Bitly is a link platform that also makes QR codes, and QuickQRC is a QR tool first. If QR codes are the main job, QuickQRC’s free plan includes editable codes and scan analytics, and Pro keeps a year of scan data for $57.60 a year. If you mostly need branded short links with a few codes alongside them, Bitly is built for that.
Disclosure: we make QuickQRC. Bitly’s figures are vendor-reported, from its pricing page and support center, read on October 31, 2026 and rechecked on November 10, 2026. We did not buy a Bitly plan or test its scan speed.
What does Bitly’s free plan include for QR codes?
Less than the “free dynamic code” label suggests. Bitly’s pricing page lists redirects, which let you change a link after creating it, from Core upward. The same page lists click and scan data history from Core upward, and none on Free. So a free Bitly code cannot be retargeted or tracked.
Bitly also says it uses ads on free accounts, with a page showing a destination preview and an ad, and its pricing page labels the plan “With Ads”. Picture that on a restaurant table: a diner scans for the menu and meets an ad first.
| Free plan | QuickQRC | Bitly |
|---|---|---|
| QR allowance | 5 dynamic codes in total, plus unlimited static | 2 new codes a month |
| Change the destination later | Yes | No, redirects start at Core |
| Scan analytics | 3 months | None |
| Ad page on the way to your link | None at the check date | Yes, on free accounts |
| Hosted pages | 1 | 2 custom landing pages |
| Scans | No plan cap | No cap listed |
How do the paid plans compare?
The two tools count differently. QuickQRC caps how many dynamic codes you hold in total. Bitly caps how many you can create each month.
| Plan | Per year | QR codes | Scan data kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| QuickQRC Pro | $57.60 | 100 in total | 1 year |
| Bitly Core | $120 | 5 a month | 30 days |
| Bitly Growth | $348 | 10 a month | 4 months |
| Bitly Premium | $2,388 | 200 a month | 1 year |
Bitly also offers monthly billing on some plans at a higher rate, but Core is annual only. QuickQRC Pro is $5.99 monthly.
The monthly model can favor Bitly over time. Core lets you create 60 codes in a year, so after about 20 months you would pass QuickQRC Pro’s 100, as long as you stay subscribed. If you make a few new codes every month for years, count that. QuickQRC’s stronger case is the data: keeping a full year of scan history costs $57.60 on QuickQRC and $2,388 on Bitly, and Premium is also where Bitly adds city and device data, which every QuickQRC plan includes.
Redirects are limited too. Bitly’s pricing page lists a monthly redirect allowance on each paid plan: 5 on Core, 20 on Growth and 110 on Premium. QuickQRC does not count edits.
What happens if you stop paying?
This is closer than with most QR tools. Bitly’s downgrade article says bit.ly links keep working after a downgrade, and QR codes behave the same way. Your account drops to the free plan, so we would expect its ad page to apply, though the article does not address that.
Custom domains are the risk. Links on your own domain keep working only while its DNS points to Bitly, and Bitly stops renewing the security certificate. Links on a complimentary domain stop working when its registration expires.
On QuickQRC, dynamic codes keep redirecting after a plan lapses, and editing and analytics pause until you renew. A password-protected code stays closed if your plan no longer covers passwords, and any expiry date or scan limit you set still applies.
Where does Bitly win?
- Short links: it is built around them, with 100 to 3,000 a month on paid plans. QuickQRC is not a link shortener.
- Branded domain: Growth includes a complimentary custom domain and branded links, for $348 a year. QuickQRC’s custom domains start at Business, for $539.88, and need a subdomain.
- Long-run volume: monthly allowances keep adding up, and Premium creates 200 codes a month.
- Enterprise needs: it lists SSO, group permissions and a 99.99% uptime commitment on Enterprise.
- Mobile deep linking: included on Premium.
- Familiarity: your team may already use it, and that is a good reason to stay.
Where does QuickQRC win?
- Free plan: editable codes with scan analytics and no ad page.
- Scan history per dollar: one year for $57.60.
- QR-specific design: 50 static types, 61 frames and a type page for each use.
- Static codes without an account: a free code that holds your link directly, so no service stands between the scan and your page.
- Teams on a budget: Pro includes 3 users, and Business adds 10 users and single sign-on. Bitly lists multiple users and SSO under Enterprise.
Which should you pick?
Choose Bitly if links are your main channel and QR codes are a side job. Choose QuickQRC if the code is the campaign, such as packaging, posters or menus. In that case, create a free dynamic code and check that it opens your page with no stop on the way. Our QR tracking guide explains what to measure, and QuickQRC vs QR Code Generator covers Bitly’s dedicated QR product.