Adding QR codes to your WordPress site is a creative way to boost engagement and offer users a new way to interact with your content.
These codes can be used for many purposes, like sharing information or granting access to exclusive content. Beyond that, QR codes can also be used to sell products directly from your online store, collect payments, and much more.
At WPBeginner, we don’t typically use QR codes, but we’ve seen plenty of our readers and clients use them effectively. In our experience, the easiest way to add them to your site is using QR code plugins for WordPress.
That’s why we decided to research and test the best WordPress QR code plugins for all kinds of use cases. We found that the Shortcodes Ultimate, Automator QR Code Generator, and Kaya QR code stand out as the top options, among a few others.
In this article, we will share some of the best WordPress plugins that allow you to add unique QR codes to your site.
![Best QR Code Plugins for WordPress to Generate QR Codes Best QR Code Plugins for WordPress to Generate QR Codes](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/best-qr-code-plugins-for-wordpress-in-post.png)
Quick Pick – The Best QR Code Plugins for WordPress
In a hurry? Take a quick look at our expert picks to make a decision.
# | Plugins | Best For | Pricing |
---|---|---|---|
🥇 | Shortcodes Ultimate | Custom shortcodes and QR code generator | $39/year |
🥈 | Automator QR Code Generator | Creating automated workflows with QR codes | $149/year |
🥉 | Kaya QR Code | QR codes for pages, posts, sidebars | Free |
4 | Qyrr | Creating dynamic QR codes | Free |
5 | QR Code MeCard/vCard | Creating QR codes for sharing contacts | Free |
6 | AffiliateWP | Instant payments by adding a QR code on the checkout page | $149.60/year |
7 | UPI QR Code | Instant payments by adding QR code on the checkout page | Free |
8 | Pretty Links | Custom checkout links using third-party QR code plugins | $99.60/year |
9 | OptinMonster | Display popup campaigns with QR codes | $9/month |
Why Use a QR Code Plugin?
A QR code (or Quick Response code) is a unique abstract square design, most often black and white, that directs the user to a URL or other data.
We recommend WordPress QR code plugins for generating QR codes, which your users can then scan to access information.
QR codes are used in digital marketing and customer service to link directly to online resources, promotions, or product details.
They simplify the user experience by creating a bridge between physical and digital spaces, enhancing user engagement.
Plus, QR codes can potentially boost marketing strategies and improve customer engagement.
How We Tested And Reviewed QR Code Plugins for WordPress
To give you a clear perspective, we followed certain criteria when testing the most popular QR code plugins for WordPress.
- Personal Experience: We included Shortcodes Ultimate, Automator QR Code Generator, and OptinMonster on the list because we have been using them on a few of our websites. Plus, we tested several other QR code plugins specifically made for WordPress sites that can help integrate the online and offline worlds.
- Ease of Use: Our team selected plugins that are simple and easy to configure for beginners, making it easy to generate QR codes in WordPress.
- Features: We tested QR code plugins for different features, such as static vs. dynamic QR code generation, integrations, customization options, and data tracking capabilities.
- Reliability: We have only included the plugins we tested and reviewed ourselves. Plus, our team added different plugins to this list to serve a variety of use cases for QR codes.
- Free vs. Premium: We explored both free and premium options, considering the value proposition and highlighting any limitations of the free QR code plugins.
Why Trust WPBeginner?
At WPBeginner, we’ve been helping WordPress website owners and online entrepreneurs since 2009. Our team of experts has tested, researched, and covered plenty of different software over the years.
We thoroughly test and research every tool that we don’t already use on our websites or for our business operations before suggesting it to our readers. That way, we can provide the most accurate, useful, and up-to-date recommendations.
For more details, you should see our editorial process.
Without any further delay, let’s look at our picks for the best QR code plugins for WordPress.
1. Shortcodes Ultimate
![Shortcode Ultimate Shortcode Ultimate](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/shortcodeultimate.png)
Shortcodes Ultimate is a powerful WordPress plugin that lets you add custom shortcodes and QR codes to your pages. It has a shortcode snippet for displaying custom QR codes on your WordPress site.
During our testing, we found that it lets you customize the shortcode and add any prompt you want your users to open by scanning the QR code. You can also change the size, color, background, and error correction for the QR code.
You can read more about its features in our complete Shortcodes Ultimate review.
We appreciate some of their top features, including dynamic QR codes, password-protected QR codes, and bulk QR codes. The best part is that you can sign up for a free trial before committing to one of their paid plans.
Pros of Shortcodes Ultimate
- Ready-made shortcodes, including a shortcode snippet for the QR code.
- We like the live preview option, which lets you see the final result before publishing QR codes in WordPress.
