How to make a QR code for free (and why it is worth connecting it with a short link)

A QR code is simply an image that encodes a web address. A phone scans it and opens the page. Generating one takes seconds, and in cutty.dev you don't even have to look for a separate tool — the code is created together with the shortened link.

Fastest way

1. Go to cutty.dev and paste the address that the code should lead to.
2. Click Shorten.
3. A QR code immediately appears under the short link — download it with one click.

No account, no watermark, no "free plan for 3 codes". You get a ready-to-use image to insert into a poster, flyer, business card, or slide.

Why QR from a short link, and not directly from a long address

You can encode any address in a QR code — even a long one, with utm parameters and the rest. But there are several reasons why it is better to shorten it first:

• Less "density" = easier to scan. The longer the address, the more squares in the code and the finer the pattern. A short link provides a clear, sparse code that scans faster, even from a worse camera or from a greater distance (e.g., a poster on a wall).
• You can change the destination after printing. This is the biggest advantage. A QR code from a short link points to an endpoint like cutty.dev/menu, and only that leads to the page. Did the target page change? You swap the destination in the panel — the code printed on 500 flyers still works. A QR pointing directly to the old address would be useless.
• You see scan statistics. Since the scan goes through your short link, you have the number of opens, countries, and sources in the panel. A regular, "static" QR code will tell you nothing.

Where QR code is truly useful

• Restaurant / cafe — menu under a code on the table; you change the offer without reprinting.
• Poster and flyer — QR code + short link under it for those who prefer typing over scanning.
• Product packaging — instructions, warranty registration, "how to use" page.
• Business card and CV — one scan instead of retyping the address.
• Presentation slide — the audience scans the code instead of noting down a link.

Durability matters in printing

A QR code lives as long as the link it encodes works. At cutty.dev, suffixes are not recycled — once created, yours is permanent. This means that a code printed today will lead to the same place even a year or two from now. For printed materials, which are difficult to withdraw, this is a definite saving of nerves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the QR code from cutty.dev expire? No, unless you manually set an expiration date or a click limit for the link yourself. By default, it works indefinitely.

Can I use my own suffix? Yes — enter e.g. menu instead of random characters, and the code will point to cutty.dev/menu.

Does it cost anything? No. Generating QR codes is free and unlimited.

Make your first code

The simplest way to see it in action — paste any address into cutty.dev and download a ready-made QR code from the short link. Questions: hello@cutty.dev.