QR Code Tracking

How QR code tracking works

An ordinary QR code has your web address printed straight into the pattern. The phone reads it and goes directly to your site, and nobody in between ever knows the scan happened. That is why a free, static QR code cannot be tracked — not by us, and not by anyone else after the fact.

A tracked code holds a short QRSpike link instead. When someone scans it, QRSpike records the scan and immediately forwards the phone to your real destination. The visitor sees your page as normal; the hop takes a fraction of a second. Because the forwarding happens on our side, the destination is a setting you can change rather than something baked into the print.

What the reports show

• Scans over time for each tracked code, grouped by day, week or month.
• Several codes on one chart, so you can compare a flyer against a poster, or one store against another.
• Date-range filtering — this month, the last few months, or the full history your plan keeps.
• Devices, operating systems and browsers — iPhone or Android, phone or desktop, Safari or the Instagram app.
• Where scans come from — country on every paid plan, down to city on Professional.
• Automated visits filtered out — link previews and security scanners are counted separately, so the charts describe people.
• Smart Redirect breakdowns showing which of your redirect rules served each scan.
• CSV export of the same numbers for your own analysis.

How far back the history goes depends on the plan: Standard keeps 6 months; Professional keeps 12 months. The 30-day free trial includes everything, so you can see real numbers before you pay.

QRSpike reports scans as totals — how many, when, on what kind of device and roughly where. It does not identify the individual people who scanned, and the scanner's IP address is deleted as soon as the location has been estimated.

Tracked vs. free QR codes

If you only need a code that opens one page and never changes, a free URL QR code is the right tool, and it costs nothing. Tracking is worth paying for when you want to know whether a piece of print is pulling its weight, or when the destination may change.

Where tracking earns its keep

• Print advertising. Give each flyer, mailer or poster run its own code and see which placement brings people in.
• Product packaging. Measure how many buyers open the setup guide or the registration page.
• Events and trade shows. Compare scans on the booth banner against the handouts.
• Real estate signs. See which listings draw scans, and point the sign at the next property when one sells.
• Menus and promotions. Swap the destination when the menu or the offer changes, without reprinting.

How to create a tracked QR code

1. Start a free trial — no credit card.
2. Choose Create QR Code and pick Website with Tracking.
3. Enter the destination URL, then style the code with your colors and a center icon.
4. Save and download it. Scans start appearing in your reports as soon as people use it.

The step-by-step guide in our Support Center walks through each screen, and Reports & CSV Export explains every report.

Common questions

Can you track a QR code?

Only if it was created as a tracked code. Tracking works by sending the scan through a service that records it, so it has to be set up before the code is printed. A code that already points directly at your website cannot be tracked retroactively.

Can I track a free QR code?

No. Free QR codes, ours included, point straight at the destination, so there is nothing in the path to count the scan. That is also why they never stop working.

Do I need to reprint the code to change where it goes?

No. Edit the destination URL in your dashboard and the printed code follows it straight away.

Can I see where my QR code was scanned?

Yes. Every paid plan shows scans by country, and Professional adds the city. Location is estimated from the scanner's network address, so the country is reliable and the city approximate.

Does tracking slow down the scan?

Not noticeably. The scan is recorded and the phone is forwarded in a single quick hop before your page starts loading.

What happens to my tracked codes if I cancel?

Tracked codes need an active plan to forward scans. If your account moves to the Free plan they pause, and scanners see a notice instead of your page. They come back automatically, with the same printed code, as soon as you resubscribe. There is no long-term contract — plans are billed month to month.

How much does QR code tracking cost?

Plans with tracking start at $6 a month. Compare everything on the pricing page, or try it free for 30 days first.