What does QR Crab record when someone scans a code?

Only trackable codes record scans. A trackable code holds a short qrcrab.com link, so every scan passes through QR Crab, gets counted, and then opens your link or hosted page. Static codes aren't tracked (see Static vs trackable QR codes: what's the difference?).

What one scan records

Each counted scan of a trackable code stores:

• The time of the scan and which code was scanned.
• An approximate location: country, region and city, worked out by our hosting provider (Cloudflare) from the visitor's network connection.
• Device, operating system and browser, read from the browser's user-agent (for example "Mobile", "iOS", "Safari").
• The referring site, if the browser sends one (camera apps usually don't), and whether the visit looks like a bot.
• A visitor hash: a short one-way hash of the IP address and user-agent, mixed with a secret value and the date.

The IP address itself is never stored with a scan. Because the date is part of the hash, it changes every day: it can tell that two scans on the same day came from the same phone, but it can't be reversed or used to follow someone from one day to the next. That's why the dashboard says Unique visitors are "counted per day": the same person scanning on Monday and Tuesday counts as two visitors.

What isn't counted

• Repeat scans within 30 minutes. If the same phone scans the same code again within 30 minutes, it counts once: the repeat still opens your link or page, but nothing is recorded and it doesn't use up your monthly scans.
• Bots and link previews. When a link is pasted into a chat app or crawled, a preview bot may open it. These visits are stored as bots and left out of your totals and your monthly usage. The Bots filtered number shows how many there were (we store at most 200 bot visits per code per day).
• Unusually many scans from one network. To keep automated traffic out of your stats, one internet connection counts at most 120 scans an hour across all codes. Extra scans still open your link or page, but aren't recorded.
• Scans over your monthly limit. Your code keeps working, but extra scans aren't recorded until the next month starts.
• Codes locked after a downgrade. They keep working for people who scan them, but their scans aren't recorded (see What happens to my QR codes after I downgrade?).
• Follow-up steps. Downloading a contact card or calendar file, and the thank-you page after a form, don't add a second scan.
• Static codes. Static link codes (website, Facebook, X / Twitter, YouTube, location) pass through qrcrab.com to reach their fixed link, but no per-scan record is kept and they don't appear in your stats. Static codes that hold their content (like Wi-Fi or text) never reach our servers at all.

What each plan shows

Every plan records the same details for each scan. The plan decides how much of it you can see:

On Pro, codes with How to redirect a QR code by time, device or country also get a Scans by rule / variant breakdown, so you can see which rule or A/B link each scan was sent to.

How to see your stats

1. Open the code. In the dashboard, click the trackable code in your list of codes.
2. Go to Stats. Open the Stats tab. Static codes don't have this tab because they aren't tracked.
3. Pick a date range. Choose Today, 7 days, 30 days, 90 days, 12 months or Custom dates. Ranges longer than your plan's stats history show a lock and the plan that unlocks them.
4. Export if you need the raw list. On Premium and Pro, click Export CSV to download the scans that match the date range and any filters you picked.

Your own test scans count too. The editor's scan check tests the preview on your screen and doesn't add scans, so use it while designing, and scan the finished code with your phone only once or twice.

What the Stats tab shows

• Totals: scans, unique visitors, the last scan and how many bots were filtered, compared with the period before when your plan's history reaches back that far.
• A chart of scans per hour (today), per day, or per week for long ranges.
• Filters: click a value in a breakdown to see only those scans. Every plan can filter by date and device; country, city, operating system and browser filters come with Premium and Pro.
• Busiest hours (Premium and Pro): which days and hours people scan, in your time zone.
• New vs returning: “returning” only means the same phone scanned again later the same day (repeats within 30 minutes count once), because visitors aren't recognized from one day to the next.
• Breakdowns and recent scans: countries, cities, devices, operating systems, browsers and a list of the latest scans, with bots marked.

To see all your trackable codes together, open Stats from the account menu or the button above your list of codes. To get a summary by email every Monday, tick Email me a weekly summary on your Account & billing page.

How long scans are kept

Scan records are kept for as long as your account exists. Deleting a code deletes its scans, and deleting your account deletes everything (see How to delete your QR Crab account). The full details are in our Privacy Policy.

Common questions

Can I see who scanned my QR code?

No. A scan record has no name, email, phone number or IP address. You see when and roughly where scans happened and on what kind of device, not who the person was. If you need contact details, ask for them openly, for example with a feedback form or a coupon that asks for an email.

Why are there fewer scans in my stats than I expected?

Link previews and crawlers are counted as bots and left out. Repeat scans by the same phone within 30 minutes count once. Scans over your plan's monthly limit, scans of codes locked after a downgrade and scans of static codes aren't recorded at all. Downloading a contact card or calendar file and the thank-you page after a form don't count as extra scans either.

How accurate is the location?

It's approximate. The country, region and city come from the network the phone is connected to, not from GPS. Mobile networks and VPNs can place a visitor in a nearby city, or in another country entirely.

Does the stats history limit delete old scans?

No. Your plan decides how far back you can look in the dashboard, not how long the scans are kept. If you upgrade, older scans show up again. Scans are deleted only when you delete the code or your account.

Do people who scan my code see ads or cookie banners?

No ads are shown to people who scan, on any plan. Hosted pages don't use tracking or advertising cookies; they only set a cookie when someone unlocks a password-protected code or claims a coupon, so it keeps working for them.