- Our team tested the password-protected QR code feature, which requires users to enter a password before accessing the linked content. It’s super useful for protecting sensitive information.
- We were impressed with their dynamic QR codes. These codes can update the destination URL or data after they are printed or distributed. This is useful for situations where the information behind the QR code might change.
- Our investigation revealed that it’s fully customizable and works with popular WordPress themes.
Cons of Shortcodes Ultimate
- You need a basic knowledge of coding to add custom attributes to your shortcode.
- The free version lets you create a shortcode to display a QR code. But you need the paid plan for advanced tracking and analytics, customization options, and higher-resolution QR codes.
Why We Recommend Shortcodes Ultimate: We recommend Shortcodes Ultimate because it’s a reliable QR code plugin for WordPress. It offers excellent customization options to change color, size, background, and more for your QR code.
Plus, you can easily add data attributes to display a fully customized QR code in WordPress. We also really liked the dynamic QR codes that let you update the destination URL or data behind the code, even after it’s published.
Pricing: Starts at $39 per year for a single site license.
2. Automator QR Code Generator
![Uncanny Automator Uncanny Automator](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/uncannyautomator.png)
Automator QR Code Generator is an integration for the Uncanny Automator WordPress plugin. It lets you create automated workflows and generate QR codes based on your WordPress website data.
For example, you might use a QR code to store product data from your online store, contain ticket information for your events, or link to student records in your e-learning platform.
You can learn more about our experiences using the plugin in our Uncanny Automator review.
Over the years, we have used Uncanny Automator on several of our websites to streamline automated workflows, and the experience has been consistently excellent. The plugin has proven reliable, user-friendly, and incredibly effective in saving time.
While customization options depend on the specific workflow you create, Automator also offers control over data used in the QR code (text, URLs, etc.). Additionally, some customization of the QR code itself is possible, such as size and error correction.
Automator QR Code Generator also offers dynamic options, such as updating the data after publishing a QR code. It also lets you track marketing campaigns with unique UTM parameters, link to expiring content offers, and set conditions to determine the content displayed in your QR code.
Pros of Automator QR Code Generator
- Generate QR codes automatically based on user actions or other events on your WordPress site.
- During our real-time use, we discovered that it integrates with other plugins within the Uncanny Automator ecosystem for powerful automation possibilities.
- We were impressed that it offers some level of customization for the QR code data and its appearance.
- We liked their conditional logic feature, which determines the content displayed in a QR code. For instance, you can generate a QR code that shows the user’s contact information if they are logged in to your WordPress site or display a completely different QR code with a public link if the user is not logged in.
- It has hundreds of powerful integrations with third-party WordPress plugins and apps, including WooCommerce, LearnDash, and more. For example, it can automatically add a QR code in product emails that, when scanned, shows a coupon to users because they bought a specific product from your online store.
Cons of Automator QR Code Generator
- Setting up automated workflows might require some technical knowledge.
- You need the Uncanny Automator pro plan to access the QR code generator.
Why We Recommend Automator QR Code Generator: We fully recommend the Uncanny Automator’s QR Code Generator. It lets you automatically create QR codes based on your specific needs, saving you time and effort.
Some of their top features we couldn’t miss adding here were conditional QR codes, dynamic QR code generation, and tracking QR code data in Google Analytics.
Pricing: Starts at $149 per year for a single site.
3. Kaya QR Code
![Kaya QR Code Kaya QR Code](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/kayaqrcode.png)
Kaya QR Code is a free WordPress QR code plugin. It lets you create and add QR codes to your landing pages, posts, sidebars, and other content areas.
While testing, we came across its built-in widget that lets you add a QR code in the widget-ready areas of your website. You can also use the shortcode generator to display the QR code anywhere on your site.
Pros of Kaya QR Code
- The customization options include shadowing the image so your QR code stands out.
- We like that it lets you add an alternate text to the QR code that shows on the mouseover.
- We found that you can make clickable QR codes so the user can click and visit the landing page.
- It’s fully compatible with WordPress multisite network and WooCommerce.
Cons of Kaya QR Code
- The QR code visibility customization options are limited.
- Some of the online reviews reported that the plugin is not compatible with all WordPress themes and plugins.
Why We Recommend Kaya QR Code: We highly recommend Kaya QR Code as a free WordPress QR code generator plugin. It gives you the basic options, including generating and adding a QR code anywhere on your WordPress site.
What makes it different from other QR code plugins is its ability to make your QR code clickable. It can helpful in a lot of cases, like when you don’t have a QR code scanner.
