I built QR Code API after getting frustrated with existing options. Most QR code APIs are either:
- Overpriced ($50+/month for basic generation)
- Overcomplicated (multiple API calls just to get an image)
- Or require you to use their hosted dashboard
Hey HN,
I built QR Code API after getting frustrated with existing options. Most QR code APIs are either: - Overpriced ($50+/month for basic generation) - Overcomplicated (multiple API calls just to get an image) - Or require you to use their hosted dashboard
Mine is simple: one GET request, one QR code.
GET https://qrcodeapi.io/api/generate?data=https://example.com
Returns a PNG. That's it.
*Features:* - PNG & SVG output - Custom colors (foreground/background) - Dynamic QR codes (edit URLs after printing) - Scan analytics (device, location, time) - TypeScript SDK on npm (`qrcode-api-sdk`)
*Pricing:* - Free: 100 QR codes/month (no credit card) - $9/month: 5,000 codes + logo overlay - $29/month: 50,000 codes + analytics + white-label
*Tech stack:* - Vercel serverless functions - Supabase (Postgres) - Stripe for billing - geoip-lite for location tracking
The whole thing is ~20 API endpoints consolidated into 9 serverless functions to stay under Vercel's hobby plan limit.
Would love feedback on: 1. Is the free tier too generous? 2. Any features you'd expect that are missing? 3. Thoughts on the API design?
Site: https://qrcodeapi.io Docs: https://qrcodeapi.io/docs npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/qrcode-api-sdk