QR code print size chart
Recommended QR code sizes for business cards, flyers, posters, packaging, table tents, shop windows, vehicles and billboards, with the scanning distance each one assumes.
| Medium | Typical distance | Minimum | Comfortable | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business card | 20 cm | 2 cm | 2.5 cm | Short link only; keep 3 mm clear of the edge |
| Email signature / screen | 40 cm | 150 px | 200 px | Never below 150 px on screen |
| Product packaging | 30 cm | 2 cm | 3 cm | Flat panel, matte, away from seams and curves |
| Flyer, A5 or A4 | 40 cm | 3 cm | 4 cm | One per page, near the call to action |
| Table tent / menu | 50 cm | 4 cm | 5 cm | Both sides; test under the venue lighting |
| Poster, A3 | 1 m | 8 cm | 10 cm | Eye height, clear margin |
| Poster, A1 / A0 | 2–3 m | 20 cm | 30 cm | Short link keeps modules big |
| Shop window | 1–3 m | 15 cm | 25 cm | Inside the glass reflects; consider a matte decal |
| Vehicle side | 3–5 m | 30 cm | 50 cm | Assumes a stopped vehicle |
| Trade-show banner | 2–4 m | 20 cm | 40 cm | Place at chest height, not the floor |
| Billboard | 20 m | 2 m | 3 m | Distance ÷ 10; the shortest possible link |
Sizes are for the pattern itself, for a code of about 25 to 33 modules. Add a quiet zone of four modules on each side. Denser codes: use the calculator.
Find the medium you are printing on.
Use the minimum size, or the comfortable size if there is room.
Check it against your scanning distance with the calculator.
Questions
What size should a QR code be on a business card?+
At least 2 cm, 2.5 cm if the link is long. Keep a clear margin and do not run it into the card edge.
What size for an A4 flyer or a poster?+
A flyer held in the hand: 3 to 4 cm. An A3 poster on a wall read from a metre: 8 to 10 cm. An A1 poster read from two or three metres: 20 cm and up.
How big must a billboard QR code be?+
Divide the viewing distance by ten. A code read from 20 m across a road needs to be about 2 m wide, and it needs a short link so the modules stay big.
Do these sizes include the quiet zone?+
No. Add a clear margin of at least four modules on every side, roughly 10% of the width.
More free tools
The next step
Make the code the artwork.
These tools make and check classic codes. AriaQR turns your photo, logo or illustration into the code itself, verified on real decoders before you download, with a link you can edit and track.
