QR Code vs Barcode

1D vs 2D

Barcodes store data only horizontally (1D). QR codes store both ways (2D) — 350x more capacity. A UPC barcode holds 12 digits. A QR code holds up to 7,089 characters.

Scanning

Barcodes need laser scanners. QR codes work with any smartphone camera — no special hardware. This accessibility is why QR codes dominate payments, menus, and marketing.

Use Cases

Barcodes: retail, inventory. QR codes: payments, WiFi, contacts, URLs, events, and more.