Free Newsletter QR Code Generator — Signup Links

Your dedicated signup page, not your homepage or latest post. On Substack that is yourpublication.substack.com/subscribe; Ghost uses a #/portal/signup route; Beehiiv, Mailchimp and ConvertKit all provide hosted signup or landing pages. The test is simple — open the page on a phone and count the taps to subscribed. If it is more than two, pick a different URL.

UTM parameters, added before you generate the code. ?utm_source=qr&utm_medium=badge&utm_campaign=summit2026 will appear in your platform's acquisition reporting, letting you compare a conference badge against a book insert. Give each placement its own campaign value. With a static code these are permanent, so decide the naming scheme before printing. A dynamic code additionally gives you scan analytics — scans versus subscribers is the conversion rate you actually want.

Ideally yes, and it costs nothing to do. Event scanners have high intent and no patience — send them to a one-field form. Packaging scanners are already customers and will tolerate a page explaining what they get. Generate a separate code per surface with distinct UTM values, and you get both better conversion and better data.

Every static code breaks, because the subscribe URL changes entirely. This is the single most common way newsletter QR codes die, and platform migration is common in this category. A dynamic code at $5/month lets you repoint every printed code from the dashboard, which costs far less than reprinting conference materials.

It depends on your jurisdiction and platform, and it does affect the flow. With double opt-in the scanner submits an address and then must open a confirmation email to complete signup — a step many people skip when they are walking away from a stand. If your list uses it, say so on the confirmation page ("check your inbox to confirm") rather than leaving people thinking they are done.

At least 1.5 cm on a badge, more if people will scan it from across a table rather than close up. The 10:1 rule applies — scan distance divided by ten gives minimum width. Badges get scanned at arm's length in crowded rooms with variable lighting, so err larger and keep the quiet zone clear.

Yes. Static signup codes are free with no signup, no watermark and no scan limits. SVG export for print and dynamic codes that survive a platform migration start at $5/month.

Use multi-URL if you genuinely publish several and want the scanner to choose. In most cases you should not — a choice screen adds a tap and loses subscribers. One code, one list, one form converts better. Reserve the multi-destination approach for organisations where the newsletters serve genuinely different audiences.