PNG or SVG for my QR code — which should I use?

Use SVG for print, posters and business cards: it scales to any size with perfectly sharp edges and no pixelation. Use PNG for web pages, chat apps and social-media previews where raster images are expected.

Free QR Code Generator & Scanner — online, instant, and 100% private

QR Maker & Reader creates QR codes for links and text in seconds and reads QR codes straight from your camera — free, with no sign-up, no ads and no uploads. Everything runs inside your browser: the QR you generate or the camera frame you scan is never sent to any server.

Why use QR Maker & Reader instead of typical QR websites?

Feature	QR Maker & Reader	Typical QR sites
Price	Free forever, MIT open source	Free tier with usage limits; “dynamic” QRs expire
Sign-up	None	Account often required
Ads & trackers	Zero	Ad banners, redirects, tracking pixels
Your data	Never uploaded — runs in your browser	Encoded content processed server-side
Requested QR lifespan	Permanent (static)	Dynamic QR links can stop working

QR code FAQ

Is this QR code generator really free?

Yes — 100% free with no sign-up, no accounts, no ads and no limits. The source code is MIT-licensed and on GitHub, so you can also run it locally.

Are my QR codes private? Does my data get uploaded?

The app is fully client-side. Camera frames and any text you encode never leave your device — no upload, no tracking of your QR content.

How much damage can a QR code survive?

Per the QR error-correction spec (ISO/IEC 18004), levels L, M, Q and H can restore codewords damaged up to approximately 7%, 15%, 25% and 30% respectively. Choose H if the code may be partially covered, printed small or displayed on worn surfaces.

What size border should a QR code have?

The QR specification requires a quiet zone of at least 4 modules around the code so scanners can find its edges. This tool uses a 4-module border by default; scanning often fails below that.

PNG or SVG — which should I use?

Use SVG for print (posters, business cards): it scales to any size with sharp edges. Use PNG for screens: web pages, chat apps and social-media previews.

How do I scan a QR code without installing an app?

Open this page on your phone, switch to Scan QR and allow camera access. You can also decode a QR from an image you already saved — just drop it in the panel.

Prefer the command line?

The QR Maker & Reader repo includes a Python CLI: python qr_cli.py generate "https://example.com" -o link.png generates, and python qr_cli.py read link.png decodes — the same privacy guarantee, no browser needed.