CirculateQR vs QR Code Monkey
If you need one static QR code that will never change, QR Code Monkey is a good choice: it’s free, needs no account, allows commercial use, has strong design options and gives you free vector files. If you’ll ever need to change where the code goes, count scans, route scans or put a page behind the code, QR Code Monkey can’t do that; it points those features to QR Code Generator PRO. CirculateQR does them in one account, along with AI art that’s checked to scan.
QR Code Monkey is a free static QR code generator run by QRCode Monkey GmbH in Berlin, which shares its address and managing director with Bitly Europe GmbH, the company behind QR Code Generator. Information checked October 2026; prices and features change, so confirm on QR Code Monkey's official site before you decide.
The facts, side by side
Each QR Code Monkey entry comes from QR Code Monkey's own pricing, feature or help pages, listed under Sources below. Where their site doesn't say, the table says so rather than guessing.
Free plan
- CirculateQR
- Yes, with no time limit: 10 QR credits a month; up to 5 dynamic codes live at once, each live 14 days unless upgraded or unlocked for $5; unlimited static codes; 3 hosted pages. No AI credits are included; AI art works on the free plan with an AI credit pack (from $9 for 10 AI credits).
- QR Code Monkey
- Completely free, including commercial use. The site has no accounts.
Dynamic (editable) codes
- CirculateQR
- Yes, on every plan. Change the destination, pause or add rules after printing.
- QR Code Monkey
- No. Codes are static and can’t be edited after creation; editable codes are offered through QR Code Generator PRO.
If you stop paying
- CirculateQR
- Dynamic codes keep working for 14 days after the subscription ends, then pause until you subscribe again. Nothing is deleted. Static codes keep working.
- QR Code Monkey
- Not applicable: there is no paid plan, and they say the static codes don’t expire and have no scan limits.
Scan analytics
- CirculateQR
- Time, device, OS, browser, language, country, region and city, referrer and UTM tags; unique scans; bots filtered; CSV export on every plan. History from 7 days (Free) to unlimited (Stealth).
- QR Code Monkey
- None. Scan statistics are offered through QR Code Generator PRO.
AI-generated QR art
- CirculateQR
- Yes. AI scene art on every plan with AI credits: 10 a month included on Studio, more on higher plans, and credit packs on any plan, including Free (which includes none). Every image is decoded with a QR reader and repaired if the art breaks the code.
- QR Code Monkey
- Not found on their site.
Smart routing rules
- CirculateQR
- Device, local time, day of week, phone language, location radius, weather, scan count and returning visitors; A/B splits; password, email and age gates. Device, language and gates on every plan; time, location, scan-count and returning-visitor rules, A/B splits and one-time codes from Studio; weather from Artisan.
- QR Code Monkey
- None; static codes always open the same content.
Hosted pages
- CirculateQR
- Menu, table ordering, event, form, product, info portal, link-in-bio, contact card, loyalty card, scratch card and scavenger hunt. 3 / 25 / unlimited pages by plan.
- QR Code Monkey
- None. Content types include URL, text, email, phone, SMS, vCard, MeCard, location, social links, WiFi, event and Bitcoin.
API
- CirculateQR
- Artisan: read-only (10,000 requests a month). Stealth: read and write (100,000 a month).
- QR Code Monkey
- Yes, sold through RapidAPI; the price isn’t on their site.
Bulk creation
- CirculateQR
- Through the API on Stealth: up to 1,000 codes per request. No CSV upload in the dashboard.
- QR Code Monkey
- Not in the web tool; they pitch the API for generating codes in volume.
Paid plans from
- CirculateQR
- Studio $12/mo, or $115/yr billed annually.
