QR Code Payments

What QR code payments are

A QR code is a two-dimensional barcode that carries information, such as a web address or payment details. When your customer scans it with a phone, it opens a payment app or page. The code itself does not transfer funds or determine the processing fee.

There are two common ways to present a payment code. With a merchant-presented code, you display it at a register, on a table, or on an invoice, and the customer scans it. With a consumer-presented code, the customer displays a code on their phone and you scan it. EMV QR specifications support card-based and account-based payment programs.

A QR code changes how your customer reaches checkout, not the underlying cost of accepting the payment.

How the payment works

After scanning, your customer reviews the payment details and authorizes the transaction in an app or checkout page. A static code holds fixed information, such as a payment link. A dynamic code can be changed and can prefill the amount, which helps avoid asking customers to enter a total for each purchase.

For example, a restaurant can place a code on each table that opens its online checkout. The customer scans it, confirms the order and amount, then pays on their phone. EMVCo says transactions using its QR specifications can be processed in less than a second, though the full customer checkout also includes scanning and confirmation.

What QR codes mean for your costs

There is no universal QR payment rate or QR-specific fee schedule. Your cost depends on the payment method the code leads to and the payment provider’s pricing. A card payment still has the usual card-processing cost layers, including interchange, network fees, and processor markup. Only the processor markup is negotiable.

A code can let you accept payment without a dedicated card reader for that checkout, but it does not make the transaction free. Compare the provider’s processing price for the card or account payment with what you pay through your existing checkout. The QR code format alone is not evidence of a lower rate.

Where QR payments can go wrong

A printed code is easy to alter without your staff noticing. A scammer can cover your code with a sticker that sends customers to a fake payment page. Inspect printed displays daily, protect them from tampering, and make sure the destination matches your business before putting a code in front of customers.

The customer needs a working smartphone to scan and complete the purchase. A dead battery, damaged code, poor lighting, or scanning trouble can interrupt checkout. Keep the code clean, well lit, and easy to reach, and provide another way to order or pay when a customer cannot use a phone.

What you can actually change

1. 01
   Price the payment route. Identify whether the code takes customers to a card checkout, digital wallet, or account payment. Compare its processing fees with your current method.
2. 02
   Test every destination. Scan each code with a phone before displaying it, and confirm that the business name, amount, and payment page are correct.
3. 03
   Inspect printed codes. Check counter, table, and window codes daily for stickers or damage. Keep another checkout option available for customers whose phones cannot complete the payment.

Frequently asked questions