Pricing: Free
4. Qyrr
![Qyrr Qyrr](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/qyrr.png)
Qyrr is a free WordPress QR code plugin that lets you create, manage, and track QR codes easily. Plus, we really like that it lets you create dynamic QR codes that can be edited without changing the design.
The best part about using Qyrr is that it lets you add your logo or text within the QR code to personalize it.
Pros of Qyrr
- Our research unveiled that you can fully track how many times the QR code is scanned.
- It allows you to generate QR codes in bulk.
- We tried exporting the QR code in an SVG file for HD quality, and it worked out great.
- During testing, we found that Qyrr is compatible with the block editor, and you can use a custom block to display your QR code.
Cons of Qyrr
- The free version has limited features, and you’ll need the premium version to access options like dynamic QR codes, tracking, and bulk QR code generator.
- The plugin has a bit of a learning curve and may not be as beginner-friendly as some of the other QR code plugins on this list.
Why We Recommend Qyrr: We recommend Qyrr for its basic yet reliable features. The premium plan comes with dynamic QR codes, tracking and management, and a bulk QR code generator. You should also know that there is a lifetime plan, which means you can buy the plugin once and use it forever.
Pricing: Free. The premium plans start at $39 per year for a single-site license. For the same license, you can pay $119.99 to get lifetime access.
5. QR code MeCard/vCard
![QR Code MeCard/VCard QR Code MeCard/VCard](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/qrcodemecard.jpg)
QR code MeCard/vCard is a free WordPress QR code plugin built to share your contact information with users. You can add the QR code to your WordPress site using a shortcode or custom widget.
We found it particularly impressive that the plugin lets you generate a QR code containing personal information, such as your contact number, email address, and other details, in the MeCard or vCard format. This is helpful when you want to share your contact details to a mass audience.
Pros of QR code MeCard/vCard
- It supports the latest versions of MeCard and vCard and allows users to share contact information.
- QR codes are fully customizable, allowing you to add your logo, change color, and modify the size.
- It lets you create a QR code with your existing user profile in WordPress.
- Easy to add the QR code on your website pages or posts using a shortcode or widget.
Cons of QR code MeCard/vCard
- We didn’t like that it’s limited to sharing contact information and doesn’t offer advanced features.
- There’s no analytics or data on how many people are saving your contact details using the QR code.
Why We Recommend QR code MeCard/vCard: We recommend QR code MeCard/vCard as a simple and free WordPress plugin for sharing contact information with users. It lets you add QR codes to your pages, posts, sidebar, footer, and any widget-ready areas.
Plus, your users can scan QR codes to save your contact information to their address book instantly.
Pricing: Free
6. AffiliateWP
![AffiliateWP AffiliateWP](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/affiliatewp.png)
AffiliateWP is the best WordPress affiliate management plugin on the market. It lets you create referral links, affiliate banners, and affiliate QR codes to reach a wide audience and increase your sales.
Over the years, we’ve used the plugin to manage affiliate programs on several of our websites and have consistently had a positive experience. Want to know more? Check out our complete AffiliateWP review.
You can use the AffiliateWP QR Codes add-on to display QR codes in your emails, affiliate banners, and other places. You can also print affiliate QR codes on physical products or advertisements to boost your marketing efforts.
![AffiliateWP QR Code Add-on AffiliateWP QR Code Add-on](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/affwpqrcode.png)
AffiliateWP comes with powerful affiliate growth tools, including email marketing integration, to grow your affiliate program. It also supports dozens of languages, so you can set up and manage the affiliate program in your language.
For more details, see our guide on how to easily add an affiliate program in WooCommerce.
Pros of AffiliateWP
- Create custom QR codes for your affiliate links.
- When we were using the tool, we found that you can share the QR codes on your business cards to get offline clicks.
- It’s easy to track your affiliate QR code data in Google Analytics and other third-party tracking tools.
- We love that it offers 1-click payouts to your affiliate partners with Stripe or PayPal.
- Complete and detailed affiliate reports to improve your affiliate program.
Cons of AffiliateWP
- QR codes can take up more space on your website than simple affiliate links.
Why We Recommend AffiliateWP: We recommend AffiliateWP as the best affiliate management plugin for WordPress sites. It comes with powerful features to set up and run your affiliate program. For example, it allows you to create affiliate links, affiliate landing pages, and QR codes to grow your business.
You can use affiliate QR codes for offline marketing. It helps in reaching a wider audience and getting more clicks on your affiliate links.
Pricing: The personal plan costs $149.60 per year. However, you’ll need their Plus plan to create affiliate QR codes and access growth tools, which costs $199.60 per year.