- QR Code Monkey
- Free.
| CirculateQR | QR Code Monkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, with no time limit: 10 QR credits a month; up to 5 dynamic codes live at once, each live 14 days unless upgraded or unlocked for $5; unlimited static codes; 3 hosted pages. No AI credits are included; AI art works on the free plan with an AI credit pack (from $9 for 10 AI credits). | Completely free, including commercial use. The site has no accounts. |
| Dynamic (editable) codes | Yes, on every plan. Change the destination, pause or add rules after printing. | No. Codes are static and can’t be edited after creation; editable codes are offered through QR Code Generator PRO. |
| If you stop paying | Dynamic codes keep working for 14 days after the subscription ends, then pause until you subscribe again. Nothing is deleted. Static codes keep working. | Not applicable: there is no paid plan, and they say the static codes don’t expire and have no scan limits. |
| Scan analytics | Time, device, OS, browser, language, country, region and city, referrer and UTM tags; unique scans; bots filtered; CSV export on every plan. History from 7 days (Free) to unlimited (Stealth). | None. Scan statistics are offered through QR Code Generator PRO. |
| AI-generated QR art | Yes. AI scene art on every plan with AI credits: 10 a month included on Studio, more on higher plans, and credit packs on any plan, including Free (which includes none). Every image is decoded with a QR reader and repaired if the art breaks the code. | Not found on their site. |
| Smart routing rules | Device, local time, day of week, phone language, location radius, weather, scan count and returning visitors; A/B splits; password, email and age gates. Device, language and gates on every plan; time, location, scan-count and returning-visitor rules, A/B splits and one-time codes from Studio; weather from Artisan. | None; static codes always open the same content. |
| Hosted pages | Menu, table ordering, event, form, product, info portal, link-in-bio, contact card, loyalty card, scratch card and scavenger hunt. 3 / 25 / unlimited pages by plan. | None. Content types include URL, text, email, phone, SMS, vCard, MeCard, location, social links, WiFi, event and Bitcoin. |
| API | Artisan: read-only (10,000 requests a month). Stealth: read and write (100,000 a month). | Yes, sold through RapidAPI; the price isn’t on their site. |
| Bulk creation | Through the API on Stealth: up to 1,000 codes per request. No CSV upload in the dashboard. | Not in the web tool; they pitch the API for generating codes in volume. |
| Paid plans from | Studio $12/mo, or $115/yr billed annually. | Free. |
Information checked October 2026. Prices are in US dollars before tax and can differ by region and billing period.
Where each one is stronger
Where QR Code Monkey is stronger
- Completely free, including for commercial use, with no scan limits or expiry on its static codes.
- Strong free design tools: color gradients, custom eye and body shapes, logo upload and templates.
- Free vector downloads (SVG, PDF and EPS) as well as high-resolution PNG.
- No account needed, and they say they don’t save or reuse your data and only cache images for 24 hours.
- Widely used: they describe it as one of the most popular free online QR code generators.
Where CirculateQR is stronger
- Dynamic codes you can edit, pause and give an end date after printing.
- Scan analytics: time, device, language and approximate location, with CSV export.
- AI QR art, decoded with a QR reader and repaired when the art breaks the code.
- Routing rules, password and email gates, and one-time codes.
- Hosted pages: menus, ordering, events, forms, product pages, contact cards, loyalty cards and games.
Frequently asked questions
Is QR Code Monkey really free?
Yes. Their site says all generated QR codes are 100% free and can be used for any purpose, including commercial ones.
Do QR Code Monkey codes expire?
No. They’re static codes, so the content is stored in the pattern itself, and the site says they don’t expire and have no scan limits.
Can I change a QR Code Monkey code after printing?
No. Static codes can’t be edited; you would need to make and print a new one. For editable codes, use a dynamic QR platform such as CirculateQR.
Does QR Code Monkey track scans?
No. QR Code Monkey doesn’t offer scan statistics itself; it points users who want them to QR Code Generator PRO.
Who runs QR Code Monkey?
Its imprint names QRCode Monkey GmbH in Berlin, at the same address and with the same managing director as Bitly Europe GmbH, which runs QR Code Generator, and the site links to the QR Code Generator privacy policy.
Sources and method
We read QR Code Monkey's public pages in October 2026. We didn't sign up for paid plans, so features that sit behind a login or a sales call are described only as far as their public pages go. CirculateQR facts come from our own plan configuration and product. If something here is out of date, email support@circulateqr.com and we'll fix it.
More comparisons
Other comparisons
CirculateQR features
Try CirculateQR free
Static codes are free and never expire, and you can try dynamic codes and hosted pages on the free plan before you pay. AI art uses AI credits: the free plan includes none, so buy a credit pack or choose a paid plan.