Capy QR is a free QR code generator that doesn't expire: static codes work forever, and even the 3 free dynamic codes — the editable, trackable kind — keep working with no trial cutoff and no inactivity timer. Here's how that compares with other popular generators, and what actually makes a QR code stop working.
Static QR codes never expire — on any generator
A static QR code encodes its destination directly into the pattern of squares. Scanning it doesn't touch any server — your phone reads the data straight off the image. So a static code can't expire; it will scan the same way in ten years as it does today, as long as the destination it encodes (a URL, a Wi-Fi password) still works. For the technical detail, see do QR codes expire?
Where expiry actually comes from: dynamic codes
Dynamic codes encode a short redirect link instead of your destination — that's what lets you edit them after printing and count scans. It also means the code depends on the provider keeping that redirect alive. Things that can switch it off:
- Free-tier inactivity limits. Some tools disable a free dynamic code after a period with no scans.
- Trials ending. Codes made during a free trial can stop working when the trial ends without a payment method.
- Account deletion. Close the account that made the code, and its codes usually go with it.
That's how dynamic codes work everywhere — someone has to keep hosting the redirect. So the question isn't whether dynamic codes are risky, it's each provider's policy.
Capy QR vs Canva vs QR Code Monkey: which codes expire?
Policies as each provider states them in October 2026 — check their current terms before printing at scale:
| Generator | Static codes | Editable (dynamic) codes | What can switch a dynamic code off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capy QR | Never expire | Up to 3 free, no time or inactivity limit | Closing your account; holding more dynamic codes than your plan allows after a downgrade |
| Canva | Never expire (per Canva) | Expiry dates can be set on Business, Enterprise and Nonprofit plans | An expiry date you set; links that break Canva's content guidelines |
| QR Code Monkey | Never expire | Editing and tracking run through a separate paid product with a trial | The trial or subscription on that paid product ending |
Do Canva QR codes expire?
According to Canva, its static QR codes don't expire. On Canva Business, Enterprise and Nonprofit plans you can set an expiry date on a dynamic code (and choose where scanners go afterward); if you don't set one, it keeps working. Canva can also deactivate a code whose link breaks its content guidelines. Canva is great for laying out a whole flyer — for the QR itself, see Capy QR vs Canva.
Does QR Code Monkey expire?
QR Code Monkey's free codes are static, so they don't expire. Editing or tracking a code isn't part of the free tool — it hands you off to a separate paid product with a trial, and editable codes made there depend on that subscription. More options in QR Code Monkey alternatives.
Capy QR's policy: free dynamic codes don't expire
Capy QR's free dynamic QR codes (up to 3, with 7 days of scan analytics) stay active for as long as your account exists — no scan-based expiry, no inactivity timer, no trial that runs out. Paid plans raise the number of dynamic codes and add custom domains and longer analytics.
The one thing to know: if you downgradewhile holding more dynamic codes than the new plan allows, those codes are paused until you delete down to the limit — then they work again. Staying within your plan's limit, nothing ever switches off. See static vs dynamic QR codes for the full trade-off.
Build yours in the editor → free QR code generator
How to pick a QR code that won't expire
- For something that will never change: use a static code — nothing to expire, ever.
- For something you might update later: use a dynamic code from a provider whose free tier has no expiry, like Capy QR.
- Before printing at scale:read the provider's terms on trials, inactivity and account deletion — don't assume "dynamic" means "permanent."
A code that stays put
Here's a Capy QR — static or dynamic, styled the same way, with no expiry on the free plan:
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a free QR code generator that doesn't expire?
- Yes. Capy QR is free, and its codes don't expire: static codes work forever, and up to 3 free dynamic (editable) codes stay active with no trial cutoff or inactivity timer. Any generator's static codes are permanent too — the difference is what happens to editable codes.
- Do Canva QR codes expire?
- Canva says its static QR codes don't expire. On Canva Business, Enterprise and Nonprofit plans you can choose to set an expiry date on a dynamic code; without one, it keeps working. Canva can also deactivate a code whose link breaks its content guidelines.
- Does QR Code Monkey expire?
- QR Code Monkey's free codes are static, so they don't expire. If you want to edit or track a code, it sends you to a separate paid product with a trial — and those editable codes depend on that subscription staying active.
- Do Capy QR's free dynamic QR codes expire?
- No. Up to 3 dynamic codes stay active on the free plan for as long as your account exists — no scan-based expiry, no inactivity timer, no trial. The one catch: if you downgrade from a paid plan while holding more dynamic codes than the free plan allows, they're paused until you delete down to 3.
- Why would a QR code stop working?
- Almost always because it's dynamic and the redirect behind it was switched off — a trial ended, a subscription lapsed, the account was deleted, or a free tier disabled it after inactivity. The printed image is fine; the destination behind it is gone.
- Should I use a static or dynamic code for something permanent?
- For a destination that will never change — a Wi-Fi password, a fixed address — static is simplest and can't expire. For anything you might need to update later, use a dynamic code from a provider whose free tier has no expiry.
Bottom line: every static QR code is permanent, and with Capy QR, the redirect behind a free dynamic code doesn't expire either. Ready to make one that lasts? Open the free QR code generator or browse more QR guides.