The Free Tier Trap: Scan Caps
Disclosure: Published by EZQR.
QR Code Chimp advertises 10 free dynamic QR codes. That sounds generous. But there's a catch most people miss until it's too late: those 10 codes share a 1,000 scan/month cap.
If you put a QR code on a restaurant menu, a flyer, or a business card, 1,000 scans can run out fast. A busy restaurant can burn through that in a week. When you hit the cap, your codes stop working. Mid-month. No warning on the printed menus.
EZQR's free tier gives you 3 dynamic codes. Fewer codes, yes. But unlimited scans on those 3 codes. They never stop working because of a scan cap.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | EZQR | QR Code Chimp |
|---|---|---|
| Free dynamic codes | 3 | 10 |
| Free scan cap | None (unlimited) | 1,000/month shared across all codes |
| Free codes stop working at scan limit | No | Yes |
| Static codes | Unlimited free | Unlimited free |
| QR types | 50+ | Standard range |
| Design presets | 22 presets, 10+ dot patterns | Solid template library |
| Scannability check | Yes (ISO/IEC 18004) | No |
| Analytics | Unique views, geo, device (Lite+) | Scan analytics (paid) |
| Custom CSS | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Password protection | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Link scheduling | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Annual billing required | No (monthly only) | Yes (all paid plans) |
| Entry paid price | $5/mo (monthly) | $6.99/mo (annual only) |
| Unlimited dynamic price | $20/mo (monthly) | $34.99/mo (annual only) |
| Codes survive cancellation | Yes | Not confirmed |
Paid Plans: Annual Lock-In vs Monthly
QR Code Chimp requires annual billing on all paid plans. Their Starter is $6.99/mo billed annually ($84/year upfront). Their Ultima plan (unlimited dynamic codes) is $34.99/mo billed annually ($420/year upfront).
EZQR Lite is $5/mo billed monthly. EZQR Pro (100 dynamic codes) is $10/mo billed monthly. EZQR Max (unlimited dynamic codes) is $20/mo billed monthly. No annual commitment. Cancel any month.
For comparable unlimited-dynamic features, QR Code Chimp costs $34.99/mo (annual required). EZQR Max costs $20/mo (monthly). That's 1.75x the price with less billing flexibility.
Features Worth Comparing
QR Code Chimp has a solid template library and decent design tools. Credit where it's due. They support bulk generation and have a reasonable API on higher tiers. Their 4.6/5 G2 rating is earned.
EZQR supports 50+ QR content types, showcase pages, Custom CSS (Pro), and all standard export formats. Both platforms offer scan analytics on paid tiers.
Where QR Code Chimp falls short: folder limits per tier feel arbitrary (10 on Starter, 50 on Pro), and their analytics dashboard can slow down with large code sets according to G2 reviews.
Which Free Tier Should You Choose?
If you need more dynamic codes and your total scans will stay under 1,000/month, QR Code Chimp's free tier gives you more codes. Simple math.
If you need fewer codes but can't risk them stopping mid-month, EZQR's free tier is safer. No scan caps means your printed codes always work.
For most businesses putting QR codes on physical materials, scan reliability matters more than code count. A dead QR code on a printed menu is worse than having fewer codes that always scan.
