Shopify QR Code Generator: How to Use It (and Which One to Use)
Shopify has two QR tools and they do different jobs. Here is which one you actually want.
Searching for the Shopify QR code generator turns up two different things, and the difference matters. The free generator on shopify.com is open to anyone - no store, no account - and handles a website URL, phone number, SMS or plain text. Shopcodes is a separate app for merchants that links to a product page or a pre-filled checkout with a discount applied, and it is the more capable of the two: Shopify documents that changing the link updates codes you have already printed, and that scans and conversions appear in your marketing analytics. If you run a Shopify store, Shopcodes is genuinely good and this page will tell you so.
How to make a QR code for your Shopify store
Pick based on whether the code needs to know anything about your store.
- 1
For a plain code: open the free QR code generator on shopify.com. No store or account is needed - Shopify states it is free to use for anyone, not just merchants.
- 2
Choose the data type - website URL, phone number, SMS or plain text - and enter the destination.
- 3
Generate the code. Shopify assigns each code a Quick Link that stays active unless you delete it, so the codes do not expire.
- 4
For a merchant code: install Shopcodes from the Shopify App Store.
- 5
In Shopcodes, create a code linking to a product page, or to a checkout with the product already in the cart and a discount applied. Edit a code later by clicking its name, changing the details and clicking Save.
QRmkr vs Shopify at a glance
| Feature | QRmkr | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Free, no account needed | Free forever, never expire | Yes - the free generator is open to anyone, not just merchants[1] |
| Content types | 30 types incl. WiFi, vCard, PDF, payment | Free tool: website URL, phone, SMS or text[1] |
| Code expiry | Never | Codes do not expire - each gets a Quick Link that stays active unless deleted[1] |
| Edit the destination after printing | Yes - dynamic codes re-point anytime | Yes, with Shopcodes - printed codes follow the new link with no reprint[2] |
| Scan analytics | Real-time scans: time, device, location | Yes, with Shopcodes - scans and conversions in marketing analytics[2] |
| Links to store data | No - you paste the URL yourself | Yes - product pages, or checkout with the item and a discount applied[2] |
| Requires a Shopify store | No | Shopcodes does; the free generator does not[2] |
| Design control | Colours, gradients, dot/eye styles, logo, frames | Not documented for either tool[1] |
| Ecommerce platform | None - QR codes only | Full store, checkout and inventory[1] |
QRmkr details match our pricing page. Shopify claims are cited to Shopify's own pages, last checked 2026-08-17. Products change - follow the links to confirm. Where Shopify does not document a capability we say so rather than assert it is absent.
Sources
Every claim about Shopify above comes from Shopify's own documentation, read on 2026-08-17.
Make a QR code right here, free
No sign-up, no email, no watermark. Pick a type, paste your link, and download it as a PNG or SVG - the code never expires.
Free forever · No watermark · Never expires
Design & brandingcolors · logo · frames
Center logos use 30% error correction so the code still scans.
Want to edit or track this?
This makes a static code (permanent). Create a free account for dynamic codes you can edit after printing, with scan analytics.
Make it dynamic →When Shopify is the better pick
Shopify merchants whose codes point at products and checkouts. Shopcodes is editable after printing, reports scans and conversions against your store's own analytics, and knows about your catalogue - none of which a general-purpose tool can do. If that is your use case, use Shopcodes.
When QRmkr is the better pick
Anyone whose codes point somewhere other than a product page - packaging inserts to a care guide PDF, shelf talkers to a booking page, in-store WiFi, a review link - or who wants design control over the code, or who is not on Shopify at all.
Why teams pick QRmkr
Not everything is a product link
A care-guide PDF, a WiFi network, a review request, a contact card. Shopcodes links to products and checkouts; these need a general-purpose generator.
Design control
Colours, dot and eye styles, a logo in the middle, and SVG export for the packaging proof.
Platform-independent
The codes keep working if you move off Shopify, because they redirect through a link you own rather than through the store.
Looking for a Shopify alternative?
QRmkr is a focused Shopify alternative for businesses that print: create a free code, upgrade to a dynamic one you can edit after printing, and watch every scan roll in. Shopcodes is the right tool for product and checkout codes, and it is more capable than most people assume - editable after printing, with scan and conversion reporting. Use QRmkr for everything that is not a product link, or when you want design control and platform independence.
FAQ
Does Shopify have a free QR code generator?
Yes. Shopify states it was created as a free service for anyone to use - you do not need a Shopify store or account. It handles a website URL, phone number, SMS or plain text.
Can Shopify QR codes be edited after printing?
With Shopcodes, yes. Shopify documents that when you change the link on an existing code, printed copies automatically direct customers to the new link with no reprint. The free generator is not documented as offering this.
Can I track scans on a Shopify QR code?
With Shopcodes, yes - scans and conversions appear in your Sales and Sessions attributed to marketing analytics. The free generator does not document scan tracking.
Should I use Shopcodes or a general QR generator?
Use Shopcodes when the code points at a product or a checkout in your store - it is built for exactly that. Use a general-purpose generator for anything else: PDFs, WiFi, contact cards, booking pages, or codes that need to survive a platform change.
Can I change where the QR code points after printing?
Yes - with a QRmkr dynamic QR code. It encodes a short redirect link, so you can update the destination anytime from your dashboard and every printed copy instantly points to the new URL. Static codes encode the destination directly and can't be changed.
Do QRmkr QR codes expire?
No. Static QR codes are free forever and never expire - they encode your destination directly and don't depend on our servers. Dynamic codes keep working as long as your account is active, and you can pause or re-point them whenever you like.
Can I track how many people scan my code?
Yes. Dynamic QR codes come with real-time scan analytics: total scans plus device, location, and time-of-day breakdowns, so you can see exactly which placement is working. Scan tracking is part of the Pro plan.
Is there a watermark on the QR code?
No. Every QR code you create with QRmkr - free or paid - is watermark-free and downloadable as a crisp PNG or scalable SVG, ready for print at any size.
Before you print it
If the code you are about to print may ever need to point somewhere else, create it as a dynamic QR code you can edit after printing. The printed pattern never changes; only the destination behind it does. It also means you can track every scan by day, device, and location and see which placement actually worked.
Try QRmkr free - no card required
Create a code in seconds. Make it dynamic to edit anytime and track every scan.
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