GenerateQRCode.co.uk
Free QR codes + an AI that roasts anyone who scans them
I started generateqrcode.co.uk because every QR generator I tried was annoying. Watermarks. Forced sign-ups. "Free" tools that charge you at download. I wanted something genuinely free — 17 QR types, no account, no catch.
So I built it. Django backend, Tailwind frontend, deployed on a single Docker box. Static QR codes are generated in real-time with zero data storage. That was the plan: a clean, fast, free QR generator. Ship it and move on.
Then I got bored and added the roast generator.
What's a QR roast?
You create a styled QR code (random gradient, rounded dots, DiceBear avatar embedded), share it, and every time someone scans it they get a unique AI-generated burn based on their device, browser, location, and even the local weather. "iPhone 15 user in London on Chrome — still can't find a date." That kind of thing.
I built it in a weekend using DeepSeek's API ($0.27/M tokens, 10x cheaper than GPT-4o for the same quality). Four few-shot examples, three comedy formulas, 30 template roasts as fallback. I thought maybe 10 friends would use it.
It spread through group chats in about 48 hours. People were screenshotting roasts and posting them. Someone printed one on a shirt. So I added a public gallery with Reddit-style voting (Hot/Top/New) and a "Wear the Roast" merch store integrated with Printful and PayPal.
What I learned
Viral features don't need to be the main product. The roast generator is maybe 5% of the codebase but drives 90% of the traffic. The QR generator benefits from the exposure.
AI pricing matters. At DeepSeek's rates, I can generate thousands of roasts for pennies. With GPT-4o pricing, this project would be losing money on every scan.
Shipping fast beats polishing. The first version had one joke template and no gallery. It still spread because the core idea was fun. Everything else (gallery, voting, merch) came after people were already using it.
Stack: Django, Tailwind CSS v4, DeepSeek API, qr-code-styling (JS lib), DiceBear (free avatars), Printful (POD), PayPal, Open-Meteo (weather), Docker on a VPS.
Business model: Free static QR codes forever. Premium dynamic QR codes with scan tracking from £4.99/month. Merch store (Gildan 5000 tees, $10.99–$14.99).
Happy to answer questions about the tech stack, AI integration, or Printful setup!
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