Free tier

What you get

Free codes carry a small, removable TurtleQR mark; paid plans remove it. Hosted pages (list-of-links, coupon, menu, form, video, and business-page codes) display a small "Powered by TurtleQR" footer. Pro+ removes it.

Create a code

Sign up at app.turtleqr.com/signup. No card required. After email verification you land in the dashboard.

1. Click Create code in the dashboard sidebar.
2. Pick a code type. For a simple redirect, choose URL.
3. Enter the destination URL and an optional custom slug (e.g. autumn-menu). The slug is part of the short URL: qr.turtleqr.com/autumn-menu.
4. Optionally pick a frame style (16 branded options are included on the free tier) and adjust foreground color.
5. Click Create. Download the PNG or SVG.

You can also create codes from the interactive generator at /try before signing up. Creating an account saves the code to your workspace.

Track scans

Every scan records a timestamp, country (from Cloudflare edge headers), device type, and a hashed identifier for unique-scan deduplication. No personal data about the scanner is stored. Raw IP addresses are hashed and discarded; they never reach the database.

To view scan analytics, open a code in the dashboard and click Analytics. You will see:

• Total scans and unique scans (24-hour deduplication window)
• Scans over time (daily buckets for the selected range)
• Top countries, devices, operating systems, and browsers
• Hour-of-day and day-of-week heatmaps

Free tier analytics are retained for 30 days. Scans older than 30 days roll off automatically. Pro+ extends retention to 1 year; Business+ to 3 years.

Scans pass through a Cloudflare Queue before landing in the analytics store. Under normal conditions they appear within 5 to 10 minutes. During high traffic, up to 30 minutes. Real-time data is not available.

Each code has a public analytics toggle. When enabled, anyone with the public analytics link can view scan counts and trend data without logging in.

API and MCP access

The free tier includes full access to both the REST API and the MCP server. You can create and manage codes programmatically without a paid plan.

Generate an API key in the dashboard under API keys. The same key authenticates both the REST API at api.turtleqr.com and the MCP server at mcp.turtleqr.com.

See the full references:

• REST API reference for curl-based integration
• MCP server reference for Claude, Cursor, and ChatGPT setup

Plan-tier restrictions (expiration dates, scan caps, password gates) apply through the API and MCP server the same way they apply in the dashboard.

Browser extension

The TurtleQR browser extension generates a QR code for any page you are viewing with a single click. It also shows scan counts for codes you own, directly in the extension popup.

Available for Chrome and Firefox. Install from the extension page.

After installing:

1. Click the TurtleQR icon in your browser toolbar while viewing any page.
2. The extension generates a QR code for the current URL.
3. Sign in to save the code to your workspace and track scans.
4. Download the QR as PNG or SVG directly from the popup.

The extension works without an account for one-time QR generation. An account is required to save codes and view analytics.

Free generator (/free)

The generator at /free produces a one-time QR code without requiring a sign-up. Enter a URL, adjust style if desired, and download a PNG or SVG immediately.

Codes generated at /free are static: the destination is encoded directly into the QR matrix and cannot be changed after generation. There is no scan tracking for static codes generated at /free.

For dynamic codes (retargetable destination, scan analytics), create a free account at app.turtleqr.com/signup.

Pro trial

New accounts receive a 14-day Pro trial automatically on signup. No card is required to start the trial. During the trial you have access to all Pro features: smart routing, password-gated codes, scan caps, expiration dates, 1 year of analytics, and CSV export.

When the trial ends, the account reverts to the free tier. Codes and data are retained. Codes that used Pro-only features (routing rules, password gates) continue to work in read mode, but you cannot create new Pro features without upgrading.

A countdown banner in the dashboard shows how many days remain in the trial.

Codes survive cancellation

This is the core guarantee. If you stop paying, or if you never pay at all, your codes keep redirecting. They point to whatever URL they pointed to at the moment your subscription ended (or, for free-tier codes, wherever you last set them).

What stops working when you downgrade or cancel:

• Editing the destination of a code
• Creating new dynamic codes beyond the free tier limit (100)
• Accessing Pro+ features (routing rules, password gates, CSV export)

What continues working regardless of plan:

• Every existing code continues to redirect
• Scan counts continue to increment (subject to the 30-day free retention window)
• The short URL at qr.turtleqr.com/{slug} remains live

There is no expiration date on any code, on any plan, including free.

Upgrade

If you need more codes, longer analytics retention, smart routing, or team collaboration, upgrade from the dashboard or the pricing page.

Annual billing is available at roughly 20% off. No code disruption occurs during plan changes. Downgrades take effect at the next renewal date.