Hovercode vs QRBTF (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, QRBTF grades higher than Hovercode: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 23, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 23, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Hovercode grades higher on features and platforms. QRBTF 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.
Hovercode
Dynamic QR codes and short links, with a free plan that never expires
Which one is for you
Pick Hovercode if
- Fits if you need a few editable codes and short links on your own domain without Hovercode branding
- Works for product makers preparing GS1 Digital Link codes for packaging
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're staying free: 3 dynamic codes, 3 short links and 1 page in total, with 3 months of analytics
- Watch out: Pro's 100 codes are a lifetime total, so past that you delete old codes or upgrade
- Pricey if you need the API, bulk creation or team members, which start on Business at $39 a month
- Skip it if you might cancel, as only the first 3 codes, 3 links and 1 page stay active and custom-domain codes stop working
- Watch out: Zapier, Make, Shopify and Bubble are only listed as coming soon, and there's no Android app
Pick QRBTF if
- Fits if you want a QR code that looks like a picture
- Works for designers who print the code once and do not need to edit it
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you need to change a code later, as there are no dynamic codes
- Skip it if you want scan counts, as no analytics are listed
- Watch out: AI codes are not guaranteed to scan, and the site says to test them
- Tight if you want many AI codes: 10 in the trial, and Pro is rate limited at $20 a month
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAHovercodeFair | 2.6GPAQRBTFGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPro is $12 a month, or $120 a year ($10 a month), at the dear end of this category, where the middle is $9, for 100 codes in total. The API, bulk creation and team members need Business at $39 a month. | BParametric styles are free and open source. AI generation is $20 a month, the top of what this category charges. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree for good with unlimited scans, logos and the form builder, but 3 dynamic codes, 3 short links and 1 multi-link page in total is a cap you will hit, and analytics keep 3 months. | AParametric codes are free forever with SVG export and no sign-in. The AI trial is 10 codes in total, not renewing. |
| Features | BDynamic codes and short links, multi-link pages, a form builder, GS1 Digital Link codes, analytics with GPS on Business, an API, webhooks and an MCP server. Nothing in the core job is missing; teams, bulk and the API sit on Business. | CParametric and AI styled codes, with a Discord bot. No dynamic codes or scan analytics on the pages read. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. Codes, links and pages are set up in a web account, and Pro's code limit is a lifetime total you have to keep an eye on. | CNo store rating on record. AI codes need sign-in and testing to check they scan. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, an iPhone app and a Chrome extension, with Canva, Figma and Airtable, an MCP server for Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor, and an API from Business. No Android or desktop app. | CWeb only, plus a Discord bot for generating AI codes. No apps or API are listed. |
| Best for | a few editable codes and short links on your own domain | styled and AI-made QR code art |
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: Hovercode and QRBTF. How we grade
Price against what you get
Hovercode starts at $12 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. QRBTF starts at $20 a month and scores 2.0.
Hovercode scores higher and starts $8 a month lower. Of the other QR code generators on the chart, 1 scores higher than Hovercode for less, and 11 score higher than QRBTF 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
- QRBTF is open source, according to its own site.
- Hovercode also covers forms.
- QRBTF also covers image generation.
At a glance
| Hovercode | QRBTF | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $12 per month, billed monthly (Pro) | $20 per month (AI QR Code Pro) |
| Free plan | Free forever: 3 dynamic codes, 3 short links and 1 multi-link page in total, unlimited scans, logos, the form builder and 3 months of basic analytics. | Parametric QR codes are free forever and open source; AI QR codes include a trial of 10 generations. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Hovercode Ltd | Latent Cat |
| Price read from | hovercode.com | qrbtf.com |
| Checked | Oct 23, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Hovercode
- Pro's 100 codes are a lifetime total, not a monthly allowance; Business and Business Plus limits reset monthly.
- Cancelling keeps only the first 3 codes, 3 links and 1 page active; codes on a custom domain stop working.
- API access, bulk creation and team members start on Business at $39 a month.
- Zapier, Make, Shopify and Bubble integrations are listed as coming soon.
QRBTF
- AI generation needs sign-in, and the trial covers 10 codes in total.
- Unlimited AI generation on Pro is rate limited.
- The pages read show no dynamic codes or scan analytics; codes are made as finished images.
- AI-styled codes are not guaranteed to scan; the site recommends testing them.
Key features
Hovercode
- Dynamic codes and short links
- Change where a code or short link points after printing, add a logo and style it. Static codes are unlimited on every plan.
- Multi-link pages and forms
- Micro landing pages with several links, and a form builder that works on the free plan too.
- GS1 Digital Link codes
- Create GS1 Digital Link QR codes for product packaging on every plan, including the free one, with guides to GTIN numbers and GS1 company prefixes.
- Scan analytics
- Free shows total and unique scans. Paid plans add time, device, browser and estimated city and country, and Business adds GPS location on request.
- Teams, API and webhooks
- Business adds API access, bulk creation, CSV exports and up to 10 team members; Business Plus adds workspaces and webhooks.
- Integrations and AI agents
- Canva, Figma, Airtable and a Chrome extension, plus an MCP server and a Claude connector for managing codes by chatting.
QRBTF
- Generative AI QR codes
- Turns a text prompt into an image with a working QR code woven into it, with controls for strength, size, padding and error correction.
- Control over scannability
- The page explains the trade-off: higher control strength makes codes easier to scan but looks more like a QR code, and it recommends a strength of 1.0 to 1.3.
- Parametric styles
- A free mode that draws QR codes in many visual styles without a server and exports SVG.
- Discord bot
- Pro subscribers can generate AI codes through a Discord bot.
Plans
Hovercode
Free$0
3 dynamic codes and 3 short links in total, unlimited scans, logos and basic analytics with 3 months of history.
Pro$12
per month, billed monthly ($120 billed yearly)
100 dynamic codes and 100 short links in total, 1 custom domain, no Hovercode branding and advanced analytics with 12 months of history.
Business$39
per month, billed monthly ($390 billed yearly)
600 dynamic codes a month, 10 custom domains, API access, bulk creation, CSV exports, GPS tracking and up to 10 team members.
Business Plus$99
per month, billed monthly ($990 billed yearly)
2,000 dynamic codes a month, 50 custom domains, up to 25 team members, up to 10 workspaces and webhooks.
QRBTF
Parametric QR Code (Free)$0
Various styles generated in the browser with no backend, SVG export, open source.
AI QR Code Trial$0
10 AI QR codes with fast generation after signing in. Not a renewing allowance.
AI QR Code Pro$20
per month
Fast generation, unlimited generation with a rate limit, generation through a Discord bot, and community and email support.
Ways to pay less
Hovercode
- Annual discount
Two months free with yearly billing
Paying yearly costs 10 months' price for 12: Pro is $120 a year instead of $144, saving $24.
- Nonprofit
Discounts for nonprofits
The pricing FAQ says nonprofits can apply for a discount by getting in touch; no amount is given.
QRBTF
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Hovercode or QRBTF?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Hovercode is cheaper to start with: $12 a month, against $20 a month for QRBTF. Hovercode starts at $12 per month, billed monthly (Pro), and QRBTF starts at $20 per month (AI QR Code Pro).
Which has a free plan, Hovercode or QRBTF?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Hovercode and QRBTF have a free plan.
Which platforms do Hovercode and QRBTF run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Hovercode lists an iOS app and a browser extension. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
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.