Compare / OpenQR vs ME-QR

OpenQR vs ME-QR

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ME-QR is genuinely generous with free dynamic codes — no per-code scan cap and a high code limit — but there's a catch: on the free and entry tiers, people who scan your code see an advertisement before reaching your destination, analytics retention is short, and pricing is geo-localised and inconsistent. OpenQR's free tier includes 10 dynamic codes and 7-day analytics with no ads, ever; Pro is a flat £4/mo for unlimited codes and full history, and the core is open-source. Here's the honest breakdown, including where ME-QR still leads.

Feature
OpenQR
ME-QR
Price
Free forever; flat £4/mo Pro
Free (ads on scan); paid ~£9–14/mo, geo-priced
Static QR codes
Unlimited, no watermark
Free, unlimited
Dynamic (editable) codes
10 free; unlimited on Pro
Free and generous (high code limit)
Ads on the scan experience
Never
Ad interstitial on free & entry tiers
Scan analytics
Free, last 7 days; full history on Pro
Free, but ~1-year history (longer on paid)
Sign-up to generate
None — instant, in-browser
None to create; account to edit/track
Vector export (SVG)
Free, any size
SVG available; free-tier gating unclear
Custom design (logo, colours, frames)
Free
Free (logo, colours, frames)
Public REST API
Free with a key
Per-request pricing; effectively the top tier
MCP server for AI agents
Yes — built in
Not offered
Open-source
Yes (AGPL core)
Proprietary
Lock-in (dynamic codes)
Redirect via oqr.to; static made in browser
Dynamic routes through their ad/redirect layer
Bulk creation
Up to 200 at once (CSV)
Yes (via API)
Pricing transparency
Flat £4/mo Pro
Geo-localised; varies by source

Where OpenQR wins

  • No ads, ever — ME-QR shows scanners an ad interstitial on its free and entry tiers; OpenQR never does.
  • Transparent flat £4/mo Pro versus ME-QR's geo-localised pricing that varies by region and source.
  • Open-source core you can self-host or fork — no lock-in to a proprietary redirect-and-ad layer.
  • A free native REST API and an MCP server for AI agents.
  • Static codes are generated in your browser and never sent to a server.

Where ME-QR still leads

  • Very generous free dynamic codes — no per-code scan cap and a high code limit.
  • A broad library of content types and templates, with strong multi-language coverage.
  • Longer analytics retention on its paid tiers.
  • Free design customisation (logos, colours, frames).

FAQ

Is ME-QR really free?

It has a generous free tier with dynamic codes, but on the free and entry plans anyone who scans your code sees an advertisement before reaching your destination, and analytics history is limited. OpenQR's free tier (10 dynamic codes, 7-day analytics) shows no ads at all.

Do ME-QR's free codes show ads to people who scan them?

Yes — free and entry-tier dynamic codes display an ad interstitial on scan; only the top tier removes ads from all codes. OpenQR never shows ads on a scan, on any tier.

What happens to my ME-QR dynamic codes if I stop paying?

Dynamic codes route through the provider's redirect layer, so they depend on your account staying in good standing — a common consideration with any dynamic-code provider. OpenQR's core is open-source, reducing lock-in, and static codes never depend on us at all.

Can I migrate from ME-QR to OpenQR?

For static codes, regenerate them free here — no account needed. Dynamic codes are tied to each provider's short links, so you'd recreate them in OpenQR; the free API and CSV bulk creation make that straightforward.

Free, open-source, no sign-up to generate.