Is my QR code static or dynamic? How to tell
Look at the text inside the code. A static code holds your page's address itself (https://yourcafe.com/menu). A dynamic code holds a short link on the QR vendor's domain (a vendor domain plus a short random code), and the vendor's server forwards each scan to your page. The checker reads the code from a photo and names the vendor when the domain is on the list below.
Three ways to tell
- Photo or screenshot of the code into the QR checker: it decodes in your browser and names the service.
- On a phone, point the camera at the code and read the address in the preview before you tap it.
- Scan it and watch the address bar: a vendor domain that flicks to your site is a redirect.
QR vendor domains on our list
Each domain is here because the vendor's own page names it, read 2026-09-30. A vendor can use other domains too, and custom domains are not listed.
Link shorteners on our list
A code that holds a short link depends on the shortener in the same way: it works while the short link forwards.
| Domain | Service | Service's page |
|---|---|---|
| bit.ly | Bitly | https://support.bitly.com/hc/en-us/articles/360029870551-What-happens-when-I-downgrade-to-a-lower-subscription-plan |
| cutt.ly | Cuttly | https://cutt.ly/resources/blog/free-url-shortener-2026 |
| goo.gl | Google URL Shortener (goo.gl) | https://developers.googleblog.com/en/google-url-shortener-links-will-no-longer-be-available/ |
| is.gd | is.gd | https://is.gd/faq.php |
| ow.ly | Ow.ly (Hootsuite) | https://www.hootsuite.com/pages/owly |
| rb.gy | Rebrandly | https://rb.gy/ |
| rebrand.ly | Rebrandly | https://rb.gy/ |
| shorturl.at | shorturl.at | https://www.shorturl.at/terms-of-service.php |
| t.ly | T.LY | https://t.ly/help/account-billing/subscription |
| tinyurl.com | TinyURL | https://helpdesk.tinyurl.com/faqs/whats-included-in-tinyurl-free-plan |
Left off the list
- ME-QR codes were seen redirecting through qr.me-qr.com, but no ME-QR help page names that domain, so it is not on the list. Its FAQ says codes keep working after a subscription ends, with ads.
- The QR Code Generator (the-qrcode-generator.com) is a Uniqode company; its default short domain is named only in a user forum post, not on a vendor page.
Not affiliated with any of these companies. Their names are used only to say which service a link belongs to.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I know if my QR code is dynamic?
- Decode it (the checker does it from a photo, or long-press the code on your phone and copy the link) and look at the domain. A vendor's short domain means dynamic; your own site's address means static.
- Is my QR code dynamic or static if I made it on a free generator?
- Either. Many generators make static codes for free and push dynamic codes with a trial. The link inside tells you which one you got.
- Can a dynamic QR code use my own domain?
- Some vendors offer it (often called white label or custom domain). Then the link looks like your site, and only the account knows a vendor forwards it. The checker then says the link points straight to a website or looks like a redirect it can't identify.
- Is a static QR code worse?
- It can't be edited or counted by a vendor, and a long address makes a denser pattern. It also can't be switched off by anyone but you, by taking the page down.
More guides
- Why did my QR code stop working after the free trial?
Dynamic codes run through the vendor's server, and several vendors say trial codes are deactivated or paused when the trial ends. Their own words, and what to do.
- Do QR codes expire?
A QR code has no expiry date inside it. Static codes work as long as the content is valid; dynamic codes work as long as the vendor forwards them. By content type.
- How to replace a dead QR code on printed menus, cards and signs
Find the page the code used to open, make a static code, size a sticker from the old code's width and cover it. Sticker sizes for common code widths.
Last updated 2026-09-30. Checks the link inside a QR code against a list of known redirect services. It cannot tell whether a code works today or when a plan ends. Vendor details come from each vendor's own help pages; check your account with them. Not affiliated with any QR code generator.