Both free, both permanent, neither needs an account. The real difference is what you can download and how much control you want.
Short answer: both are free, both produce static codes that never expire, and neither requires an account. QRCode Monkey wins on output formats — it offers PDF and EPS as well as SVG. Make My QR Code wins on simplicity — fewer decisions and a faster path from idea to code.
Both tools do the same core thing: encode your data into a static QR pattern, let you change the colours, and give you the image without charging you or requiring an account. Both codes work forever and have no scan limit. If your only requirement is "a working QR code for a link", either one is a correct answer.
The decision comes down to output format and control, so that is what the table below focuses on.
| Criteria | Make My QR Code | QRCode Monkey |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Account required | No | No |
| Code type | Static | Static |
| Expires? | No | No |
| Scan limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Watermark | None | None |
| PNG export | Yes, high resolution | Yes, configurable up to large sizes |
| SVG / PDF / EPS export | SVG only | SVG, PDF, EPS |
| Logo in the code | Yes, upload or preset | Yes, up to ~30% of the area |
| Colour customisation | Yes | Yes, plus gradients |
| Shape customisation | Six body styles | Body and eye shapes |
| Templates | No | Template gallery |
| QR content types | URL, text, email, phone, SMS, vCard, Wi-Fi, location, event, crypto | 14+ types incl. event, MeCard, social |
| Steps to a download | Content → colours → download | Content → colours → design → resolution → download |
| Editing after print | No | No |
| Scan analytics | No | No (separate paid product) |
| Adverts | Yes | Yes |
Be honest with yourself about print. If the code is going on a poster, a shopfront, packaging or anything being sent to a commercial printer, ask for the artwork specification first. Many printers require PDF or EPS, and QRCode Monkey supplies both along with SVG. Make My QR Code exports SVG but not PDF or EPS, so check with your printer before choosing it for large-format work.
Neither tool asks for an account or contact details before the download, so privacy is not a differentiator here.
It also wins if you want the code to look like your brand rather than a generic black square: gradient fills, custom eye shapes and a centred logo are all available, and the error correction tolerates a logo covering roughly 30% of the pattern.
If you are making a code for a menu, a business card, a slideshow or a Wi-Fi sign, the extra design controls are mostly noise. Make My QR Code still gives you six body styles, colour presets and a logo slot, but exposes them in one screen rather than a template gallery. Fewer decisions means fewer chances to produce a code with too little contrast or an unreadable overlay.
It also stays free without a trial timer and without a scan limit.
Neither offers dynamic codes, so neither can change the destination after printing, and neither reports how many times the code was scanned. If you need that, you are looking at a paid product such as QR Code Generator or Bitly — see our full comparison.
Yes for static QR codes. QRCode Monkey generates static codes at no cost, with no watermark, no scan limit and free commercial use. Dynamic codes, statistics and editability are offered through a separate paid product.
It exports SVG as well as PNG, so vector output is available. PDF and EPS are not offered. If your printer specifically requires PDF or EPS, QRCode Monkey is the better fit.
Yes. You can upload your own logo or pick one of the built-in social and brand presets. All three tools compared here support it. Be careful with logos in general: they reduce the readable area of the code, so test before printing.
No. Both produce static QR codes that contain the data directly, so they keep working as long as the destination exists. Neither tool can revoke or expire a code you have downloaded.
Make My QR Code has fewer steps because it does not offer design or format choices. QRCode Monkey takes longer because it exposes more options, which is the trade-off for its extra control.
No watermark, no scan limit, no trial timer. Download a high-resolution PNG or SVG you can print or share.
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