Dynamic vs static QR codes: which one should you print?
Static QR codes bake the URL into the pattern; dynamic ones point to a short link you can edit. Here's when each makes sense.
What a static QR code is
A static QR code encodes the final URL directly in the black-and-white pattern. Nothing sits between the phone and the destination. It is free, works forever, and can never be edited: if the page moves, the code is dead.
What a dynamic QR code is
A dynamic QR code encodes a short redirect link instead of the final page. When someone scans, the redirect forwards them to whatever destination you currently have set. Because the printed pattern only contains the short link, you can change the destination as often as you like, and the redirect can count scans on the way through.
Choose static when
The destination will never change, you only need a handful of codes, and you don't care how many people scan. Wi-Fi passwords, a permanent vCard, or a one-off sign fit here.
Choose dynamic when
You are printing anything you'd hate to reprint: menus, flyers, packaging, signage, business cards, or event posters. Also pick dynamic when you want to know if the print run actually gets scanned. Dynamic codes also scan faster in practice because a short link produces a smaller, less dense pattern than a long URL with tracking parameters.
The catch
A dynamic code depends on the redirect service staying online. Pick a provider with plain pricing and a documented policy for what happens if you cancel, and export your destination list occasionally.