MetricQR vs Bitly
Bitly is a link-shortening platform with QR codes attached, and its pricing reflects that heritage: plans are built around how many links and codes you create each month, not around what those codes do once printed. If you are buying a short-link platform and want QR as a bonus, that model makes sense.
It fits QR work less comfortably. Bitly’s published plans cap QR codes on a monthly allowance — two a month on the free plan, five a month on Core at $10 — and put analytics history behind a retention window that starts at 30 days. For print campaigns, where you make a handful of codes and then read their data for a year, both constraints bite in the wrong place.
MetricQR is QR-first. Codes and scans are unlimited on the free plan and scan history is not windowed. If your work is short links, Bitly is the better product. If your work is printed codes you will measure over time, the model here fits better.
Figures for Bitly were read from their published pricing on 2 August 2026. Pricing changes often — if you spot something out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
MetricQR vs Bitly at a glance
| Feature | MetricQR | Bitly |
|---|---|---|
| QR codes on the free plan | Unlimited, on the free plan | 2 per month |
| QR codes on the entry paid plan | Unlimited | 5 per month (Core, $10/mo billed annually) |
| Scan limits | Unlimited, never capped | Unlimited |
| Analytics history | Unlimited — no retention window on any plan | 30 days on Core, 4 months on Growth, 1 year on Premium |
| Dynamic, editable codes | Yes, on the free plan | Yes |
| Entry price for paid features | One flat Pro plan | $10/mo (Core), $29–35/mo (Growth), $199–300/mo (Premium) |
| Short-link management at scale | Basic — QR-first product | Extensive; 100–3,000 links/mo by plan |
When Bitly is the better choice
We would rather you pick the right tool than pick ours. These are the cases where Bitly genuinely fits better:
- Short links are your primary need and QR codes are secondary — Bitly is a stronger link platform than we are, and it is not close.
- You need a widely recognised link domain that recipients already trust in messaging and social contexts.
- Your organisation already standardises on Bitly and the integration and permission tooling matters more than per-code cost.
- You need the breadth of its enterprise integrations and account management.
Try it without signing up
Make a code below and download it. No account needed, and nothing here expires.
Create QR Code
Pick a content type, then customize the design. Codes save when you're signed in.
1What do you want to encode?
9 types2Fill in the details
URLCustom domains are a Pro feature.
MetricQR vs Bitly FAQs
Is MetricQR a free alternative to Bitly for QR codes?
For QR codes specifically, yes. MetricQR gives unlimited dynamic QR codes, unlimited scans and full scan analytics on the free plan, where Bitly’s published free plan allows two QR codes per month. If you also need heavy short-link management, Bitly remains the more complete product for that side of the job.
Does Bitly limit how many QR codes I can make?
Yes, on a monthly allowance rather than a total. Bitly’s published plans list 2 QR codes per month on Free, 5 on Core, 10 on Growth and 200 on Premium. MetricQR does not cap the number of codes on any plan.
How long is QR scan data kept?
Bitly publishes retention windows by plan — 30 days of click and scan data on Core, four months on Growth and one year on Premium. MetricQR keeps scan history indefinitely on every plan, including the free one; it is deleted only when you delete the code or reset its scans.
Can I move my existing QR codes from Bitly?
Printed codes cannot be repointed to a different provider, because the short domain is encoded in the pattern itself. Any migration applies to codes you have not yet printed. This is the strongest argument for choosing carefully before a print run, whichever provider you pick.
Compare MetricQR with other QR code tools
Unlimited codes, unlimited scans, free
Full scan analytics on the free plan, no cap on how many codes you create, and codes that keep working whether or not you ever pay us.