For simple identification tasks, barcodes are generally suitable, especially if you have a manufacturing business or one that deals with lots of inventory. People who require access to the information within each code will need a reader and access to a specific database.
If you have more complex information to convey, QR codes come out on top. Versatile and commonly used for commercial purposes, be it marketing, providing information, or sharing content, QR codes have more uses and are more popular with the general public.
We've all seen barcodes before, and we scan them when we head to the shops. However, QR codes are becoming just as, if not more popular around the world.
So, the question remains, how do QR codes compare to barcodes, what are the key differences between the two, and which is better? Today, we'll answer these questions and more, helping you tell the difference and use them both effectively.
A QR Code is a two-dimensional code that consists of digital data. When scanned, they take users to a specific online location or provide a text-based message on the scanner's mobile phone screen.
QR codes as we know them were introduced in 1994 by DENSO WAVE, with a focus on high-speed reading. Originally built for manufacturing, but now popular for commercial usage, you can create QR codes for all kinds of reasons, and there are lots of QR Code types available.
See this guide on what is a QR Code.
The Model 1 is the original QR Code and it can store 1,167 characters. The Model 2 is an upgrade and can store up to 7,089 characters, and this is the most popular kind of QR Code today.
The Micro QR Code is a compact, simplified version of a standard QR Code, and it can be printed in a smaller space. However, as a result of their size, they can only store 35 characters.
This form of QR Code is narrower in design, horizontally, than a standard code, and is similar in function. It can hold a maximum of 361 characters, making it fall somewhere in between the previous two.
The information held in the SQRC QR Code can be restricted. As a result, it's widely used to store private information. In appearance, it's identical to a standard QR Code.
A Frame QR Code allows for images and letters to be placed in the center of the QR Code image. This helps you promote messages or branding within the design of your custom QR codes, making them ideal for commercial purposes.
Because of their ease of use, QR codes are used for various marketing applications, including:
To make your own custom QR codes, take a look at our QR Code Generator.
As well as marketing purposes, you can track machinery and when it's due for maintenance or repair with your created QR codes.
You can also convey instructions for operating systems for heavy equipment and machinery, as well as schematics on plumbing and wiring systems that you can share with contractors and more.
Then, there's inventory and shipping, where QR codes have superseded barcodes in most industries.
Barcodes are the predecessor to the QR Code and have more basic features. As opposed to the two-dimensional information available in a QR Code image, traditional barcodes can only read information horizontally, and can therefore hold less complex data.
Comprising of black lines and numbers, they can't store as much information as QR codes and need to be scanned at a specific angle by physical readers. This makes them less functional in the wider world and more commonly used for tracking inventory and stock.
The most basic of the bunch is a 1D barcode, (one-dimensional), which contains basic, text-based information such as the type, size, and color of a product. These are used for labeling materials and tracking inventory, as well as shipping.
1D barcodes are also used in libraries to identify books, and they're relatively inexpensive and efficient for their purpose. They include a UPC (universal product code) which is scanned when buying something, which consists of:
A 2D barcode is a two-dimensional barcode that contains information that can be read horizontally and vertically. They can therefore hold the same amount of characters as a Model 2 QR Code, and they look very similar in design. This is because a QR Code is a form of 2D Barcode.
For the most part, barcodes are 1 dimensional and hold simple product tracking information that's accessed by staff members of companies, rather than consumers. Because of this, they require a physical scanner to be used, although some mobile devices now have apps that can scan them, too.
Available on both Apple's App Store and Google Play for Android, Neo Reader can be used to scan both QR Codes and barcodes. Boasting the ability to scan codes from any direction, it's also free to use, which makes it popular for those who have trouble scanning codes from their smartphone camera.
Users scan a QR Code from both phone cameras, front and back, with Neo Reader, and you can keep track of the codes you've scanned. Because of these reasons, we give Neo Reader an 8/10.
Like Neo Reader, Pageloot QR Scanner is free, and it offers the benefit of a secure preview of links that may not be trustworthy.
