The scan was never the finish line.
A few years ago, the biggest question around QR Codes was simple: Will people actually scan them?
We answered that in our inaugural State of QR Codes 2025 report.
In 2026, QR Codes are no longer a novelty or a pandemic-era workaround.
of marketers say QR Codes have a positive impact
consumers say QR Codes are genuinely helpful in their daily lives
In other words, QR Codes have crossed the same threshold that email, search, and mobile apps crossed years ago: once everyone uses them, how you use them becomes the differentiator.
We surveyed 524 marketers and 1,000 consumers. We analyzed 188 million scans across 796k QR Codes. Here's what came back on how marketers use QR Codes, user adoption and behavior trends, and industry benchmarks.
"QR Codes are no longer just a way to get people somewhere. They're how you learn who your customers are, what they want, and whether your marketing is working. The brands that build systems around creation, management, and tracking will turn scans into the most measurable channel in their stack."
98% of marketers report a positive impact from QR Codes
QR Code usage is widespread, with marketers deploying codes across social media, digital ads, packaging, and print. 60% plan to increase usage further, and 56% expect higher revenue this year.
75% of consumers scan for information, creating a content-to-context opportunity
Getting more information is the top reason consumers scan, ahead of discounts and payments. But only 36% of marketers use QR Codes to deliver it. Matching content to context closes this gap.
83% of consumers are willing to share data, making QR Codes a first-party data channel
Consumers are willing to share data with consent (42%) or an opt-out option (41%). QR Codes give marketers a direct line to first-party data, but only 34% clearly disclose how that data is used.
44% of marketers rank analytics as the most important feature and the one that needs the most work
Analytics is both the most valued QR Code feature and the biggest improvement opportunity. Most teams track clicks and engagement. Only 12% connect scans to revenue. Attribution is the next step.
Trust is stable and growing, with 58% of consumers confident QR Codes are safe to scan
Consumer confidence in QR Code safety is rising, with 26% trusting codes more than last year. The 29% who remain neutral could respond to branded domains, clear CTAs, and fast-loading landing pages.
Scaling QR Code programs is a process challenge, not a technology one
The top scaling roadblocks are operational: fragmented tracking (33%), duplicate codes (28%), and integration gaps (24%). But 20% of marketers report zero roadblocks, showing that using the right system is the solution.
Methodology
The State of QR Codes 2026
Marketer survey
What
We surveyed marketing professionals across the U.S. who currently use or have previously used QR Codes in their marketing efforts.
Who
Marketers interviewed
Why it matters
Insights from top U.S. industries spanning retail, hospitality, CPG, financial services, healthcare, and technology.
Each marketer answered questions about their QR Code strategy: key metrics they measured, campaign execution and focus areas.
Consumer survey
What
We surveyed a nationally representative sample of U.S. consumers from varied demographics (household income, age, location, gender, ethnicity, education, employment status).
Who
Consumers interviewed
Why it matters
Insights from consumers about their QR Code scanning behaviors, preferences, trust levels, and experiences. Data was collected in October 2025.
Each consumer answered questions that reveal how they scan: their expectations, motivators and pain points.
Platform analytics
What
We analyzed anonymized, aggregated scan data from the Uniqode platform from January to December 2025.
How
Scans analyzed
Why it matters
We uncovered behavioral trends, industry benchmarks, and performance patterns from top companies in the U.S.
Each scan contributed to insights at a industry level: Average scans per QR Code, average QR Code per customer, peak scanning time and peak scanning geographies.
