QRCode Monkey codes do not expire. The generator makes static QR codes, which store the destination inside the pattern itself. Your phone decodes them locally, with no server in the loop, so there is nothing anyone can switch off. QRCode Monkey's own site says its codes never expire and have no scan limit.
That is the short answer. The longer one covers the two things that can still break a QRCode Monkey code, and the one paid feature that behaves differently. If you want the general version, see do QR codes expire.
Why don't QRCode Monkey codes expire?
Because they are static. When you type a URL into QRCode Monkey and download the image, that URL is encoded directly into the black and white modules. The pattern is the data. Your camera reads it the way a checkout scanner reads a barcode — locally, with no lookup and no account.
QRCode Monkey states this plainly. Its site describes the generated codes as permanent, with no expiration and no scanning limit. That is not a special feature. It is true of every static QR code ever made, from any generator, including ours.
So a QRCode Monkey code you print today will still decode in twenty years. The QR format is an ISO standard (ISO/IEC 18004), stable since 1994, and every modern phone camera reads it natively.
What actually breaks a QRCode Monkey code?
Two things, and neither is expiry. The first is the destination. A static code points to a fixed URL, and if that page moves or is deleted, the code decodes fine — to a dead link. You cannot edit a static code after printing, so a changed destination means a reprint. We cover this in why did my QR code stop working.
The second is the print. A code that is too small, low-contrast, or physically damaged will not scan. That is a printing problem, not a lifespan problem. The fix is size and contrast, and a scan test before the print run.
Both failures happen to static codes from any tool. Neither involves a company deactivating anything, because with a static code there is no company in the loop to deactivate it.
Does QRCode Monkey have a scan limit?
No. QRCode Monkey's site says its codes have no scan limit — you can scan a code as many times as you like. This is the natural consequence of the codes being static. There is no server counting scans, so there is no counter to cap.
This is worth stating because some generators do cap free codes. QR Tiger, for example, stops free dynamic codes after 500 scans each, per its own policy. That kind of cap only applies to dynamic codes, which route through the provider's server. A static QRCode Monkey code has no such ceiling.
What about QRCode Monkey's dynamic or paid codes?
This is the one exception. Alongside the free static generator, QRCode Monkey promotes a paid, subscription-backed dynamic option. Dynamic codes work differently: they encode a short link owned by the provider, and the provider's server decides where each scan goes.
That indirection lets you edit the destination after printing, and it is also a leash. A subscription-backed dynamic code lasts as long as the subscription. If the plan lapses, the provider controls where the printed code now points. That is the model behind most "my QR code expired" complaints, and we documented it across services in the expiry table and the free trial trap.
So the honest split: a free QRCode Monkey static code cannot expire, and a paid dynamic code can stop working if you stop paying. If you never touched the paid dynamic feature, you have a static code, and it is permanent.
How do I check which kind I have?
You do not need to remember any policy. Scan your code and look at the URL before it redirects.
- If the URL is your own destination — your site, your menu, your form — it is static and permanent.
- If the URL is a short domain you do not own, it is dynamic and lasts only while the provider keeps the redirect alive.
- WiFi, vCard, SMS, and plain-text codes never involve a URL — always static, always permanent.
- When in doubt, remake it as a static code and scan-test it before printing.
How do I make a QR code that cannot expire?
Use a generator that builds static codes in your browser. Qranite's free generator computes the pattern on your device, so your data never reaches our servers. We could not expire your code if we tried, because we never had it. No signup, no watermark, SVG for print and PNG up to 4096px.
If you genuinely need to re-point a printed code or count scans, our dynamic codes come with the policy in writing: stop paying and your printed codes keep redirecting forever. You lose editing and analytics beyond free limits — never the code itself. A free account includes 2 dynamic codes; Pro is $9/mo or $72/yr for 50.