Grouping your scanned QR codes is also simple with Pageloot QR Scanner and you can organize scanned codes into different folders, with different tags, to find what you need quickly.
However, rather than having its own app in the App Store or Google Play, Pageloot only comes as a web version. You can add a shortcut to your home page easily enough, but because there's no dedicated app to download, we rate it 7/10 when compared to other QR Code Scanner apps.
With Gamma Play QR Code scans are measured and tracked, just like with most other QR Code readers and scanners, but it can scan codes from any object. This isn't always the case for other QR scanners on the market that need high-resolution QR codes to scan effectively.
These attributes, alongside the various code formats Gamma Play supports, have led us to give it a solid 8/10 rating.
Kaspersky's QR Code Reader and Scanner is one of the most popular around the world and for good reason. Available to download from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, data can be verified thanks to unique technology within this QR Code Scanner.
It also lets you know if you're accessing dangerous links, without requiring additional antivirus software on your phone, and it stores all your scans for you to access as and when you need to.
Because of this, we're giving Kaspersky's QR Code Reader and Scanner a 9/10.
QR Droid is only available for Android mobile phones, hence the name. There are two options available, basic and private, with the private option boasting more features such as grouping previous scans, security measures before opening links, and more.
Both options are free to download, but neither is as comprehensive as some of the others on our list. The fact that you can only scan a QR Code from an Android phone is a considerable drawback, too, so QR Droid gets a 7/10 from us.
Bar-Code allows users to enjoy most of the features you'd expect from a QR Code scanning app, but it has a couple of unique capabilities that help set it apart.
One of these features is how you can share different QR codes you've scanned via email or to your mobile phone storage. On top of this, you can copy and paste codes into other apps or web searches, which is a pretty nifty feature.
As a really solid QR Code Reader and scanner, Bar-Code receives an 8/10.
While all of the above scanners are worth a download, particularly because they're free, you generally don't need any of them to scan QR codes you see out in the world.
Why? Because your smartphone camera acts as a QR Code reader the vast majority of the time. The only exception is for those who have an Android device running on or below Android 7.
So, while QR Code technology is powerful, codes are very simple to use if you have a smartphone and a camera app, which most people in the USA do have.
To generate QR codes for personal use or your business, check out the types and formats of QR Code you can use.
Creating a QR Code can be achieved quickly and simply with our QR Code Generator. In just a few minutes, you can generate, download, and print QR codes for your marketing campaigns or personal use thanks to the wide range of QR Code plans we have available.
Once your code is created, all users have to do is aim their camera app at your QR Code symbol and they'll be taken to a link of your choice.
When you generate a Dynamic QR Code, you can edit the link that your code holds as often as you like. This isn't the case with Static QR Codes, however, that can't be changed once you've hit download.
Dynamic QR Codes also allow you to track data associated with your generated QR codes, from the web page accessed to the time of scan, location, and other scan statistics. There's also no scan limit with Dynamic QR Codes, which again, isn't the case for Static QR Codes.
Learn how to make a Dynamic QR Code.
You can generate free QR codes, also known as Static QR Codes, with a free trial from QR Code Fusion.
However, be aware that Static QR Codes created with our free trial have scan limits, can't be tracked, and can't be edited once you've completed your design. This isn't the case with Dynamic Codes, which are available to generate with one of our premium plans.
With plans starting as low as $6.99 per month, find out more about our QR Code pricing.
Nope, not if you have an iPhone or an Android 8 or over. So, not only can you create a custom QR Code quickly and simply, but you can scan them just as easily, too.
Instead of requiring a physical QR Code Scanner, users can access your generated QR Codes with a simple scan from their camera or one of the third-party apps we've discussed above. To do so, just point the camera at the QR Code in question, click the prompt, and you're ready to go.
QR codes don't expire, but you may be limited by the amount of scans your code can receive. A free QR Code, for example, will be limited to 250 scans per month.
James is a professional copywriter who helps businesses improve their on-site content. From blogs to key landing pages, and everything in between, he has over a decade of experience writing creative copy.
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