A QR code is one of the cheapest marketing tools a small business has: free to generate, free to print alongside whatever you're already printing, and it turns any physical surface (a receipt, a window sticker, a package) into a link to something online. Two of the most common uses, menus and WiFi access, have their own dedicated tools here: see QR codes for menus and QR codes for WiFi. This guide covers the rest.
1. Payment and tipping links
A code that opens a payment link or a tip page is common on receipts, at counters, or on delivery packaging. Keep this one especially high-contrast and test it thoroughly, since customers give up quickly on a code that doesn't scan on the first try when money is involved.
2. Social profiles and review links
A single code near the register or on a receipt that links to your Google Business or Yelp review page removes the biggest barrier to getting reviews: having to search for you. A second code, or a link-in-bio page, can bundle your social profiles together.
3. Business cards
A QR code on a business card that encodes a contact card (this tool has a dedicated type for that) lets someone save your name, number, and email to their phone with one scan instead of typing it in by hand later, which is also exactly when most hand-typed contacts never actually get saved.
4. Product packaging
A code on packaging can link to care instructions, a warranty registration, an ingredient or allergen list, or a "how to use this" video: information that would otherwise need a printed insert. It's also a natural way to link to a review page after a purchase.
5. Event flyers and posters
A code linking straight to a ticket page or an RSVP form on a flyer removes a step between someone seeing your poster and actually signing up, compared to making them search for your event by name later.
6. A branded, on-theme code
A generic QR code looks like it could belong to anyone. Picking a distinct icon or uploading your logo makes your codes recognizable at a glance across receipts, packaging, and signage. Try the custom QR code generator to match your brand's colors and style, or the logo generator to use your own logo directly.
Before you print in bulk
- Scan every code with at least two different phones first.
- Keep contrast high and avoid covering the three corner squares.
- Remember these are static codes. See static vs. dynamic QR codes if you expect a destination link to change often after printing.
- Size the code for the distance it will actually be scanned from.
Every use case above starts the same way: open the QR code generator, pick the type that matches what you need, and customize the icon and colors to match your business.