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16 Comments

Most QR codes work. The problem is nobody notices them.

Every day we see QR codes on menus, flyers, packaging and posters.

Most of them work.

The problem is they're just another black and white square that people ignore.

That made me wonder...

Why can't a QR code be something people actually want to scan?

I started experimenting with AI.

Making beautiful QR codes was surprisingly easy.

Making them scan reliably wasn't.

After months of experimenting, that's what became NGQRCode.

I'd genuinely love your feedback.

Would an artistic QR code make you more likely to scan, or do you prefer the traditional black and white ones?

https://ngqrcode.com

posted to Icon for NG QRCode
NG QRCode
  1. 1

    "They work but nobody scans" is a real insight. One thing I'd add from watching people ignore them: it's usually less about the code looking boring and more about the moment — a QR gets scanned only when the person already wants what's on the other side, has a free hand, and 3 seconds. The best-performing ones pair the code with a reason in about four words ("scan for the recipe," "menu here"), right where the wanting happens. Does NG QRCode let you test the call-to-action text next to the code, not just the code's design? That might be a stronger selling point than aesthetics.

  2. 2

    Yes, QR codes should be diverse, personalized, and pleasing to the eye, rather than being uniformly black and white.

  3. 2

    Congrats on the launch!

  4. 2

    Making QR codes more engaging is a cool angle — but adoption usually depends on whether it directly improves scan rates or outcomes.

    The buyers here are typically businesses thinking in terms of conversion (events, menus, campaigns).

    Feels like there’s an opportunity to anchor this more directly to “get more scans” rather than aesthetics.

    Have you seen any measurable difference in engagement yet?

    That kind of data could make this much easier to sell.

    1. 1

      The long term goal isn't to sell beautiful QR codes. It's to help businesses get more people to actually scan them.

      I don't have enough real world data yet to claim higher scan rates, and I don't want to make claims I can't support. Running side by side comparisons is one of my next priorities because I think that's what will really validate the product.

      If the results are positive, great. If not, I'll learn from the data and keep improving.

      1. 1

        This is the right mindset — not selling QR codes, selling more scans.

        The side-by-side tests will be huge.

        If you can show even a small % lift, that becomes your entire growth engine.

  5. 2

    Okay, to start out: I love seeing imagegen QR codes. They can be incredibly artistic and fun if executed well.

    That said I must admit that I went back to normal QRs, which - reflecting - isn't a good sign. I would love seeing them everywhere so why don't I gravitate to using them as my go-to?

    I think the reason is two fold.

    (1) If you fully commit to fully integrating them, people stop recognizing them. We set one up for my mom. She's an artist. The image was an atelier with an easel holding a canvas onto which the QR was drawn as abstract art. 10/10 artistic taste, 2/10 function. She printed it, took it to an exhibit, and people were genuinely shocked when she asked them to scan the picture to get to her website and it worked.

    (2) You are not fighting QRs being recognizable. Black and white squares already stick out like a sore thumb. You are fighting people's laziness of taking a phone out of your pocket and scanning a thing, and then the distraction of your CTA against whatever they were doing in the real world.

    I still love imagegen for QRs. Something in my brain deeply appreciates seeing the precision/tech of a QR and the artistic "wildness" of imagegen merged. But they are ultimately art added to an otherwise transactional process.

    I think your market is high-end luxury and premium business cards. Any place where the "useless" display of value/effort has signaling value.

    Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps!

    1. 1

      Thanks for taking the time to write this. I actually agree with a lot of what you said.

      I don't think every QR code should become artistic. A plain QR code is still the right choice in many situations.

      What I'm trying to solve is a different problem. Sometimes the goal isn't just to have a QR code that works, it's to have one that people actually notice. Posters, event banners, product packaging and restaurant menus are good examples.

      I completely agree that if people can't recognize it's a QR code, the design has failed. Finding that balance between artistic and instantly recognizable is probably the hardest part, and that's exactly what I'm trying to improve.

      Also I am still figuring out right market for the same. Since QR Code market it self if very huge and find the right market fit is hell of the task.

      Really appreciate you sharing such detailed feedback.

  6. 1

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  7. 1

    This solves a real UX problem. Functionality alone isn't enough—visibility and curiosity matter too. I'd be interested to see A/B test results comparing scan rates between artistic and traditional QR codes.

  8. 1

    Honest answer to your question: I don't think anyone prefers scanning pretty codes — scanning is driven by context and incentive, not aesthetics. But that's actually good news for you, because the real value isn't "people like art." It's that an artistic code stops the eye on a poster or a package, where a black-and-white square is invisible noise. I'd position it as "gets noticed in crowded visual contexts" and skip contexts like menus, where people scan because they have to anyway.

    One thing I'd add to the landing page: the months you spent on scan reliability are the actual moat, so show the evidence — a tested scan-success rate across devices, angles, and print sizes. That's the first objection any print buyer will raise, and you're the person who solved it; the numbers should be doing that selling for you.

  9. 1

    The interesting question seems less whether people say they prefer the artistic version and more what happens when both are actually in front of them.

    Have you tested the same destination with a normal QR code vs an NGQRCode and seen whether scan rates actually change?

    1. 1

      Great question.

      I don't have enough real world data yet to claim higher scan rates, and I don't want to make promises I can't back up. My hypothesis is simple. If something catches your eye, you're more likely to notice it and scan it. Now I want to validate that with actual numbers instead of assumptions. But I have seen similar product are there which they claims to have increase scan rate by upto 30%.

      Also I have seen study published around it for same which claims people would like to scan artistic qr code rather than black and white qr code.

      1. 1

        I appreciate you being careful about separating the hypothesis from what you've actually proven.

        I'd be interested in continuing the conversation by email if you're open to it. What's the best email to reach you on?

        1. 1

          Sure. You can reach out to me at [email protected]

          1. 1

            Thanks! I’ve just sent it over.

            Looking forward to hearing your thoughts whenever you have a chance.