QR Codes for Events
Most "QR codes for events" advice is really just "make a QR code that links to your event page" — true, but not specific to events at all. The genuinely event-specific case is a code that only works on-site, and only for as long as the event is actually happening.
On-site only, not "trust the honor system"
A geofenced code checks the scanning phone's GPS location against a radius you set around the venue, and only completes the redirect if the scan genuinely happened there. That's the real difference between "here's our check-in link" printed at the door and an actual on-site access flow: the printed sign or wristband tag can't just be photographed and forwarded to someone who isn't physically at the venue and have it still work for them.
It's a practical gate, not a security system — a phone with spoofed location could get around it, the same limitation any consumer GPS check has. Use it for what it's actually good at: a reasonable, low-friction way to keep a check-in or an on-site offer tied to people who are actually there, not a substitute for a real ticketing/access-control system if you genuinely need one.
Only during the event, not forever
Pair the geofence with an expiration date and the same printed code stops working once the event is over, instead of quietly sitting there as a dead or (worse) stale link on a poster nobody's taken down. A scan-count limit works the same way for anything capped — a fixed number of check-in slots, a limited first-come giveaway at the door.
If what you actually need is "add to calendar"
Worth mentioning directly: if your event QR code's job is letting people save the date to their phone's calendar — title, date/time, location — that's a separate, simpler QR type built specifically for it, not the geofencing feature this page is about. It's the more common need for an event invite or announcement; geofenced check-in is the right tool specifically for on-site access and attendance, not for promoting an event before it happens.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use geofencing without an expiration date?
Yes, they're independent settings on the same dynamic link — use either one alone or both together depending on what you actually need to enforce.
What does someone see if they scan from outside the radius?
A plain message explaining the code only works on-site, instead of the real destination — the same controlled outcome as an expired code, not an error or a broken link.
Is this reliable for a large venue like a conference center?
GPS accuracy depends on the scanning phone, and tends to be less precise indoors. Set a wider radius for a large indoor venue rather than trying to gate to a specific room this way.
Is geofencing available on the free plan?
See the pricing page for exactly what's included at each tier.