Scan Caps and Expiry: Who Actually Imposes Them

Can a QR code itself expire?

No, and the reason why is what makes the rest of this guide useful. The printed pattern is ink encoding a web address. The pattern does not contain a timer, so the QR code itself cannot expire; that page covers the concept in full. What can end is the service behind the address: a dynamic QR code points through a redirect someone operates, and the operator decides the conditions under which the redirect keeps answering.

Those conditions are the subject of this guide. Vendors publish them, in help centers and terms pages, and they differ enormously. We read those pages so you do not have to, and every row below carries the date we read it.

What are the three meters that stop a working QR code?

Three plan conditions to check are:

1. Volume caps. A ceiling on successful scans per day or month, almost always on free tiers. The QR code works Monday and is over its limit Friday. The person scanning gets an error page, an upgrade notice, or ads; the outcome depends on the provider’s policy.
2. Time clocks. Trial periods and expiry windows. The QR code works for 7, 14, or 30 days and then redirects to a service page instead of your destination. The $1 trial economy runs on exactly this meter.
3. Billing policy. What happens to already-printed QR codes when a subscription lapses or is canceled. This is where vendors differ most, and where several are better than their market’s reputation: some keep old QR codes redirecting.

A vendor can run any combination. Check each condition separately; the map below records what each vendor’s own pages say.

Who imposes what: the map

Every claim below is from the named vendor’s own documentation, read on the date shown.

Service	Free-tier scan meter	At the meter, per their docs	If the plan stops, per their docs	As of
QR Tiger	500 scans, 3 QR codes	Free QR codes stop	“All dynamic QR codes will become invalid”	2026-07-13
QRCode KIT	100 scans/QR code/mo	“Content unavailable” page past the cap	Cap model continues by tier (10,000/mo on Starter)	2026-07-13
QRCodeChimp	1,000 scans/mo	QR code pauses at the cap	Drops to your last 10 QR codes	2026-07-13
QR Planet	Legacy free plan: 50 scans/day; no longer offered	May deactivate after a second allowance breach	Check the terms of the purchased plan	2026-09-15
QRStuff	50 scans/mo + 30-day window	Free dynamic QR codes expire after 30 days	Dynamic QR codes require an active subscription	2026-09-15
Unitag	Confirm the current plan allowance	Confirm behavior at the allowance	Confirm continued redirecting after cancellation	Not reverified
Qfuse	100 scans/mo	May limit usage or request an upgrade	“May delete all information” on cancel	2026-07-13
Bitly	No scan cap; creation capped (2 QR/mo free)	Creation stops, existing QR codes scan	Ordinary bit.ly QR codes survive; custom domains have separate conditions	2026-09-15
Flowcode	No scan caps on any tier	Analytics detail caps at 500 scans; scanning continues	QR codes keep scanning read-only; editing survives on 2 most recent	2026-07-30
Canva	No scan meter	Analytics gated by plan, scanning unaffected	No billing expiry; content-policy deactivation only	2026-08-07
Rebrandly	No scan cap; creation and edits metered monthly	Creation/edit allowances reset monthly; scanning unlimited	Their docs: links keep redirecting after downgrade	2026-08-12
Graklink	Unlimited scans	No scan-cap interruption	Purchased QR codes retain redirecting, editing and basic counts	2026-09-15

Several providers keep existing QR codes redirecting after a downgrade. Others limit free-tier scans or end access after a trial. Compare the exact plan and the outcome at its limit. The table records policies on the dates shown; check current terms before buying.

Who gets hurt when a meter runs out?

A customer standing at your sign needs the destination to open, so redirect limits matter alongside the purchase price.

Before printing a large batch, check the scan allowance for the exact plan. If you are promoting to an audience larger than that allowance, choose a suitable plan or an uncapped option.

The useful comparison includes both annual cost and what the person scanning can access throughout the campaign.

How do you buy a QR code without meeting a meter?

Four questions, answerable from any vendor’s own documentation before you pay:

1. Is scan volume capped on the exact plan I am buying? Not the enterprise tier. Yours.
2. What literally happens at the cap? “Content unavailable,” ads, a pause, an upgrade page: their help center says which.
3. What happens to already-printed QR codes if I stop paying? Look for the answer in the plan’s terms or help documentation.
4. Is editing the destination metered? Check how many times you can change the destination, and what additional edits cost.

A purchased Graklink QR code has unlimited scans, destination editing and basic scan counts included, and no subscription is needed for it to keep redirecting.