Why is this free?

A QR code is just a string of text turned into a square of dots. The maths behind it is a free, open standard (ISO/IEC 18004) that has existed for over 30 years and runs in milliseconds on any phone. It costs essentially nothing to make one.

So it has always been frustrating that you can't generate a simple QR code online without hitting a paywall, a watermark, a “free plan” that caps your download size, or a sign-up form. Worse, some “free” generators quietly route your code through their servers — so the code you printed on a banner or a business card silently breaks the day you stop paying them.

OpenQR exists to end that.

• No watermarks. Ever.
• No size limits — export PNG, SVG and PDF at any resolution.
• No account, no email, no upsell.
• Generated entirely in your browser — your data never touches a server.
• Open source under the MIT licence, so you can read it, trust it, or self-host it.

If OpenQR saves you some money or hassle, a coffee helps keep it online and ad-free — but the core tool will always be free for everyone, whether you chip in or not.

What might cost money one day?

Only the things that genuinely need a server running around the clock: dynamic QR codes (one printed code whose destination you can edit later) and scan analytics for organisations. Those are opt-in extras. Everything you see here stays free.