BIP21 is the Bitcoin Improvement Proposal that defines the bitcoin: URI scheme — for example bitcoin:bc1q...?amount=0.001. It lets a Bitcoin address be encoded with an optional amount, label, and message. Every major Bitcoin wallet supports it. Ethereum, Litecoin, and Dogecoin use analogous schemes.

Can I include an amount in the QR?

Yes. The amount is optional. If included, the scanner's wallet opens with both the address and the amount pre-filled — the user just confirms and sends. If left blank, the user enters their own amount after scanning.

Are network fees included in the QR?

No. Network fees (Bitcoin mempool fees, Ethereum gas) are determined at send time by the wallet, not encoded in the QR. The QR only contains the destination address and optional amount.

Does this work for Lightning Network?

Lightning invoices use a different format (lnbc...) and typically expire within an hour, so they're a poor fit for printed QRs. We support on-chain Bitcoin (the bitcoin: URI), which is the right choice for printed materials, donation pages, and POS displays where the address is reused.

Bitcoin QR Code Generator — Free, Private, BIP21 Compatible

How it works

A crypto payment QR encodes a single line of text in a standard URI scheme — for Bitcoin, that's BIP21:

bitcoin:bc1qxy2kgdygjrsqtzq2n0yrf2493p83kkfjhx0wlh?amount=0.001

Ethereum, Litecoin, and Dogecoin use analogous formats:

ethereum:0x742d35Cc6634C0532925a3b844Bc9e7595f0bEb0?value=0.05 litecoin:LTC1QXY2KGDYGJRSQTZQ2N0YRF2493P83KKFJHX0WLH?amount=1.0 dogecoin:DEXAMPLEDogeCoinAddressHere?amount=100

When a user scans the QR, their crypto wallet (Trust Wallet, MetaMask, Coinbase, Phoenix, Muun, Electrum, etc.) recognizes the URI scheme and opens with the recipient address and amount already filled in. The user reviews and confirms — that's it. No copy-pasting addresses, no risk of clipboard malware swapping the address.

Generate yours in 4 steps

Open the crypto tab

Open the generator — it opens directly on the crypto tab.

Pick the network

Choose Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), or Dogecoin (DOGE). The generator uses the correct URI prefix for each so wallets recognize it natively.

Paste your receiving address

Copy the receiving address from your wallet (BTC supports legacy 1..., SegWit 3..., and Bech32 bc1...) and paste it. Optionally add an amount — the scanner's wallet will open with both the address and amount pre-filled.

Download and verify

Download as SVG or PNG. Then — critically — scan it with your own wallet first to confirm the address matches before sharing the QR publicly. A typo in the address means lost funds.

Important: always test the generated QR with your own wallet before sharing it publicly. Verify the displayed address matches your intended receiving address character-for-character. Never paste an address from an untrusted source. This generator does not perform address validation beyond basic format checks — you are responsible for the address you paste in.

Privacy: address & amount stay in your browser

Most "free" crypto QR generators run server-side, meaning every address and amount you've encoded is logged on someone else's machine. That's a privacy and operational-security concern for anyone publishing a donation page or invoicing in crypto.

This generator runs entirely client-side. Your wallet address, any amount, and the resulting QR image are all generated in your browser. There is no backend, no logging, no analytics on the data you enter. You can verify by opening DevTools and watching the Network tab — zero outgoing requests carrying your address.

Where crypto QR codes are useful

💸 Tip jars

Print a BTC QR on a card next to a tip jar at a café, bar, or street performance. Scanners send a tip directly without intermediaries.

🎁 Donation pages

Embed the QR PNG on your donation page. Visitors scan and send — no third-party processor, no fees beyond network fees.

📄 Freelance invoices

Add a crypto QR at the bottom of an invoice PDF. Clients pay in BTC/ETH without a payment processor in the loop.

🛍 Point-of-sale

Crypto-friendly venues (cafés, bars, retail) display a QR at checkout. Customers scan, enter the amount, and pay.

📺 Streaming overlays

Twitch, YouTube, podcast hosts add a QR overlay so live viewers can tip without leaving the stream.

🎤 Conference talks

End your talk with a "Buy me a coffee" QR. Audience members scan from their seat without typing addresses.

📰 Open-source projects

Add a BTC/ETH QR to your README or sponsor page. Lower-friction than setting up GitHub Sponsors or Open Collective.

🎟 Charity fundraisers

Print on event programs or table cards — donors scan and contribute on the spot.

