Direct vs Tracked QR Codes
Compare Direct and Tracked QR codes in QR Anvil. Learn how redirects, editable destinations, scan analytics, privacy, and long-term use differ.
A Direct QR code stores the final content in the square pattern. A Tracked QR code stores a short QR Anvil link that redirects to the final destination.
This difference controls whether you can change the destination and collect scan data. It also controls whether the code depends on the QR Anvil redirect service.
What a Direct QR code does
A Direct code contains the URL, Wi-Fi details, contact card, message, or text that you entered. QR Anvil renders the image in your browser. Scanning does not go through a QR Anvil redirect.
The stored content cannot change after you download or print the code. To correct the content, you must create and publish a new QR code.
- Best for permanent information.
- No QR Anvil redirect is required after creation.
- No scan analytics are collected by QR Anvil.
- The destination or saved content is not editable.
What a Tracked QR code does
A Tracked code contains a short URL on the QR Anvil domain. When a person scans it, the QR Anvil server finds the current destination and sends the browser there.
This redirect lets the owner change the destination URL without changing the printed code. It also permits scan analytics such as time, country, city when available, device, operating system, and browser.
- Best for campaigns, menus, and links that can change.
- The QR Anvil redirect service must be available for the link to open.
- The owner can change the destination in the dashboard.
- QR Anvil records scan analytics for the redirect.
Choose Direct when
- The content is final and is not likely to change.
- You do not need scan counts or device information.
- You want the scan to work without a QR Anvil redirect.
- You create Wi-Fi, vCard, email, SMS, or plain-text content that a phone reads directly.
Choose Tracked when
- You need to change a supported destination after print.
- You need scan totals or scan trends for a campaign.
- You want one printed code to point to a new menu, form, or page later.
- You accept that each scan first contacts the QR Anvil redirect service.
Privacy and reliability differences
Direct code creation and rendering occur in the browser. After you distribute the code, QR Anvil is not part of its scan path. The app that scans the code and the final website can still process data under their own policies.
A Tracked scan contacts QR Anvil before it opens the destination. QR Anvil stores analytics and a truncated IP address as described by the product. The redirect also needs network access and a working QR Anvil service.
Test both modes before print
Scan the final downloaded file, not only the live preview. For a Direct code, confirm every saved detail. For a Tracked code, confirm the redirect and then change the destination once in the dashboard to test the full workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Direct QR code the same as a static QR code?
In QR Anvil, Direct means that the final content is stored in the code. This is commonly called a static QR code because the stored content cannot change.
Can I track scans of a Direct QR code?
QR Anvil does not track Direct code scans because they do not use its redirect service. The destination website can have its own analytics.
Does a Tracked QR code change when I edit its destination?
No. The printed code continues to store the same short URL. QR Anvil changes where that short URL redirects.
Which QR code mode works without QR Anvil after download?
A Direct QR code does not need QR Anvil after download. Content that opens an online page still needs the destination website and an internet connection.