Bitly vs QRCode.io (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, QRCode.io grades higher than Bitly: 2.6 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Bitly grades higher on features and platforms. QRCode.io grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Bitly
Link shortener and QR code platform with click and scan analytics
QRCode.io
Free static QR codes and low-cost dynamic plans
Which one is for you
Pick Bitly if
- Fits if you want links and QR codes counted in one dashboard
- Works for a marketer who needs short links next to the codes
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you are staying free: 2 QR codes and 5 links a month, with ads
- Watch out: Core is annual only, and Premium is $300 a month if billed monthly
- Pricey if you want branded links, which start on Growth at $29
- Watch out: only Premium keeps a year of data and city and device-level detail
Pick QRCode.io if
- Fits if you need a few dynamic codes cheaply
- Works for someone who only needs static codes
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you pass 2,000 scans a month, as unlimited starts on Pro at $9.99
- Watch out: the site warns that a $49.95 monthly charge comes from a separate company, qr-code.io
- Watch out: you need a free account to download static codes
- Skip it if you want apps or integrations, as none are listed
How we grade them
| 2.2GPABitlyFair | 2.6GPAQRCode.ioGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DCore is $10 a month billed annually for 5 QR codes, Growth $29 for 10, Premium $199. Branded links and the included custom domain start on Growth, well above the $10 category middle. | ALite is $3.99 a month, or $29.99 a year, under 60% of the $7.00 where QR tools start. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree for 2 QR codes and 5 links a month, 2 landing pages and unlimited clicks and scans, with ads. | BStatic codes are free with an account, with no watermark or expiry. Dynamic codes get a 15-day trial with no card. |
| Features | BDynamic QR codes, short and branded links, click and scan analytics, landing pages and 2D barcodes. The limits are monthly caps rather than missing parts. | CStatic and dynamic codes. Lite caps scans at 2,000 and codes at 10, and unlimited scans start on Pro. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. A web app with links, codes, pages and domains to set up. | CNo store rating is on record. Codes are made in the browser. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Shopify, Canva and HubSpot integrations and an API. | CWeb only, with no apps and no integrations listed. |
| Best for | short links and QR codes with click counts | cheap dynamic QR codes |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Bitly and QRCode.io. How we grade
Price against what you get
Bitly starts at $10 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. QRCode.io starts at $3.99 a month and scores 2.0.
Bitly scores higher, and starts $6.01 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other QR code generators on the chart, 1 scores higher than Bitly for less, and 2 score higher than QRCode.io for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Bitly also covers digital business card.
At a glance
| Bitly | QRCode.io | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $10 per month, billed annually ($120 a year; Core is annual only) | $3.99 per month, billed monthly |
| Free plan | 2 QR codes and 5 links a month, 2 custom landing pages, unlimited clicks and scans, with ads. | Static QR codes are free with an account: no watermark, no expiration, downloadable as PNG or SVG. |
| Free trial | None listed | 15-day free trial of dynamic codes after sign-up, no credit card |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Bitly | QRCode.io |
| Price read from | bitly.com | qrcode.io |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Bitly
- Monthly caps bind quickly: Free allows 2 QR codes a month, Core 5 and Growth 10.
- Core is sold with annual billing only, and Premium costs $300 a month if billed monthly.
- Branded links and the complimentary custom domain start at Growth; long data history needs Premium.
- The free plan shows ads.
QRCode.io
- Lite caps scans at 2,000 and dynamic codes at 10; unlimited scans start on Pro.
- Yearly prices are shown as annual totals only: $29.99, $69.99 and $199.99.
- The site warns that a $49.95 monthly QR code charge comes from a separate company, qr-code.io, with a hyphen.
- Only dynamic codes are paid; static codes need a free account to download as PNG or SVG.
Key features
Bitly
- Dynamic QR codes
- QR codes can be redirected after printing and are customizable, with advanced customization from the Core plan.
- Short and branded links
- Links can be shortened, given custom back-halves, and branded with your own domain from the Growth plan.
- Click and scan analytics
- Clicks and scans are tracked with data history that grows from 30 days on Core to a year on Premium, with city and device detail on Premium.
- Landing pages and cards
- Link-in-bio style custom landing pages and digital business cards sit alongside the links and QR codes.
- Bitly Assist and AI connectors
- Bitly Assist creates links and analyzes performance with AI on Core and above; the site also lists an MCP server for AI agents.
- 2D barcodes
- A GTIN can be added to QR codes made for product packaging.
QRCode.io
- 34 QR code types
- Types include website URL, WiFi, vCard, restaurant menu, Google review, WhatsApp, PDF or file upload, email, SMS, event and app download.
- Dynamic codes
- Dynamic codes let you change the destination after printing and track each scan, with unlimited statistics retention on every paid plan.
- Design options
- Codes can use colors, patterns, shapes, frames and a logo in the center, and the site says error correction keeps them scannable.
- Menus and catalogues
- Restaurant menu and product catalogue codes hold 10 items on Lite, 20 on Pro and unlimited items on Unlimited.
- Invited users
- Paid plans let the account owner invite 2, 5 or 10 users depending on the plan.
Plans
Bitly
Free$0
2 QR codes and 5 links per month, 2 landing pages, 3 custom back-halves per month and QR code customization. Shown with ads.
Core$10
per month, billed annually ($120 a year)
5 QR codes and 100 links per month, 5 landing pages, 30 days of click and scan data, UTM builder and Bitly Assist. Annual billing only.
Growth$29
per month, billed annually ($35 billed monthly)
10 QR codes and 500 links per month, 10 landing pages, branded links, a complimentary custom domain, bulk creation and 4 months of data.
Premium$199
per month, billed annually ($300 billed monthly)
200 QR codes and 3,000 links per month, 20 landing pages, 1 year of data, city and device-level data, mobile deep linking and campaign tracking.
EnterpriseCustom
Custom volumes, multiple users and group permissions, SSO, webhooks, a dedicated customer success manager and priority support.
QRCode.io
Free$0
Static QR codes that never expire, downloadable as PNG or SVG with a free account.
Lite$3.99
per month, billed monthly
10 dynamic QR codes, 2,000 scans, 2 invited users, 5 shapes and 14 QR code types. Also $29.99 per year.
Pro$9.99
per month, billed monthly
25 dynamic QR codes, unlimited scans, 5 invited users, 11 shapes. Also $69.99 per year.
Unlimited$29.99
per month, billed monthly
Unlimited dynamic codes and scans, 10 invited users, 60 shapes, 13 stickers, 34 types. Also $199.99 per year.
Ways to pay less
Bitly
- Annual discount
Save up to 34% with annual plans
The pricing page states annual billing saves up to 34%; Growth is $29 a month annually against $35 monthly, and Premium $199 against $300.
QRCode.io
- Annual discount
Yearly billing costs less than 12 months
Lite is $29.99 a year against $3.99 a month, Pro $69.99 against $9.99, and Unlimited $199.99 against $29.99 a month.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Bitly or QRCode.io?
As of Nov 13, 2026, QRCode.io is cheaper to start with: $3.99 a month, against $10 a month for Bitly. Bitly starts at $10 per month, billed annually ($120 a year; Core is annual only), and QRCode.io starts at $3.99 per month, billed monthly.
Which has a free plan, Bitly or QRCode.io?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Bitly and QRCode.io have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.