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QR codes are everywhere in Nepal now: on shop counters for wallet payments, on restaurant tables, on real estate hoardings, on product packaging and visiting cards. Most people treat them as all the same. They are not, and the difference matters the moment you print one.
There are two kinds. A static QR code holds its information in the printed pattern itself. A dynamic QR code holds a short link that you can change later. This guide explains how each works, when to use which, and how to avoid paying for a reprint because a link changed.
How a static QR code works
A static QR code stores its content directly in the black and white squares. If the code holds a web address, the address is in the pattern. If it holds Wi-Fi details or a phone number, those are in the pattern.
That has two consequences. First, it can never change: to point it somewhere else, you make a new code and print it again. Second, it does not depend on any service. As long as the destination exists, the code works, and for some types, such as Wi-Fi details or a contact card, it works with no internet at all.
Static codes also cannot tell you anything. There is no count of how many people scanned them, because the scan never passes through anything you control.
How a dynamic QR code works
A dynamic QR code stores a short link, such as golinq.me/q/abc123. When someone scans it, the phone opens that short link, which immediately sends them on to wherever you have chosen: your menu, your listing page, a form, a WhatsApp chat.
Because the destination is stored on the service rather than in the print, you can change it at any time from your dashboard. The printed code stays exactly the same. Every scan also passes through the short link, so you can see how many scans each code gets.
Side by side
Static QR code
- Content is fixed when printed.
- No scan counts or analytics.
- Works without any account or service behind it.
- Some types (Wi-Fi, contact card, text) work offline.
- Dense patterns if the content is long, which can make small prints harder to scan.
Dynamic QR code
- Destination can be changed any time, without reprinting.
- Scan counts, trends over time and device types.
- Can be paused if a campaign ends.
- Needs the service that runs the short link to stay active.
- Short link means a simple pattern that scans easily even when printed small.
When static is the right choice
- Wi-Fi at your café or office. The network name and password rarely change, and the code works even when the internet is down.
- Something permanent and personal, like a phone number on a personal item.
- Offline situations, where the person scanning may not have data.
- A code on a screen for a moment, such as a slide at a talk, where you will never need to change or measure it.
When dynamic pays for itself
Use a dynamic code whenever the printed material will outlive the content it points to. A few honest examples:
- A 500-card print run. If the code on your visiting cards points to a page and that page moves, all 500 cards are wrong. A dynamic code, or a code that points to your golinq.me card which you can edit, keeps them working.
- A property hoarding or flyer. When the flat sells, point the code at your other listings instead of leaving a dead page on every flyer still in circulation.
- Table stands and menus. Change the menu for a festival or a new season without touching the stands.
- Product packaging. Point to setup instructions today and to a newer version or a reorder page later.
- Posters and banners for an event or offer. After the event, point the code at your next one.
What golinq.me's QR Studio offers
The QR Studio is included in the Professional plan (up to 5 codes) and the Business plan (up to 50). It makes both kinds of code:
- Dynamic types: website link, contact page with a Save button, file (PDF, image or audio), photo gallery, app download (App Store or Play Store depending on the phone), WhatsApp chat with a message already typed, social profiles, restaurant menu, a simple landing page, coupon, one of your golinq.me forms, or one of your golinq.me pages.
- Static types: plain text, phone call, SMS, email, Wi-Fi, map location, calendar event, crypto wallet address, and a contact card stored entirely inside the code.
- Design: colours, styles and your logo in the centre.
- Downloads: PNG up to 2048 pixels, SVG for designers and printers, and a print-ready PDF.
- Analytics for dynamic codes: total scans, unique visitors, scans over time, device types, and busiest days of the week and hours of the day.
See the pricing page for what each plan includes.
Printing tips for either kind
- Size. Around 2 cm across is a practical minimum for a visiting card scanned up close. Go larger for anything read from a distance.
- Contrast. Dark code, light background. Avoid reversing it (light on dark) unless you have tested it on several phones.
- Margin. Leave a clear border around the code.
- A label. Tell people what they get: "Scan to see the menu", "Scan for listing details".
- Test the actual print. Print one proof and scan it with an old Android and a new iPhone before approving the full run.
- Use SVG or PDF for printers. They stay sharp at any size, unlike a small PNG stretched to fit.
A simple rule
If what the code points to might ever change, or you want to know whether anyone is scanning it, use a dynamic code. If it is permanent, needs to work offline, or you will never measure it, a static code is fine.
Make your golinq.me page today
Pick your handle, start from a template for your trade, and share it by QR, NFC or link. The Personal plan is free; see pricing for bookings, the shop and dynamic QR codes.
