Best Trackable QR Code Generator (2026): QR Tiger vs Uniqode vs Bitly vs QRPulse

Short answer: QRPulse and QR Tiger both give real-time scan analytics on a free plan. Bitly's free plan caps you at 2 QR codes with no analytics. Uniqode's free plan is static-only — no dynamic codes, no analytics, at any price. Beaconstac no longer exists as a separate product; it rebranded to Uniqode in 2022.

Below is a full breakdown of pricing, analytics depth, and dynamic-code limits for each — verified directly against each vendor's own pricing page, not a third-party aggregator.

What is a trackable QR code, exactly?

A trackable QR code is a dynamic QR code — the printed pattern encodes a short redirect link you control, not the destination itself. Every scan passes through that redirect first, which is where the platform logs the timestamp, approximate location, device, and browser before sending the visitor on. A static QR code skips that step entirely, so there's nothing to log.

That distinction is the whole game in this comparison. A vendor can call something "trackable" while only offering it on a paid tier — which is exactly where QR Tiger, Uniqode, and Bitly split from each other, and from QRPulse.

QR Tiger: dynamic QR analytics and pricing (official, verified)

QR Tiger's free plan includes 3 dynamic QR codes, capped at 500 scans per code, with basic scan analytics. Paid plans start at $7/month (Regular: 12 dynamic codes, unlimited scans, advanced analytics), rising to $16/month (Advanced: 200 codes, geolocation tracking, geofencing, white-label domain) and $37/month(Premium: 600 codes, 20MB file uploads).

Genuinely worth noting: QR Tiger's free tier is one of the more usable free tiers in this category precisely because it isn't static-only. If your volume stays under 3 codes and 500 scans each, you may not need to pay at all. Where it gets expensive is scale — 200+ codes with geofencing means the $16–37/month range, and per-code analytics history depth on the free plan isn't published, so test it before committing volume to it.

Uniqode: QR code analytics and pricing (official, verified)

Uniqode's free plan is static QR codes only — no dynamic codes, no scan analytics, at any volume. Dynamic codes with analytics start at $9/month(Starter), rising to $49/month (Core) for deeper analytics and team features. All Uniqode plans are billed annually — there's no monthly-billing option at all.

Two things worth flagging plainly. First, Uniqode doesn't publish exact scan or code limits per tier on its own pricing page — plan comparisons live behind a separate "compare features" click, which is friction most competitors skip. Second, a custom domain on the Plus plan is a $2,000/year add-on — a real number, and a steep one, worth knowing before you assume "Plus" covers everything. Where Uniqode does earn its price: SSO and role-based team permissions on Business+ are genuinely built for multi-department rollouts, not bolted on.

Bitly: QR code analytics and pricing

Bitly's free plan includes 2 QR codes with unlimited scans, but no analytics breakdown. Analytics (location, device, referrer) start on the Core plan at $10/month(billed annually), with QR-specific customization and higher code limits on Growth ($35/month, or $29/month billed annually) and Premium.

Bitly is a link-shortener first — QR codes were added as a feature of that platform, not built as the core product. That shows up in the numbers: QR code limits per tier (2 → 10 → 200) are much lower than a dedicated QR platform's, because the plan is really priced around link volume, with QR codes riding along.

Beaconstac: it's not a separate product anymore

If you're comparing "Beaconstac" against QR Tiger, Uniqode, and Bitly, you're comparing a name that hasn't existed since 2022 — Beaconstac rebranded to Uniqode that year, same company, same product. Any pricing you find under "Beaconstac" is outdated. Use the Uniqode figures above.

QRPulse: where it fits in this comparison

QRPulse's free plan includes 2 dynamic QR codes, 50 tracked scans a month, and full real-time analytics — location, device, browser, hourly timing — with no card required. The Pro plan is a flat $2/month ($20/year) for unlimited codes and unlimited scans, with no per-seat pricing and no annual-only lock-in like Uniqode's.

Being direct about where that fits: QRPulse doesn't have QR Tiger's geofencing, Uniqode's SSO and team governance, or Bitly's link-shortening and social integrations. It's built for one job — dynamic QR codes with real analytics, priced simply — not for enterprise QR rollouts across departments or agencies managing hundreds of client links.

Full comparison table

Pricing shown is what each vendor's own pricing page listed at the time of writing. Vendors change pricing without notice — confirm current numbers on the vendor's site before you commit a print run or a contract to any figure above, ours included.

How to pick between them

Cut through the marketing with three questions, in this order:

1. Do you need analytics on the free plan, or can you pay from day one? If you need real usage data before paying anything, that rules out Uniqode's free tier immediately — it's static-only regardless of volume.
2. Is your team big enough to need SSO and role-based permissions? If yes, Uniqode's Business+ tier is genuinely built for that. If you're one person or a small team, you're paying for infrastructure you won't use.
3. Do you already manage links in Bitly? If your team's workflow already lives in Bitly for link shortening, its QR codes ride along in the same dashboard — worth the convenience even at $10–35/month. If not, a dedicated QR tool (QRPulse or QR Tiger) is built around QR codes first, not retrofitted onto a link shortener.

For most solo founders, restaurants, and small teams, the deciding factor ends up being simple: QRPulse and QR Tiger both let you see whether the tool is worth paying for before you pay anything. Uniqode and Bitly don't — you either commit on faith or stay static.