Do QR Codes Expire? Static vs Dynamic, and What Happens When You Stop Paying
Direct Answer
A QR code itself never expires: it is just printed data. A static QR code keeps working as long as the URL inside it works. A dynamic QR code points to a short link at a QR service, so it stops working if that service deactivates it, which many do when a trial or paid plan ends. A dynamic QR code on a domain you own avoids that, because you can always point the domain somewhere else.
Static vs dynamic: what can stop working#
| Question | Static QR code | Dynamic QR code |
|---|---|---|
| What is printed | The final URL itself | A short link that redirects to the final URL |
| Change the destination after printing | No | Yes |
| Scan tracking | No | Yes |
| Stops working when | The page at that URL is removed | The QR service, its domain or the destination stops working |
| Subscription needed | No | Usually |
To tell which one you have, scan it and look at the URL before opening it: the final website address means static; a short link or a QR service's domain usually means dynamic. More in Static vs Dynamic QR Codes.
What QR services do when you stop paying#
This is the part people find out about after printing. From each provider's own help center, checked on 23 October 2026 (policies change, so check yours), and how RedirHub handles it:
| Provider | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| QR Code Generator (qr-code-generator.com) | When the free trial ends, dynamic codes are deactivated and point to a service page instead of your destination; upgrading reactivates them. | Help center: free trial expiry |
| Bitly | After a downgrade, bit.ly links keep working. Links on your own custom domain keep working while its DNS points to Bitly, but the certificate isn't renewed, so visitors may see a security warning. QR codes follow the same rules. | Help center: downgrading |
| QR Code Chimp | After a downgrade, only as many dynamic codes as the new plan allows stay active (the oldest); the rest are paused. | Help center: downgrading |
| Hovercode | After cancelling, the free plan keeps the first three dynamic codes active; the rest become inactive but aren't deleted, and codes on your custom domain stop working. | Help center: cancelling |
| RedirHub | You get a notice in the dashboard 14 days before a plan ends, with a renewal link. If it ends, links the plan no longer covers are paused, not deleted, and redirect again on their own as soon as a plan covers them. Codes run on your own domain, so you can export every link as CSV and point the domain at any service. | RedirHub product |
Sources: QR Code Generator[1], Bitly[2], QR Code Chimp[3], Hovercode[4].
The pattern is the same everywhere: a code printed with the provider's own short domain depends on that provider for as long as the code is in circulation, which for packaging, signs and menus can be years.
Five ways a working QR code stops working#
- The plan ends. The service deactivates or pauses the code, or shows its own page instead.
- The provider changes or shuts down. Codes on its short domain go with it.
- Your domain lapses or its DNS breaks. For codes on your own domain, an expired domain or a missing DNS record stops every scan.
- HTTPS lapses. The redirect still answers, but phones show a security warning.
- The destination page disappears. The code and redirect work, but land on a 404.
If a code has already stopped working, start with Why your QR code stopped working.
Put dynamic QR codes on your own domain#
If the printed code says go.mybrand.com/menu instead of a provider's short domain, the domain is yours. Whatever happens to a tool, you can point that domain at another service and keep the same paths, and every printed code keeps working. It also tells people scanning the code that it's really you. Step by step: How to create a QR code with your own domain.
In RedirHub, dynamic QR codes are included on Core, Pro and Enterprise. They run on your own short-link domain with automatic HTTPS, the destination can change after printing, scans are counted in analytics, and you can export every link as CSV. Codes download as PNG (512, 1024 or 2048 px) or SVG for print.
Checklist before you print#
- Use a dynamic code if the destination might ever change; static if it never will.
- Read your QR provider's policy for what happens when the plan ends, before printing.
- Prefer a domain you own, and set it to auto-renew.
- Scan from two phones on two networks and check the final page loads over HTTPS.
- Download SVG for large prints, and keep enough quiet space around the code.
- For important placements, monitor the destination so you hear about a broken page before customers do (Pro and Enterprise; see Redirect monitoring).
Dynamic QR codes on your own domain Change the destination after printing, track scans, and never depend on someone else's short domain. 14-day free trial.
See dynamic QR codesSources
Frequently asked questions
No. The printed pattern never expires. A static code works as long as the URL in it works; a dynamic code works as long as the service and domain behind it keep redirecting.
Often, yes, depending on the provider. Some deactivate codes when a trial ends, some pause codes beyond the free plan's limit, and some keep their own short links working. Check your provider's policy before printing.
A static QR code, which contains the final URL directly, never expires. It can't be changed after printing or track scans.
Put it on a domain you own, such as go.yourbrand.com, keep the domain on auto-renew, and use a service with automatic HTTPS. If you ever change tools, point the domain at the new one with the same paths.
Only with a dynamic QR code. Change the destination of its short link and every future scan goes to the new page.
Scan it and look at the URL before opening it. The final website address means static; a short link or QR service domain usually means dynamic.
Yes, on Core, Pro and Enterprise. They run on your own short-link domain, their destination can change after printing, scans are tracked, and they download as PNG or SVG. If a plan ends, links are paused rather than deleted and resume as soon as a plan covers them.
Leo Astarothman is the Brand & Content Lead at RedirHub, where he shapes the company's visual identity, educational content, product experiences, and marketing strategies. He also specializes in system design. Simplifying complex redirect infrastructure into practical resources, product experiences, and campaigns that help businesses understand and adopt modern redirect management.
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