What happens to your printed codes
Ink is permanent. So is the address.
Cancel with 500 printed codes, and all 500 keep scanning. It's in our Terms, and a scan never checks a bill.
What happens, state by state
| State | Scans | Your own domain | Changing destinations | New codes | Export |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paying | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, within your plan | Yes, one click |
| A payment failed30 days to fix it | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cancelled or lapsed | Yes, forever | Yes, forever | Yes with 10 or fewer changeable codes; read-only above that | Within the free plan's 10 changeable codes | Yes, one click, at any time |
| If we ever close | At least 90 days' notice | One DNS change points every code at a replacement, without us | n/a | n/a | Complete and machine-readable, enough to stand up a replacement |
A code stops reaching its destination only if you pause or archive it, or if it's blocked under the Acceptable Use Policy.
Even then, the scan shows a page with your name and a way on to your site. Never an error.
Questions and answers
Do my printed codes stop working if I cancel?
No. Every code you printed keeps scanning, on our domain or yours. You pay to change a destination, not to keep one working.
What happens if a payment fails?
Nothing changes for at least 30 days while you update your card.
I've stopped paying and I have more than 10 changeable codes. What works?
All of them keep scanning. Until you pay again, you can't change their destinations or make new changeable codes. You can export everything at any time.
Do you cap or meter scans?
No. Scans are never counted against a plan, on any plan.
Does anything stand between a scan and my page?
No. A scan gets a bare redirect to your destination: no preview page and no ad, ever.
What does someone see if I pause a code?
A page with your name on it and a way on to your site, or your own stand-in page if you set one. Never an error.
What if your database goes down?
Printed codes still reach their destination from a durable copy. If that copy can't be read either, the scan shows a plain page that says the code is taking a moment and asks the scanner to try again in a few seconds. It names no brand and has no link.
What if qr-codes.ink shuts down?
- You get at least 90 days' notice, and a one-click export of every code's printed address and destination.
- If your codes print on your own domain, one DNS change points them all at a replacement, with no help from us.
- Any domain of ours that has ever been printed is kept registered and forwarding.
Can I get my money back?
Yes. Within 30 days of your first payment, we refund it in full, and every code you printed keeps scanning.
To ask for it: support@qr-codes.ink.
What other services say
What each service's own help, terms and pricing pages say happens to a changeable code you printed. Every cell links its sources.
| Service | If you cancel or stop paying | When a free trial ends | On a smaller plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| qr-codes.ink | Every printed code keeps scanning. Terms § 6Verified | Never switched off — no trial, no scan limit. PlansVerified | Every printed code keeps scanning. Terms § 6Verified |
| QR TIGER | Changeable codes stop when the plan expires. Data is kept up to a year, so you can renew. FAQVerified | A trial ending is listed as one reason a changeable code can stop. QR code not workingVerified | Not stated on their own pages. FAQVerified |
| Uniqode | Changeable codes stop on the renewal date. Reactivating restores them. If I cancelVerified | Changeable codes stop when the 14-day trial expires. When a subscription endsVerified | You delete or deactivate codes until you're under the smaller plan's limit. Plans and pricingVerified |
| Flowcode | Conflict: the Terms say codes beyond the free plan's 2 are archived and sent to flowcode.com or a place Flowcode picks. The help centre says they keep scanning to your last destination. Terms of UseWhen I cancelVerified | If you pick a plan with fewer codes, the rest are archived, which the help centre says keeps them scanning. A trial that ends with no plan chosen is not described. End of trialsTrial termsVerified | Conflict: the help centre says codes beyond the 2 you keep go on scanning. The Terms say they are archived and sent elsewhere. When I downgradeTerms of UseVerified |
| QR Code Generator PRO (Bitly) | Conflict: a help article says codes keep working for 30 days after the paid period, then show a service page. An older guide, still live, says three more years. How do I cancelEditing guideVerified | Changeable codes are switched off at the end of the 14-day trial and show a service page. When the trial expiresVerified | You pause the codes beyond the smaller plan's limit first. A paused code shows a service page. |
| QR Code Maker | The account moves to Free: the oldest changeable code stays live, and the rest show a paused page. | The oldest changeable code stays on, and the rest are paused. After the trialVerified | Codes within the smaller plan's limit stay live, oldest first. The rest show a paused page. When you downgradeVerified |
| CodeQR | Codes keep scanning, after a cancellation or a failed payment. | Codes keep scanning. The 7-day trialVerified | Nothing is deleted, and existing codes stay. Change your planVerified |