Wallet compatibility

The generated QR works with any wallet that supports the standard URI schemes. Confirmed compatible:

Bitcoin: Trust Wallet, Coinbase Wallet, Phoenix, Muun, Electrum, BlueWallet, Exodus, Ledger Live, Trezor Suite, BRD, Coinomi, Sparrow, Wasabi, Samourai
Ethereum: MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Coinbase Wallet, Rainbow, MyEtherWallet, Frame, Ledger Live, Trezor Suite, Argent
Litecoin & Dogecoin: Trust Wallet, Exodus, Coinomi, official Litecoin/Dogecoin Core wallets, Ledger Live, Trezor Suite

If a wallet doesn't open automatically when you scan, the user can copy the URI from any QR-scanner app and paste it into the wallet's "Send" screen — same effect.

What gets encoded — and what doesn't

Encoded: the network prefix (bitcoin:, ethereum:, etc.), wallet address, and optional amount
Not encoded: network fees (gas, mempool fees — set by the wallet at send time), labels, messages, your identity
No tracking: the QR is the literal URI string and nothing more. No analytics, no redirector, no third-party endpoint involved when scanning

Best practices

Use a fresh receiving address per public QR when privacy matters — most wallets generate new addresses on demand. This prevents observers from tying multiple payments to one address on the public ledger.
Don't include an amount in printed QRs if the price might change (e.g., a "buy me a coffee" sticker). Leave the amount out so users enter their own.
Always verify before printing: scan with your wallet, confirm the displayed address matches what you intended, then commit to print.
For high-value receiving addresses (cold storage, treasury wallets), generate the QR on an air-gapped device and verify the output character-for-character before sharing.
Keep error correction high if you add a logo — the generator does this automatically when you upload one.

Frequently asked questions

Which cryptocurrencies are supported?

Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), and Dogecoin (DOGE). Each uses its standard URI scheme — bitcoin:, ethereum:, litecoin:, dogecoin: — so any modern wallet recognizes the QR.

Will my receiving address work in Trust Wallet / MetaMask / Coinbase?

Yes. The QR encodes the standard URI scheme that all major wallets implement. Trust Wallet, MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, Phoenix, Muun, Electrum, BlueWallet, Exodus, Ledger Live, Trezor Suite, and dozens more open the QR with the address (and optional amount) pre-filled.

What is BIP21?

BIP21 is the Bitcoin Improvement Proposal that defines the bitcoin: URI scheme — for example bitcoin:bc1q...?amount=0.001. It allows a Bitcoin address to be encoded with an optional amount, label, and message. Every major Bitcoin wallet supports it. The other supported chains use analogous schemes.

Does it support Lightning Network?

No — Lightning invoices use a different format (lnbc...) and typically expire within an hour, so they're a poor fit for printed QR codes. We support on-chain Bitcoin (the bitcoin: URI), which is the right choice for printed materials, donation pages, and POS displays where the address is reused.

Can I include an amount?

Yes — the amount is optional. If included, the scanner's wallet opens with both the address and amount pre-filled. If left blank, the user enters their own amount after scanning. For a generic "tip jar" QR, leave the amount blank.

Are network fees included?

No. Network fees (Bitcoin mempool fees, Ethereum gas) are determined at send time by the user's wallet, not encoded in the QR. The QR contains only the destination and optional amount.

Is my wallet address sent anywhere?

No. The entire generator runs in your browser. Your wallet address and any amount you enter never leave your device — there is no backend, no logging, no analytics on the data.

Will the QR keep working forever?

Yes — as long as the wallet address is still valid (which is generally indefinite for on-chain addresses). It's a static QR with no expiry, no third-party redirector, and no service to maintain.

Can I add a logo to the QR?

Yes. Upload a logo in the customize panel — the generator automatically bumps error correction to level H and caps the logo at 22% of the QR area, so the code stays scannable.

Is this QR code generator really free, with no catch?

Yes — free forever. No sign-up, no watermark, no usage limits, no expiry. The entire generator runs in your browser, so we have no server costs to recover. No premium tier exists.

Will my QR code expire or stop working?

No. Static QR codes (which this site generates) never expire — they encode the destination directly into the image. The QR works as long as the URL or content it points to is still valid. Print once, scan forever.

Can I track how many people scan my QR code?

Not from the QR itself (static codes have no built-in analytics). The simplest workaround: add UTM parameters to your destination URL (e.g. ?utm_source=qr&utm_campaign=flyer) and read scans in Google Analytics, Plausible, or your site's log files.

What's the minimum print size for a QR code to scan reliably?

Rule of thumb: 2×2 cm (0.8") for cards and stickers, 5×5 cm for table tents and posters, 30×30 cm for billboards. The 1:10 ratio works: scan distance ≈ QR size × 10. Always test scan at actual size before printing a large batch.

Can I edit where the QR points after it's printed?

Not directly — static QR codes have the destination baked in. Workaround: point your QR to a short URL on your own domain (e.g. yourdomain.com/menu) that redirects to the real destination. You can change the redirect target any time without reprinting.

Free Bitcoin QR Code Generator