September 27, 2026 · EverScans Team
Which QR Code Type Should You Use? A Decision Chart by Goal
Choosing a QR code type is really a question about what should happen the instant someone's phone reads it. Below, match the goal to the type.
The chart
| Goal | QR code type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Send people to any webpage | Website | The default - opens a URL in the phone's browser |
| Let someone save your contact info instantly | vCard | Triggers the phone's own "save contact" prompt, no typing |
| Connect a phone to WiFi with no typing | WiFi | Triggers "join this network?" directly, password included |
| Show a restaurant menu without printing new copies | Menu | Hosts the menu directly; a dynamic version can swap by day/time |
| Start a WhatsApp chat with no saved number | Opens a pre-filled chat window in one tap | |
| Let people download or view a document | PDF / File | Hosts the file directly, no separate upload needed |
| Add an event straight to someone's calendar | Event | Generates a real .ics file with the correct time zone |
| Point to a physical address or map | Location | Opens the address in the phone's maps app |
| Open a pre-written email | Pre-fills the recipient, subject, and body | |
| Open a pre-filled text message | SMS | Pre-fills the number and message text |
| Show a photo or gallery | Images | Opens directly to the image |
| Play a video | Video | Opens directly to the video |
| Send someone to download your app | App Download | Links to the app store listing |
| Share multiple links from one code | Link List | One scan, a page of several links to choose from |
| Grow a social media following | Social Media | Opens the profile directly, no searching a handle |
| Collect an RSVP or event check-in | Check-in / RSVP | Replaces a mail-back card or door list with an instant response |
| Let someone check themselves in without staff | Self Check-in | A badge-in style scan with no one at a counter |
| Collect feedback or a review | Feedback Form | Points straight at a form or review page |
| Reserve a code for a destination you'll decide later | Blank | A generic link, no assumptions about what it points to |
What actually changes between types
Most of the specific-sounding types - WiFi, vCard, event, email, SMS - work because they encode a small structured text block that phones already know how to recognize, which is what triggers a native prompt (join network, save contact) instead of just opening a browser. Everything else on the list, including "blank," is really the same underlying mechanism as a website QR code: a URL. The type is mostly about intent and what the destination page or prompt actually does, not a technical limitation on what a QR code can hold.
For the industry angle instead of the goal angle, see QR code use cases by industry. For static vs dynamic once you've picked a type, see Static vs Dynamic QR Codes.
Getting started
All 19 types above are available on EverScans after a free signup - static QR codes are free forever, and dynamic ones add an editable destination plus real scan analytics.
Common questions
What's the difference between a website QR code and the more specific types like vCard or WiFi?
Under the hood, most QR code types just encode a URL or a small structured text block - a vCard and a WiFi code use a specific text format phones already recognize, which is what triggers the phone's own "save contact" or "join network" prompt instead of just opening a browser.
Can the same goal be reached with more than one QR code type?
Sometimes. Sharing contact details could be a vCard (saves directly to contacts) or a website link to an online profile - the vCard is faster for the scanner, the website is more flexible if the details change often.
What is a blank QR code type actually for?
A generic destination that doesn't fit a more specific type cleanly, or a placeholder while the real destination is still being decided - functionally the same as a website QR code, just without assuming any particular kind of link.
Does the QR code type affect whether it can be static or dynamic?
No - every type here can be either. Static is a fixed destination, free forever; dynamic lets the destination change later without reprinting, and adds full scan analytics.
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