How it works
A PayPal QR code is just a QR encoding of a standard PayPal.Me URL:
When scanned, the phone opens that URL — either in the PayPal app (if installed) or in the browser at paypal.me — with the amount and currency pre-filled. The sender just confirms and pays. No typing of usernames, no copy-pasting amounts, no manual currency selection.
Generate yours in 4 steps
Open the PayPal tab
Open the generator — it opens directly on the PayPal tab.
Enter your PayPal.Me username
Enter the part of your link that comes after paypal.me/. If you don't have a PayPal.Me username yet, you can claim one free at paypal.com/paypalme.
Add an amount and currency (optional)
Optional. If included, the scanner's PayPal opens with that amount pre-filled. Pick from 25+ supported currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, and more). Leave the amount blank for a generic "any amount" QR.
Download and test
Download as SVG (best for print) or PNG (best for digital sharing). Scan with your own phone to verify the link opens correctly before sharing publicly.
Privacy: username stays in your browser
The generator runs entirely client-side. Your PayPal.Me username and the amount you enter are encoded into the QR locally — there is no backend, no logging, no analytics on your data. The only network request to PayPal happens when someone scans the QR, and that request goes directly from the scanner's phone to PayPal's servers, not through us.
Where PayPal QR codes are useful
👫 Splitting bills
Print a sticker for the back of your phone with your PayPal QR. Friends scan and pay their share without asking your username.
📄 Freelance invoices
Add a PayPal QR at the bottom of an invoice PDF. Clients pay in one tap from their phone.
🎁 Donation pages
Embed the QR PNG on a donation page or charity event flyer. Donors scan and contribute without typing card details.
🛍 Garage sales & flea markets
Print on a card, tape to a table. Customers scan, enter the amount, pay — no cash needed.
🎤 Live events & talks
Display at the end of a talk or performance. Audience members tip without leaving their seat.
📦 Etsy / handmade goods
Include a PayPal QR card with shipped products for repeat customers — bypass marketplace fees on follow-up orders.
👨🏫 Tutoring & lessons
Send a QR to students/parents. They pay for the lesson without remembering your handle.
🎟 Event tickets & dues
Club dues, event entry fees, fundraiser tickets — collect via QR at the door.
What gets encoded — and what doesn't
- Encoded: your PayPal.Me URL, optional amount, optional currency suffix (e.g.
/10/EUR) - Not encoded: tracking, identifiers, payment notes, item descriptions. Those are entered by the sender at payment time inside PayPal.
- Fees: PayPal applies its standard fees at payment time based on sender country, payment method, and transfer type. Those rules are PayPal's, not encoded in the QR.
Best practices
- Verify before sharing publicly. Scan with your own phone first — confirm the URL is correct and lands on your PayPal.Me page. A typo in the username sends payments to a stranger or a 404.
- Skip the amount for generic stickers. If the price might change ("buy me a coffee" jar), leave the amount out — let users enter their own.
- Include currency when amount is fixed. If you put
10without currency, PayPal uses the recipient's default — which may surprise an international sender. Add/EUR,/USD, etc., to lock it. - Print at 2.5 cm minimum. Below that, scan reliability drops. For wall-mounted signs, scale to 8–10 cm. Full sizing in the QR sizes guide.
- Add a "Pay with PayPal" caption. Removes ambiguity — scanners know what they'll get before they tap their camera.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a PayPal account?
What does the QR contain?
https://paypal.me/yourusername/10/EUR. When scanned, the phone opens that URL — either in the PayPal app (if installed) or in the browser at paypal.me — with the amount and currency pre-filled.Is my PayPal username sent anywhere?
Which currencies are supported?
Are PayPal fees included?
Can senders pay without the PayPal app?
paypal.me/yourusername in the browser. The sender logs in (or signs up free) and pays from there. The app makes it slightly faster but isn't required.Does the QR expire?
Can I add a logo and customize colors?
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.