7. UPI QR Code
![UPI QR Code UPI QR Code](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/upiqrcode.jpg)
UPI QR Code is a free WordPress QR code plugin for WooCommerce stores. It lets you accept instant payments from customers by showing a unique QR code on the checkout page.
The plugin is built for digital payments in India and works with all UPI (Unified Payments Interface) apps working in the country, including Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay, and more.
Your customers can scan the QR code and enter their PIN code, and the payment will be deposited into your bank account immediately.
Pros of UPI QR Code
- We love that it offers instant payments with no transaction fees.
- Works with all UPI apps, allowing users to choose their favorite payment app to pay in your online store.
- We tested their WooCommerce integration, and it was beginner-friendly and easy to set up.
- The plugin is built for small businesses with no hidden charges and is completely free.
Cons of UPI QR Code
- We didn’t appreciate that it is limited to UPI payments and doesn’t allow other payment methods like credit cards.
- It accepts payment in Indian Rupees, which means no international currency is accepted. It is also limited to Indian eCommerce stores.
Why We Recommend UPI QR Code: We recommend UPI QR Code as a powerful plugin that easily integrates with WooCommerce. If you’re running an online store in India, this plugin can help you accept payments with QR codes (no transaction fees or hidden charges).
Pricing: Free
8. Pretty Links
![Is Pretty Links the right link management plugin for your affiliate website? Is Pretty Links the right link management plugin for your affiliate website?](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/pretty-links-affiliate.png)
Pretty Links is the best WordPress affiliate link management and URL shortener plugin. It lets you create custom checkout links for your WooCommerce store and convert your links into QR codes using a third-party QR code plugin.
Over the years, we’ve used it across several of our partner brands, and it has consistently delivered great results. The plugin makes managing affiliates incredibly easy and is a game-changer for simplifying affiliate management. For more details, see our Pretty Links review.
The plugin allows you to shorten your long affiliate links. You can also add branding to your links so they look professional when you share affiliate links on your social profiles and other platforms.
Pros of Pretty Links
- Easy integration with QR code plugins like Kaya QR Code and Qyrr.
- Our evaluation revealed that it creates trackable QR codes for your affiliate links.
- You can create custom redirect links to send users to your landing pages and get additional information before making a sale.
- Tracks your affiliate links to see which campaign is performing best.
Cons of Pretty Links
- You will need a third-party WordPress QR code plugin to create and share QR codes with Pretty Links.
Why We Recommend Pretty Links: We recommend Pretty Links as the best WordPress URL shortener plugin. It can convert your long, unappealing affiliate links into customized, beautiful URLs.
Plus, it lets you connect a QR code plugin like Kaya QR or Qyrr to create trackable QR codes for your WordPress affiliate links.
Pricing: The beginner plan costs $99.60 per year for a single site license.
9. OptinMonster
![OptinMonster OptinMonster](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/optinmonster-site.png)
OptinMonster is the best lead generation and conversion optimization software on the market. It lets you create beautiful popup campaigns that display a custom QR code to redirect users to register for an event, download an ebook, or get a discounted coupon on your products.
We’ve used OptinMonster multiple times on WPBeginner to generate leads, and it has consistently delivered outstanding results.
You can read our complete experience in this OptinMonster review.
![OptinMonster QR Code campaign OptinMonster QR Code campaign](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/omqrcode.png)
The tool never disappoints, providing effective lead-generation campaigns that drive engagement and conversions.
It comes with hundreds of ready-made templates for popup campaigns. To boost your traffic and revenue, you can quickly create a lightbox popup campaign, add a QR code, and choose your target audience.
Pros of OptinMonster
- Powerful conversion optimization that helps generate leads and increase your sales.
- We love its Exit-Intent® technology that triggers a popup when your user is about to leave your website.
- Our team also uses their page-specific targeting to display popup campaigns. You can fully control which marketing campaign you display on each page of your site.
- During our research, we found that it comes with MonsterLinks, clickable links that open personalized optin popups when clicked. When a user clicks a link, you can display a QR code to increase engagement.
Cons of OptinMonster
- It’s not a typical QR code plugin. You’ll need a third-party WordPress QR code plugin to generate a QR code and use it with your popup campaign.
Why We Recommend OptinMonster: We recommend OptinMonster as the best lead generation software. It offers beautiful, responsive marketing campaigns that look good on any screen size or device.
It lets you add pre-generated QR codes to your marketing campaigns. QR codes are easy to scan from mobile devices, and they are also trackable, so you’ll know exactly how many people are interacting with them.
Pricing: The basic plan costs $9 per month (billed annually) for a single site license and lets you build lightbox popup campaigns.
