ScanTraceQR vs Bitly vs QR Code Monkey
A factual, side-by-side look at what each tool's free tier actually includes — signup requirements, click/scan analytics, location data, and whether QR codes and links are tracked in one place.
Free tier, feature by feature
This reflects what each provider publishes on their own site at the time of writing (August 2026). Free-tier terms change — always check the provider's current pricing page before deciding.
| Free tier | ScanTraceQR | Bitly | QR Code Monkey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account required | No account to generate; free account to track | Yes, even for the free tier | No account for a static QR code |
| Link / QR creation limits | No monthly cap | Monthly caps on links and QR codes on the free tier (check current limits) | No cap on static QR codes |
| Click / scan analytics on free tier | Full — included at no cost | Included, but more limited than paid plans | Not included |
| Location data (free tier) | City-level on every click/scan, plus optional consent-based GPS | Detailed location breakdown reserved for paid plans, per their pricing page | Not available (no free-tier tracking) |
| Device / browser detection | Yes, free | More limited on free tier, per their pricing page | Not available (no free-tier tracking) |
| QR codes and links tracked together | Yes — one dashboard for both | Both offered, under one account | QR codes only; no link shortening or click tracking |
| Editable / dynamic QR destination | Yes, free — change the destination any time | Varies by plan — check current terms | Static only on free tier; dynamic requires their paid PRO plan |
| Live map view | Yes, free | Not confirmed on free tier | Not available (no free-tier tracking) |
| CSV export | Yes, free | Varies by plan — check current terms | Not applicable (no free-tier tracking) |
Sources: Bitly's published pricing page and QR Code Monkey's own site, reviewed August 2026. Where a specific limit or behavior wasn't clearly published, we've described it qualitatively rather than guessing a number.
Why these three tools aren't quite apples-to-apples
Bitly is a link-management platform first, with QR codes as an add-on feature under the same account. Its free tier is built around encouraging upgrades: you get an account, unlimited clicks and scans on the links you create, but a monthly cap on how many links and QR codes you can make, and analytics that get more detailed as you move up in plan.
QR Code Monkey takes the opposite approach: it's a QR code designer, not a tracking tool, and its free static codes are genuinely unlimited and permanent — but "static" means the destination can't change and there's no scan data at all. Tracking and editability are the paid PRO tier's whole value proposition.
ScanTraceQR is built around the opposite bet: that click and scan analytics — location, device, time — are the actual point of a trackable link or QR code, so they're not a paid add-on. What's free is a link tracker and QR code tracker with full analytics; what you'd pay for elsewhere (if we ever add paid tiers) would be extras beyond that core, not the tracking itself.
Try the free tools this page compares
The fastest way to judge any of this is to use it. Create a free tracking link or a trackable QR code and watch a click or scan land on the live map with location, device and time — no account required to see how it works, and no monthly cap once you sign up.
Curious how the location data itself works under the hood? Our explainer on what an IP logger is and isn't covers exactly what a click or scan can — and can't — reveal. If you're deciding between a dynamic and static QR code in the first place, see dynamic vs static QR codes and can QR codes be tracked?.
Comparison questions
Is ScanTraceQR really free, unlike Bitly and QR Code Monkey?
ScanTraceQR's link tracker and QR code tracker are free with no monthly cap on links or QR codes, and full analytics — location, device, browser and time — included, not gated behind a paid plan. Bitly's free tier requires an account and (per their current pricing page) limits how many links and QR codes you can create per month. QR Code Monkey lets you generate static QR codes without an account, but its published free tier does not include scan tracking at all.
Do I need to create an account to track a link or QR code?
With ScanTraceQR you can generate a QR code or link without an account, and a free account is what unlocks the tracking dashboard. Bitly requires signup even for its free tier. QR Code Monkey requires no account for a static (non-tracked) QR code, but its scan-tracking feature sits behind a paid PRO plan.
Which of these shows the location of a click or scan?
ScanTraceQR shows city-level location for every click and scan on its free tier, plotted on a live map, with optional consent-based precise GPS. Bitly's free-tier analytics are described on their own pricing page as more basic than their paid tiers, without the detailed location and device breakdowns available on paid plans. QR Code Monkey's free tier does not include scan analytics at all, so there is no location data unless you upgrade.
Can I track both QR codes and regular links in one tool?
Yes — ScanTraceQR treats a QR code and a short link as the same trackable link, so scans and clicks show up side by side in one dashboard. Bitly offers both link shortening and QR codes as separate features under one account. QR Code Monkey is a QR code generator only; it does not offer link shortening or click tracking for plain URLs.
Does QR Code Monkey track scans on its free QR codes?
No. Per QR Code Monkey's own site, its free QR codes are static — they never expire and have no scanning limit, but they don't include scan statistics. Scan tracking requires their paid "QR Code Generator PRO" plan, which also unlocks dynamic (editable) QR codes.
Does Bitly charge extra to track QR codes specifically?
Not as a separate line item — QR code tracking is included in the same free and paid Bitly plans as their links, subject to the same overall limits. As of this writing, Bitly's free tier caps how many links and QR codes can be created per month, though clicks and scans on codes you've already created are unlimited.
Full analytics, free, no monthly cap
Create a tracking link or QR code and see location, device and time on every click or scan — from the first one.
Get started freeExplore the link tracker and QR code tracker.