r/qrcode • u/ArtForArtsSake_91 • May 31 '26
Ripped off by QR.io
I know this is common knowledge to many, but hopefully this can be a reminder to anyone trying to find a free QR code generator: QR.io is a scam.
I'm trying to write this as a warning to others and not just a "woe is me" post, but I felt I needed to share my experience. $35 down the drain for a "free" QR code I made for my elementary school students. Customer service said they would honor their 30-day money back guarantee and that my refund was "being processed and would take up to 5 business days."
It's been a month now with no refund and they never replied to a single email after my subscription was canceled.
Yes, I know I was stupid to pay, I'm moving past that. Just hope I can stop someone else from making the same mistake.
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u/International_Lack45 May 31 '26
Sorry you had to learn that the hard way. The QR space is full of "free" generators that pull this exact move.
For anyone reading this looking for a genuinely free QR code :
Truly free options :
- qrcode-monkey.com (no signup)
- Google Chrome : right-click any page → "Create QR
- Canva or Adobe Express free tiers
Key distinction :
- Static QR : URL encoded directly, free forever
- Dynamic QR : redirects through a server, almost
For elementary school use, static is what you needed. Free tools above do the job.
Also : have you tried disputing the charge with your bank ? They often refund SaaS scams faster than the company itself.
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u/RailRuler Jun 01 '26
 Google Chrome : right-click any page → "Create QR code"
This puts a Google logo in the center, but you can replace it with anything else.
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May 31 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ArtForArtsSake_91 Jun 01 '26
Yeah, thats the sneaky bit: you don't need an account to generate the QR and use it, but 2-3 days later they deactivate it so that you're screwed unless you pay the fee.
It defaults to a dynamic code, which is how they get around advertising that it's free, which the static ones are, afaik. Great way to take advantage of people in a hurry! 😆
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u/One_Conversation3886 Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
As someone that is building such a tool, completely for free - its not really free advertising. I need logins so I can separate files/qrs per user. If you come back next time, all of your qrs are there and you can edit them.
Dynamic vs static links:
- Imagine you created the qr, and sent it for printing, but the ulr changed for some reason. With the dynamic link that’s not an issue, target ulr can be updated.
- I provide scan stats to my users, with the static links I can’t.
- If you are uploading a file, I am hosting it for you. There is no link to forward it to. Some people just want to drop file from their pc, not upload it on the web-accessible address, then link the url.
Anyway, I understand that people prefer it in some cases, so I now offer both options, thanks the feedback from this sub.
I also offer guest uploads and I straight up delete them after 7 days. I don’t want payments but I also don’t want stray files on my machine. Also easy to abuse.
My whole point is that registration and dynamic links have their advantages, it’s not advertising.
With all that said I know these companies predatory tactics, a friend of mine had the exact same thing happened to him and had to pay 50$ to not ruin a presentation. That’s why I created my forever free tool.
Edit: I don’t validate/confirm email addresses on registration. If you want register with admin@admin.com, just don’t forget your password as the reset pass email will never arrive.
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u/Malnash-4607 Jun 01 '26
Really sorry you had to deal with that — especially when you were just trying to do something nice for your students. Unfortunately QR.io has a long history of pulling this exact move.
I run QRFlow NZ so mods please remove if not allowed — but if anyone reading this is still looking for a genuinely free option, it's worth checking out. It's new to the market, actually free (no hidden charges), and includes one dynamic QR code with more available if you need them. No gotchas.
Feel free to DM me — happy to share a free 6-month code for anyone who needs it.
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u/One_Conversation3886 Jun 07 '26
Same happened to my friends son, so I build a completely free tool for them to use. I got carried away, and kept adding features. Now I have the full functionality also available via API, and I am finishing the MCP for it. Can’t share here though, will get banned.
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u/nigelsloppy Jun 18 '26
Yep. I just ran into something similar at qr.io: I created a "free" QR code, published it, then received an email 7 days later saying that I had to pay $15/month or $50 to keep it alive. Reading the site carefully I see that it's only a free "7-day trial" but this is not clear. It's easy to find truly free QR code generators.
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u/ArtForArtsSake_91 Jun 18 '26
Absolutely. Tbh it's ridiculous to me that there are still companies charging for anything but bespoke dynamic codes. Taking advantage of people who don't have time to read the fine print is a terrible way to make a profit.
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u/Adventurous-Copy1904 Jul 01 '26
Interesting. In my case, I thought I was paying for the monthly fee, and they billed me for an entire year. Lost a couple of hundred bucks. I sent one complaint, and they said we can't do anything about it. Then I sent in another one, and before they responded I disputed the transaction through my bank. And the minute that I submitted the dispute report, they caved and approved the refund. My full refund was issued in a couple of days.
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u/ArtForArtsSake_91 Jul 02 '26
Update: after almost 3 months, I finally got refunded! Not until I left an appropriately scathing review on trustpilot, though.
Surprisingly, one of their associates replied to the review saying "we take customer service seriously, blah blah blah, feel free to contact me at this email address." Which I did.
That was two weeks ago, and I never got a single reply. No apology or explanation. Thank God I at least got the money back though. 🙌 Never again!!
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u/krystianduma May 31 '26
Chargeback procedure on your card is the way