Bonus: WPForms
![WPForms WPForms](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/wpforms-website-2.png)
WPForms is the best contact form plugin for WordPress. It comes with over 2000+ ready-made form templates, including payment forms with QR codes.
Over the years, we’ve used the plugin to create forms on our websites and have found the process to be super beginner-friendly. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes setting up forms quick and hassle-free, even for those with no technical experience.
If you want to read more, our team did a complete WPForms review with all the features and options.
You can use a third-party plugin to make a QR code for your payment form and add it anywhere on your WordPress site. It will allow you to accept online payments quickly.
Moreover, you can create a simple order form and add the payment QR code to your WordPress form. After filling out the order form, the user can scan the QR code and pay using their preferred payment method.
Pros of WPForms
- Powerful integrations with Stripe, PayPal, and other payment methods.
- Ready-made payment forms for different online businesses.
- Drag-and-drop form builder to customize any form without coding.
- Form widgets and shortcodes to add forms anywhere on your WordPress site.
Cons of WPForms
- WPForms doesn’t come with a built-in QR code generator. However, you can use a third-party plugin like the Uncanny Automator’s QR Code Generator to add QR codes to your WordPress forms.
Why We Recommend WPForms: We recommend WPForms because it is the most beginner-friendly and best WordPress form plugin. It supports popular payment methods and integrates with dozens of QR code services to accept online payments quickly.
Pricing: Starts at $49.50 per year. For payment methods, you’ll need the WPForms Pro plan, which lets you add the WordPress form plugin on up to 5 sites.
Which Is the Best QR Code Plugin for WordPress?
We recommend Shortcodes Ultimate as the best WordPress QR code plugin. It lets you create custom QR codes and edit their color, size, and background to match your brand.
Alternatively, if you want to automate workflows with hundreds of integrations using QR codes, then Automator QR Code Generator by Uncanny Automator is the best choice. It lets you manage shopping cart payments, membership sites, learning management systems, and more.
Kaya QR Code Generator and Qyrr are also great free WordPress QR code plugins. Both free QR code plugins seamlessly integrate with your favorite affiliate services, email marketing services, and other WordPress plugins.
We hope this article has helped you find the best QR code plugins for WordPress. You may also want to check out our other WordPress guides for growing your business.
Best WordPress Guides for Your Website
- How to Add Stripe QR Code Payment in WordPress
- How to Generate and Add QR Codes in WordPress (Easy Tutorial)
- Best Email Marketing Services for Small Businesses
- How to Accept SEPA Payments in WordPress (Easy Ways)
- How to Accept Giropay Payments in WordPress (The Easy Way)
- Best Business Phone Number Services for Small Businesses
- How to Accept Affirm Payments in WordPress (Easy Methods)
- How to Easily Accept Bitcoin Payments in WordPress (Step by Step)
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Oyatogun Oluwaseun Samuel
Thanks for this article. I have not really give much thoughts to implementing QR code for my the wordpress sites that i have done for my clients or myself. Thanks for shaping my perspective on the benefits and opportunities QR code afford. I think I am going to explore the shortcodes ultimate plugin because you recommend it. Even now I am following the link to know more about it. Great article, thanks.
Mrteesurez
This is a fantastic roundup. QR codes to helps bridge the gap between offline and online marketing, and the right plugin can make all the difference. Although I used the free version but it has been a game-changer for me, it’s easy to use and integrates with my site. I noticed a increase in engagement after adding QR codes to my business cards and flyers. People don’t need to manually enter my URL, the just scanned it. Thanks for sharing these expert picks as they are very valuable for businesses.
Marko Kozlica
We are using Dynamic.ooo to generate dynamic QR codes on a couple of sites for our clients, and actually one of our digital business card service. It allows us to change the QR code dynamically based on changes in user data.
We will try some of these free tools and let you know what we find out. Thanks for the list.
Kzain
so many options but I think AffiliateWP is the best option if the QR codes are for marketing purposes and Qyrr as well if you want to track the scans
Mrteesurez
I’ve experienced with few QR code plugins and since I have acquired AffiliateWP, I hadn’t considered how powerful it’s QR code feature could be, especially for marketing and campaigns. I’ll definitely check it out—it might be another module or add-on. As for Qyrr, I don’t have experience with it, but it seems incredibly helpful for tracking scans, which would provide valuable insights into user engagement. I appreciate your recommendations!
Jiří Vaněk
I can imagine a very wide range of uses for QR codes on my website. For saving my contact information, adding events to Google Calendar, and many other purposes. QR codes are fantastic and offer tremendous flexibility, which I really like. I will definitely try some of the plugins (at least the free versions). Thanks for the tips. I already have many ideas for how to use them.