Free QR Code Scanner & Creator App

I built a new iOS app called QR Code Scanner & Creator.

The idea is simple. Open the app, scan a QR code or barcode, create a new QR code, save useful ones, and move on. No account. No ads. No subscription. No weird scan limit.

QR Code Scanner & Creator scanning a QR code from the camera

Why I Built It

QR codes are everywhere now. Menus, flyers, packaging, events, business cards, classrooms, trade shows, and random signs taped to doors.

Your phone camera can scan a basic QR code, which is fine most of the time. But the moment you need a little more, things get annoying.

Maybe you want to scan a code from a screenshot. Maybe you want to make a Wi-Fi QR code for guests. Maybe you need to keep a history of scans, export them, favorite a few, or create a clean QR code without opening five websites.

That is where a dedicated app still makes sense.

The problem is that a lot of QR apps follow the same App Store playbook. The download is free, then the useful parts are wrapped in ads, subscriptions, limited scans, or “pro” upgrades. Sometimes all you wanted was to scan a code and make one decent-looking QR image.

I wanted the opposite.

What It Does

QR Code Scanner & Creator is meant to be a practical QR toolkit for iPhone.

Scan QR codes and common barcodes with the camera
Scan codes from screenshots and photos
Create QR codes for links, Wi-Fi, text, contacts, email, SMS, phone numbers, events, locations, and social profiles
Customize QR colors before sharing
Save unlimited local history
Use folders, favorites, notes, and search
Export scan history to CSV
Copy, share, open, and regenerate codes from history

There is also a small optional T.LY shortcut if you want to shorten a long URL before making a QR code. It is optional. The app works fine without a T.LY account.

QR Code Scanner & Creator create screen with website and Wi-Fi QR options — Create common QR codes from one place.

QR Code Scanner & Creator QR code color customization screen — Customize the QR design before sharing.

QR Code Scanner & Creator scan history with folders and CSV export — Keep useful scans in local history.

QR Code Scanner & Creator privacy screen showing no account, ads, subscriptions, analytics, or tracking — No account, ads, subscriptions, analytics, or tracking.

Free Means Free

The app is free.

Not “free with a full-screen ad every third tap.” Not “free until you want to export.” Not “free until you scan too many codes.” Free.

I get why paid QR apps exist. Some users need teams, analytics, dynamic QR codes, managed campaigns, and all the heavy business tooling around them. That can be worth paying for.

But most people do not need all of that on their phone. They need a fast scanner, a simple creator, a little organization, and clean sharing.

That is the lane for QR Code Scanner & Creator. It competes with the paid options by giving away the everyday utility layer.

Privacy

The app is built to stay local by default.

Scans, generated codes, folders, favorites, and notes live in the app’s private storage on your device. Camera scanning and photo scanning happen on device. There are no analytics SDKs, ad networks, accounts, or tracking systems in the app.

If you choose to open a scanned link, search a barcode on the web, share a QR code, or use T.LY to shorten a link, then you are leaving the local-only flow because you asked the app to do that. The core scanner and creator do not need an account or a server to work.

What Comes Next

The first version is focused on the basics: scan, create, organize, export, and share.

That is enough to make the app useful without turning it into another bloated QR product. I would rather make the common workflows fast and trustworthy first.

From there, I may add more QR templates, better styling options, import tools, batch workflows, or deeper T.LY integration. But the main promise should stay the same.

QR tools should be boring in the best way. Open the app, do the thing, and get back to your day.