What is QR code analytics?
QR code analytics is the scan-tracking data attached to a dynamic QR code. Because a dynamic code resolves through a short redirect you control, each scan is logged before the visitor reaches the destination. That log is what analytics reads from.
For every scan it records the total and unique scan counts, the time of the scan, an approximate location (country and city, derived from the visitor's IP address), the device and operating system, and the campaign or UTM the code belongs to. Together these tell you when a code is scanned, roughly where, on what kind of device, and as part of which campaign.
Static QR codes cannot be tracked. A static code encodes its destination directly, so a scan goes straight to that destination with no redirect in between to record it. Analytics require a dynamic code.
What each metric means
A dynamic QR code records these fields on every scan. Here is what each one tells you and how it is measured.
Total and unique scans
Total scans count every time the code is opened. Unique scans estimate distinct visitors, so a person who scans twice is counted once.
Time of scan
The date and time of each scan, which lets you see peak hours, daily patterns, and how a campaign trends after launch.
Approximate location
Country and, where available, city, derived from the visitor’s IP address. It is regional, not a precise position.
Device and operating system
The device type (mobile or desktop) and OS (iOS, Android, and others), read from the browser that made the request.
Referrer and campaign
The campaign or UTM tag the code belongs to, so scans can be grouped by placement, print run, or channel.
Scan history over time
A running record of scans you can filter by date range to compare periods and measure the effect of a change.
What a scan dashboard looks like
The layout below shows how the metrics above appear once a code starts collecting scans. The figures shown are illustrative, not from a real account.
Sample dashboard — illustrative data
Scans by day (last 7 days)
Device types
Common questions about QR code analytics
How does QR code tracking work?
A dynamic QR code encodes a short URL that points at TheQRCode.io rather than your final destination. When someone scans it, the request reaches our redirect first, where the scan is logged along with the time, the visitor’s device and operating system, and an approximate location from their IP address. The visitor is then sent on to the destination you set. Because the tracking happens at the redirect, it works no matter which QR reader or camera app the person uses.
Can you track a static QR code?
No. A static QR code encodes its destination directly in the black-and-white pattern, so a scan goes straight from the reader to the destination with nothing in between to log it. There is no redirect to record the scan, so no analytics are possible. To track scans you need a dynamic QR code, which routes through a short URL you control.
Can I track a QR code someone else made?
Only if it is a dynamic code created in an account you have access to. Analytics come from the redirect that sits behind the code, and that data lives in the account that owns the code. You cannot pull scan data from a code created in another provider’s account or from a static code printed by someone else. If you need the numbers, recreate the destination as a dynamic code in your own account and use that going forward.
How accurate is the location data?
Location is derived from the visitor’s IP address, so it is accurate to the country level and often to the city, but it is not a GPS position. A visitor on a mobile network or VPN can appear in a different city or region than where they physically scanned. Treat it as a regional signal for comparing where campaigns land, not a precise coordinate.
Analytics by plan
Every dynamic code includes scan tracking; how much history and how many codes you can track depend on your plan. See the current limits and prices on the pricing page.
Start tracking your QR code scans
Create a dynamic QR code and it records when, where, and on what device each scan happens. You can read the follow-along QR code analytics tutorial first if you want the full walkthrough.
Create a trackable QR code