Short answer
Use a static QR code when the content will never change (Wi-Fi, a contact card, a permanent page on your own site). Use a dynamic QR code when you need to change the destination after printing, count scans, or detect tampering, but only from a provider that will not deactivate it.
At a glance
| Static | Dynamic | |
|---|---|---|
| Destination stored in | The code itself | The provider's server |
| Change after printing | No | Yes |
| Scan analytics | No | Yes |
| Tamper alerts | No | Yes (Kizmo) |
| Depends on a company | No | Yes |
| Works offline (Wi-Fi, vCard) | Yes | No |
| Density | Grows with content length | Always short and simple |
Choose static when
- You encode Wi-Fi, a contact card (vCard) or an event. Phones read these details directly from the pattern; a redirect cannot deliver them.
- The link is permanent and yours, such as your homepage. Tip: pointing a static code at a page on your own site gives you a free "dynamic" code, because you can edit that page forever.
- Privacy matters. No one records the scan.
Choose dynamic when
- The destination will change: seasonal menus, event pages, campaigns, reused signs.
- You want to know what works: scans per placement, per day, per device.
- The code sits in public, unattended places such as parking meters, tables and collection boxes, where sticker fraud happens. Only a dynamic code can notice that scans suddenly stopped.
The catch with dynamic codes
A dynamic code is a promise from its provider. Before you print thousands of them, check three things in the terms:
- What happens to the code if you cancel or stop paying?
- Is there a scan cap on your plan?
- Can you export your codes and destinations?
Kizmo's answers: codes keep redirecting forever, there is no scan cap, and you can export everything. See the guarantee.