Openqr

Free, open-source, watermark-free QR code generator. Runs entirely in your browser — no tracking, no sign-up, no limits.

License: AGPL-3.0

Most online QR generators bait you with "free" and then add a watermark, cap your download size, hide vector export behind a paywall, or route your code through their servers so it dies when you stop paying. A QR code is just an open standard (ISO/IEC 18004) that costs nothing to generate. OpenQR keeps it that way.

This repository is the basic generator tool — the reference open-source implementation. It is deliberately small and easy to fork.

Hosted version — free API & MCP server

Everything in this repo is and stays free. The hosted build at openqr.uk adds an optional account layer for people who want editable codes and automation — same no-watermark, no-expiry ethos:

• Dynamic / editable QR codes with free scan analytics — change the destination after you've printed it; no paywall, no expiry.
• Free REST API — generate codes and manage dynamic codes programmatically. OpenAPI spec at /openapi.json; interactive docs at openqr.uk/api.
• Hosted MCP server — https://openqr.uk/mcp (Streamable HTTP, 13 tools). Generate and manage QR codes directly from Claude, Cursor or any MCP client. Listed in the official MCP Registry.

The static generator in this repository never calls any of that — it stays 100% client-side (see Privacy).

Features

• No watermarks, no size limits, no sign-up — every feature is free
• Private by design — codes are generated entirely in your browser; the content never touches a server
• Export anywhere — PNG / JPEG / WebP up to 4096px, plus true-vector SVG and PDF
• Full styling — colours, gradients, dot & corner styles, logo embedding, "Scan me" frames
• Smart input — paste a link or text and the type is auto-detected
• Rich payloads — URL, text, email, phone, SMS, WhatsApp, Wi-Fi, and a map-based location picker
• One-click copy, shareable design links, light/dark, responsive, keyboard-accessible

Quick start

pnpm install
pnpm dev        # http://localhost:3011

Build & self-host

pnpm build
pnpm start      # serves on :3011 (standalone output)

It's a standard Next.js app — host it anywhere (a VPS, a Raspberry Pi, Cloudflare, behind any reverse proxy). It needs no environment variables, no database, no secrets to run.

Embedding

The <Generator/> component is self-contained and configurable:

import { Generator } from "@/components/generator/generator";

// Full page (default OpenQR logo header):
<Generator />

// Embedded widget, your own branding, no default header:
<Generator embedded header={<MyLogo />} />

// Inject your own post-download call-to-action:
<Generator renderSuccess={(variant) => <MySupportCluster variant={variant} />} />

The tool ships zero analytics. If you want anonymous UI events (e.g. which export format was used — never the QR content), inject a handler:

import { setTrackHandler } from "@/lib/analytics";
setTrackHandler((action, name, category) => myAnalytics.track(category, action, name));

Privacy

QR generation happens 100% in your browser. The only optional outbound calls are in the Location tool: map tiles from CARTO and address lookups via OpenStreetMap's Nominatim. Nothing else leaves the device.

Tech stack

Next.js 16 (App Router) · React 19 · TypeScript (strict) · Tailwind v4 · qr-code-styling · Leaflet · pnpm.

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md. Keep it simple, accessible, client-side, and free — no feature should ever require payment to remove a watermark or unlock a format.

Licence

AGPL-3.0 © 2026 Sam Moreton.

You're free to use, study, modify, self-host, and redistribute OpenQR under the AGPL-3.0. If you run a modified version as a network service, the AGPL requires you to make your source available under the same licence. If that doesn't suit your use case, a commercial licence is available — see NOTICE.