How to measure how many scans a QR code has
Only dynamic QR codes record data — the static one does not know if anyone scanned it
A static QR cannot measure scans because it does not go through any server. A dynamic QR can: every scan generates a record with country, city, device and time. This guide explains what data is obtained and how to use it.
Why can a static QR not measure scans?
A static QR encodes the data directly. When scanned, the phone goes straight to the destination without passing through any server, so no record is possible.
A static QR works like a label: the phone reads the code, extracts the URL or data, and goes directly to the destination. There is no intermediary or server. This is an advantage (no dependencies, no expiry) but it also means there is no way to know how many times it has been scanned.
A dynamic QR works differently: the code points to a short URL from codigo-qr.es (for example codigo-qr.es/r/abc123). Every time someone scans it, the codigo-qr.es server records the scan before redirecting to the final destination. The user notices no difference, but the system notes: date, time, country, city, device, operating system and browser.
What data does a dynamic QR record in the dashboard?
Total scans, breakdown by day, country, city, device and peak hour. Data appears in real time in the dashboard with no configuration needed.
The codigo-qr.es analytics dashboard shows:
Total scans: the number of times the QR has been scanned since creation.
Time evolution: chart by day, week or month. You spot peaks (campaign launch? social media post?) and drops.
Breakdown by country and city: useful if you have international presence or want to know which cities concentrate the most traffic from a specific poster.
Device and operating system: what percentage is iOS vs Android, mobile vs tablet. If 90% is iOS, the restaurant menu should look good in Safari.
Peak hours: the hourly distribution shows when people scan. A peak at 1 pm and another at 9 pm in a restaurant confirms that people check the menu at lunch and dinner time.
All this data is available from the dashboard without installing Google Analytics or configuring anything.
How do you use scan data to make decisions?
Compare peaks with marketing actions, detect QR codes with no scans to reposition, use peak hours to schedule content changes.
Three practical uses of scan data:
Detect QR codes that are not working: if a QR has 0 scans after 2 weeks, it may be poorly positioned, too small or the location may have no footfall. The data tells you without having to visit the premises.
Measure the impact of actions: if you post on Instagram on Friday and on Saturday there is a scan peak on your shop window QR, there is a correlation. The data confirms or disproves the hypothesis.
Optimise content by time of day: if menu scans are concentrated between 1 pm and 3 pm, you can schedule the daily menu update for 12 pm, confident that the first customer already sees the updated menu.
What is the difference between unique and total scans?
Total scans counts every scan. Unique scans estimates distinct users by removing repeated scans from the same device in the same hour.
Total vs unique:
Total scans: every time someone scans the QR, 1 is added. If the same person scans 3 times, it counts as 3.
Unique scans: an estimate of distinct users. The system groups by IP and device within time windows. If the same device scans 3 times in 5 minutes, it counts as 1 unique.
The total is more useful for measuring the real volume of interactions. The unique count is more useful for estimating how many different people viewed the content.
Privacy limitation: scans do not identify the individual user. There are no names, emails or personal tracking. The system only records technical metadata (anonymised IP, device, time). It complies with GDPR because there is no personal data.
§CODIGO-QR.ES / PRO
Activate analytics for your QR codes now
The Free plan includes 2 dynamic QR codes with 7-day analytics. No card required.
Preguntas frecuentes
- Can you view scan data without a Pro account?
- The Free plan shows scans from the last 7 days. The Pro plan includes a full 12-month history and CSV export for cross-referencing with other data.
- Do scans identify the person who scanned?
- No. The system records anonymised IP, country, city, device and time. There is no personal data about the user. No cookie or consent is needed to collect these technical metadata.
- How long is scan data stored?
- The last 7 days on the Free plan. Full history from QR creation on the Pro plan, with no time limit while the account is active.
- Can you export the scan history to Excel or CSV?
- Yes, on the Pro plan. From the QR page, the export button downloads a CSV with date, time, country, city and device for each scan. Compatible with Excel, Google Sheets and any analysis tool.
Jose Flores
Fundador de codigo-qr.es · codigo-qr.es
Jose Flores es fundador de codigo-qr.es, herramienta de generación de QR dinámicos y códigos de barras creada en Barcelona en 2026. Especializado en soluciones digitales para pequeños negocios, desarrolla herramientas que permiten a restaurantes, comercios y profesionales digitalizar su comunicación sin infraestructura técnica propia.
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