Control who gets through your QR code
CirculateQR can put checks between a scan and your destination. A one-time code works for the first real scan only. A password gate reveals the link only after the right password; an email gate collects an email address first; an age gate asks visitors to confirm their age. You can also give any code an end date or pause it.
For products, the Luxury Product Page template lets buyers type the serial number printed on an item and see whether it’s on your list of genuine serials, with a warning when a serial has been checked unusually often.
Checks run before the destination is revealed
Make a link code
Gates and one-time codes work on link codes, at the moment of the scan.Turn on a block
In Studio’s Quick mode: Password, Email gate, Age gate, One-time or Expiration.Publish
The destination isn’t in the QR code or the gate page’s address. It’s sent only after the check passes.Review
Email-gate entries appear in the code’s Responses; paused and expired codes show a neutral page.
Scan
Code checks
Paused? Past its end date? One-time code already used?
Gate
Password, email address or age confirmation
Passed
Destination revealed
Not passed
Stays on the gate; guesses are limited
What each check does
One-time codes
The first real scan uses the code and later scans see “already used”. Link previews in chat apps don’t use it up. Someone with a photo of the code could still scan it first, so treat it as a deterrent.
Password gate
A password of 4 to 100 characters, checked on our server, with limited guesses per visitor.
Email gate
Visitors enter an email address before continuing. Entries are saved to the code’s Responses with CSV export.
Age gate
A self-confirmation button such as “I am 18 or older”. It doesn’t check ID.
End dates and pausing
Stop a code on a set date up to five years ahead, or pause it at any time.
Serial checks
In the Luxury Product Page template ($5.99): up to 20,000 serials per product, uploaded as CSV or generated, with limits on guessing. A copied serial still shows as registered, so the repeat-check warning is the signal to watch.
Privacy by default
IP addresses are stored only as a salted hash, and tracking pixels are skipped for visitors with Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track turned on.
Bot handling
Bot scans are flagged and excluded from analytics, and repeated scans from one visitor are rate-limited.
What each plan includes
Limits per plan, taken from the same configuration that runs billing.
Password and email gates
- StandardFree
- ✓
- Studio$12/mo
- ✓
- Artisan$39/mo
- ✓
- Stealth$149/mo
- ✓
Age gate
- StandardFree
- ✓
- Studio$12/mo
- ✓
- Artisan$39/mo
- ✓
- Stealth$149/mo
- ✓
End dates and pausing
- StandardFree
- ✓
- Studio$12/mo
- ✓
- Artisan$39/mo
- ✓
- Stealth$149/mo
- ✓
One-time codes
- StandardFree
- —
- Studio$12/mo
- ✓
- Artisan$39/mo
- ✓
- Stealth$149/mo
- ✓
Serial checks
- StandardFree
- $5.99 template
- Studio$12/mo
- $5.99 template
- Artisan$39/mo
- $5.99 template
- Stealth$149/mo
- $5.99 template
| StandardFree | Studio$12/mo | Artisan$39/mo | Stealth$149/mo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Password and email gates | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Age gate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| End dates and pausing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| One-time codes | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Serial checks | $5.99 template | $5.99 template | $5.99 template | $5.99 template |
Annual billing saves about 20%. Full plan comparison
Where it's useful
Coupons →
One-time codes for single-use offers.
VIP access →
A pass page behind a password for invited guests.
Product authentication →
Buyers check a serial number against your list.
Pop-up shops →
Codes that stop working when the pop-up ends.
Trade show leads →
An email gate in front of your brochure download.
Class materials →
Course resources behind a password.
Frequently asked questions
Can a QR code work only once?
Yes, on Studio and higher plans. Turn on One-time and the first real scan uses the code; later scans see that it has already been used. A photo of the code can still be scanned first, so it’s a deterrent rather than a lock.
Can I password-protect a QR code?
Yes, on every plan. Turn on the Password block for a link code. Visitors see a password page, and the destination is revealed only when the password is right.
Is the age gate a real age check?
No. It asks visitors to confirm their age with a button and doesn’t check ID. Use it as a notice, not as verification.
Can QR codes stop counterfeits?
They can help buyers check. With the Luxury Product Page template, a buyer types the printed serial and sees whether it’s on your list of genuine serials, and serials checked unusually often are flagged. It can’t prove an item is genuine on its own.
What do people see when a code is paused or expired?
A neutral page saying the code isn’t active or has ended. It doesn’t show your plan or billing details.
Related
Guides
Other features
Compare and learn
Protect a code
Add a password, an email gate or an end date to a link code. All three are free.