedded in daily life (the reason a code on a poster still makes sense), see Pew’s mobile fact sheet.
For you: You don’t need a perfect statistic to justify a code on a table tent—but if your boss asks “is this channel dead?”, those two links are solid answers.
QR codes and phishing
Attackers use QR codes to steer people to fake login pages or malware. Statista tracks QR-related phishing exposure in organizations (use their site for current stats). For consumer-focused advice—stickers on parking meters, surprise texts, bogus “scan to track your package”—start with the FTC’s QR code scams page. CISA’s phishing basics applies when the QR is just the delivery method for a malicious link.
For you: Only point customers to codes you placed. Train staff not to slap a new sticker over yours. If you use a dynamic provider, you’re also betting on their domain reputation—another reason stable, boring infrastructure matters.
What does “ISO 18004” mean?
ISO/IEC 18004 is the international spec for the QR symbol itself—how data is encoded in the pattern. It does not guarantee that a company will keep your redirect online for ten years. That’s a commercial/hosting question, not a barcode question.
For you: Static QR = the destination is baked into the image. Dynamic QR = the image points at a short URL that your vendor controls. If that vendor bills monthly and you stop paying, the printed code can die even though the squares still “look valid.”
One-time vs monthly: rough math
We charge $29 once per editable (dynamic) code. Many tools charge monthly. The table is examples only—plug in the price from your last invoice.
| Option | What we assumed | Year 1 | 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lifetime QR Codes | $29 one-time | $29 | $29 |
| Example SaaS A | ~$29 / month | ~$348 | ~$1,044 |
| Example SaaS B | ~$15 / month | ~$180 | ~$540 |
Example: vs ~$29/mo (~$348/year), one $29 payment leaves about $319 in your pocket the first year. Over three years at ~$29/mo you’re past $1,000 for a single code vs $29 with us. Your mileage varies—compare our pricing to whatever quote you have open in another tab.
About the numbers on our homepage
We say 99.9% uptime for redirect routing in line with our product FAQs—that’s our infrastructure goal, not a third-party audit. “10,000+” messaging is our way of saying we’re past the hobby stage; it isn’t a census from Statista or Pew.
If something should be footnoted, we’d rather say so here than surprise you after you’ve printed 10,000 sleeves. More questions: FAQ.