QR codes vs Bluetooth beacons

Qr codes

They are 2D squares with unique patterns in them. When scanned, they take you to a website, video, coupon, or app download. Whatever the brand wants you to see. No apps needed. No Bluetooth. Just your phone.

Bluetooth beacons 

They are small devices placed in physical locations. They send signals to your phone, but only if you have the right app installed and your Bluetooth turned on. They're more passive and work in the background.

QR codes became mainstream during the pandemic, but their usage didn’t fade after. People scan them at restaurants, on packaging, posters, and even TV ads. Coinbase ran a Super Bowl ad with nothing but a floating QR code on screen. It got over 20 million scans in one minute (Sharethrough). The site crashed. That’s the kind of instant engagement brands want.

Now, compare that to Bluetooth beacons. To even receive a message from one, you need your phone’s Bluetooth on, the specific app installed, and notifications enabled. That’s a lot of steps, and most people just won’t bother. In fact, a Forbes article pointed out that major retailers like Macy’s and Target pulled back on beacon campaigns because of poor consumer engagement. Even when the tech worked, customers simply weren’t engaging at scale.

QR codes are easy. You generate one online (often for free), download it, and place it on whatever material you’re using. Posters. Flyers. Product packaging. Bus stops. You name it.

Beacons? You’ll need to buy the hardware, install it physically in the space, keep it powered, make sure the firmware stays updated, and build or update an app that supports them. You also need backend infrastructure to manage the signals.

And don’t forget battery replacements. Most beacons run on batteries that need replacing every year or two. For a business with many locations or large venues, that’s a lot to maintain.

QR codes? Once printed, they just sit there and work. No maintenance.

If you’re a small or mid-sized business, your budget probably matters to you. Here’s the short version:

• QR codes are cheap. Some are even free to generate. At most, you’ll pay a subscription fee for advanced tracking features.
• Beacons are expensive. One device can cost between $10–$30. If you need hundreds across stores or a venue, costs pile up fast. Add app development, server costs, and updates? It's a much bigger bill.

QR codes can be tracked easily. You can attach UTM parameters to know which campaign a scan came from, what time it was scanned, and from where. If you use a dynamic QR code, you can even change where it redirects without printing a new one.

With Bluetooth beacons, tracking is more complicated. You’re collecting location-based data, and that means tighter privacy regulations. Also, since not many users enable location sharing or keep Bluetooth on all the time, your dataset is usually small and fragmented.

Here’s a key point. QR codes are opt-in. The user sees the code, decides to scan it, and chooses to engage. That means they’re already interested. Engagement feels natural and discreet.

Beacons are push-based. The message pops up on your phone, usually triggered by proximity. But if you didn’t want it or weren’t expecting it may as well feel forced.

Let’s look at some real-life examples.

• Coca-Cola used QR codes on bottles to link people to personalized AR experiences.
• Netflix ran outdoor ads with QR codes that let fans play mini-games tied to the “Squid Game” series.
• KFC India put QR codes in newspaper ads so users could order online directly and get a discount.

These campaigns worked because they didn’t require anything extra. Just scan and go.

Compare that with beacons. There are some use cases, like museums, where Bluetooth triggers audio tours. But those are limited. Not many large-scale success stories have come from beacons in recent years.

QR codes are a quite practical tool that anyone can use with almost no friction. Beacons, while interesting in theory, require too many things to go right at once. Most people just aren’t set up for that.

QR codes are a cost-effective way to strengthen your online marketing game and grow your business with reliable analytics. They are probably the smarter choice and people are already used to using them.

Want to start using QR codes for your brand?