QR code loyalty card: the two codes, where to display them and how to print them

How a QR code loyalty card works: the two codes

A QR code loyalty card has two codes that do different jobs. The first belongs to the shop: customers scan it with their phone camera and open the page to join and get their own card on the phone. The second is on the customer’s card: on the next visit, staff scan it to recognise that card and record the visit.

Mixing them up is the most common mistake when designing the scheme. The counter code adds no stamps and anyone can see it; the card code identifies a single customer but is not enough on its own to give a stamp, because confirmation stays with an authorised person.

Which platforms offer QR code loyalty cards for small businesses?

Platforms that offer QR code loyalty cards for small businesses are digital loyalty-card services where the customer joins by scanning a QR code at the counter and keeps the card on their phone, while staff confirm visits by scanning the card’s QR code. Check four things: that customers do not have to install an app; that there are two codes, the counter one to join and the card one for the visit; that a person gives the stamp, not the code; and that staff can type the code by hand if the QR code will not scan. With Iterum you print the counter QR code from the dashboard, the card opens in the browser or in Apple and Google Wallet on supported phones, and staff confirm from «Al banco». A connection is required. The list is in the best digital loyalty cards compared.

Where to put the loyalty card QR code in your shop

The shop’s QR code belongs where customers have a spare moment and their phone in hand, ideally close to where the visit ends: at the till, on the takeaway counter, on the table with the bill. It should be visible without cluttering the counter, and it helps to pair it with a line stating the reward, because a QR code with no context rarely gets scanned.

Each sector has its natural spot. In a café it is the till, while customers wait for the receipt; in a pizzeria it can travel on a flyer in the takeaway box; at the hair salon it is reception, while customers pay; at the gym the entrance or the front desk. The code is not a secret: you can also share the link on social media or in a message to existing customers.

Avoid places where customers cannot stop, such as the exit door or a spot that is too high, and surfaces that reflect light: a laminated sign under a spotlight can become unreadable exactly where it is needed.

How big should a loyalty card QR code be?

There is no single size that works for every phone. DENSO WAVE, which publishes the technical guidance on QR Code at qrcode.com, explains that the size of the symbol depends on its version, linked to the amount of data, on the size of each module, meaning each small square, and on the margin; that larger modules read more reliably; and that QR codes should be printed as large as possible within the available space.

The margin is the rule not to break: DENSO WAVE requires a clear zone four modules wide on every side, with nothing printed in it. A logo, a frame or the edge of the sheet placed too close is a common reason why QR codes fail to scan.

The reading limit also depends on the reader: DENSO WAVE gives each scanner a minimum module size it can read and, for camera-based readers, says it varies with the lens. That is why, with customers’ phones, testing on site matters more than any number.

How to test the QR code before printing it

A five-minute test saves reprinting a hundred flyers. Do it with the QR code at its final size, in the place where you will display it.

1. Use at least two phones

   One that is not yours, ideally an iPhone and an Android, and check that the code opens your shop’s card.

2. Scan from where the customer stands

   From the till queue, the table or the counter, not from ten centimetres away.

3. Check light and glare

   Try it under your shop’s lighting, by day and in the evening, especially if the sign is laminated.

4. Keep the white margin

   Four clear modules on each side: no text, frames or logos right up against the code.

5. Test the whole journey

   After signing up, have a member of staff confirm a test visit and check that the stamp appears on the card.

What happens if someone photographs the counter QR code?

The counter code leads to sign-up, not to stamps. Someone who photographs it and opens it at home can at most join and get their own card, which you can encourage yourself by sharing the link. On Iterum’s pages the stamp is always confirmed by authorised staff, who scan the customer’s card from their station after a qualifying visit.

The same goes for the customer’s card: even if someone shows a picture of it, whoever works the counter decides whether that visit meets the rule, exactly as with a paper stamp card. That is why the stamp rule should be written so staff apply it the same way on every shift; the points to cover are in the guide to loyalty scheme rules in Italy.

If the QR code will not scan: the card code and other options

If the QR code on a customer’s card will not scan, because of a cracked screen or low brightness, Iterum staff can type the card’s code into the «Al banco» station and confirm the visit anyway. A connection is still needed: sign-up and stamp confirmation do not work offline.

For anyone who does not want to or cannot use a smartphone, keep a paper alternative. The two cards can coexist for a while; the pros and cons of both formats are in the guide to paper vs digital loyalty cards, and printing and running costs in the guide on how much a loyalty card costs.

Is a free QR code generator enough for a loyalty card?

A QR code is just a quick way to open an address: making one is easy, but on its own it does not count visits, tell one customer from another or record rewards. A generic generator gives you the code; the loyalty scheme itself, meaning the customer’s card, the stamps and staff confirmation, has to live somewhere else, for example in a digital loyalty card.

If the code points to a page you will change often, check with the provider first what happens to the printed code when the page changes: a code already printed on a hundred flyers does not update itself.

The loyalty card QR code with Iterum

With Iterum you create the card in the designer, choose the name, reward and number of visits, then print the counter QR code from the dashboard: the sign sums up the customer’s three gestures, scanning the code, adding the card to Wallet and collecting stamps. Customers install no app; by adding the card they accept the card Terms and confirm they have read the privacy notice, with no box to tick, and, if their phone is supported, save the card in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, otherwise they use it from the link.

Staff open the «Al banco» station on a phone or computer, scan the card’s QR code or type its code and confirm the visit; you can create accounts for the whole team, with roles and permissions. The full set-up steps are in how Iterum works.

To try it in your shop there is a 7-day free trial: you pay €0 today, a payment card is required and, unless you cancel, the selected plan continues after the trial.

Sources and method

Sources consulted on 11 October 2026: DENSO WAVE, «Point for determining the code area» and «Point for setting the module size», on qrcode.com. The information about Iterum comes from how Iterum works, the Iterum overview page and the counter sign generated from the dashboard, as of 11 October 2026.

The advice on placement and testing is practical guidance, not data collected from real businesses. Iterum is loyalty card software and has no relationship with DENSO WAVE.