Too small and nobody can scan it. Too big and it eats your design. The right QR code size depends mostly on one thing: how far away people will be when they scan. Here's a simple way to get it right.
The 10-to-1 rule
A good starting point: the code should be at least one-tenth as wide as the scanning distance.
- Scanned from 20 cm (a card in your hand) → about 2 cm wide
- Scanned from 50 cm (a table tent or flyer) → about 5 cm wide
- Scanned from 1 m (a counter sign) → about 10 cm wide
- Scanned from 3 m (a poster on a wall) → about 30 cm wide
This is a rule of thumb, not a law. Modern phones often do better. But if you follow it, older phones and people in poor lighting can still scan.
Minimum sizes by item
- Business cards: 2 cm (0.8 in) minimum. 2.5 cm is safer. More in our business card guide.
- Product labels and packaging: 2–3 cm, larger on curved surfaces.
- Flyers and table tents: 4–6 cm.
- Counter signs and window decals: 8–12 cm.
- Posters and banners: use the 10-to-1 rule from the distance people will stand.
- Lawn and real estate signs: 15 cm or more. See QR codes for real estate signs.
What else changes the size you need
How much data is in it
A long link makes a dense code with many small dots, and each dot needs to be big enough for the camera to see. A dynamic code stores a short link, so it stays simple and can be printed smaller. See static vs. dynamic.
The quiet zone
The blank margin around the code is part of the code. Leave a clear border of about four dot-widths on every side, and don't count it as space you can fill with other graphics.
Logos and styling
A logo and rounded dots look great but use up some of the code's error correction. If you add both, size up a little and test.
File format and resolution
- For print, download SVG. It's a vector, so it's perfectly sharp at any size, from a business card to a banner.
- If you must use PNG for print, make sure it's at least 300 pixels per inch at the final printed size. A 5 cm code needs roughly 600×600 pixels.
- Never stretch it unevenly. Resize with the proportions locked.
Get a print-ready SVG from the free QRforLess generator. No watermark, no sign-up.