How to Make a QR Code for Google Reviews (and Where to Put It)
To get a QR code for Google reviews, open your Google Business Profile, go to the "Ask for reviews" option, copy the direct review link it generates, and paste that link into a QR code generator. The QR code then takes anyone who scans it straight to your star rating and review box, no typing required.
This sounds simple and it is, but small businesses lose customers at almost every step of this process: a link nobody bothers to type, a QR code printed too small to scan, or a review request that accidentally breaks Google's rules. Here is how to get the link, turn it into a QR code correctly, and place it where it actually gets used.
Step 1: Get your direct Google review link
Every Google Business Profile has a short review link tied to it. To find yours:
- Sign in to Google Business Profile manager and select your business location.
- Look for the "Ask for reviews" or "Get more reviews" card on the home screen.
- Click it. Google generates a short link, usually in the format g.page/r/yourcode/review.
- Copy that link. This is the exact URL your QR code needs to point to.
If you manage the listing on desktop, the link is also under the "Reviews" tab in most versions of the dashboard. Multi location businesses need to repeat this for each location separately, since each one has its own review link and its own QR code. Using one location's link across all your stores sends customers to the wrong page and creates a mismatch Google may flag.
Why a QR code beats a shortened link on print
A shortened URL like g.page/r/abc123/review still has to be typed by hand on a receipt, or the customer has to remember it long enough to open a browser at home. Both steps lose people. A QR code removes the typing entirely: point the camera, tap the link that pops up, land directly on the review box. On a printed receipt or a table tent, that difference is the gap between a review that gets left and one that gets forgotten by the time the customer gets to their car.
QR codes also survive folding, lamination, and a bit of wear better than text does, since the scanner only needs to read the pattern, not each character cleanly. For a look at how the format holds up on printed materials over time, see do QR codes expire.
Where to put the QR code
Placement matters more than design. The best spots put the code in front of a customer at the exact moment they are already satisfied, not days later.
| Location | Why it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Printed receipt | Customer sees it right after paying, while the experience is fresh | Thermal receipt printers can blur small codes, test a scan before a full print run |
| Table tent or counter card | Visible during the visit, works for restaurants and retail counters | Needs a clear call to action next to it, a bare code with no text confuses people |
| Thank-you card or bag insert | Reaches the customer at home when they have time to write a longer review | Response rate is lower since the moment has passed |
| Invoice or emailed receipt | Works well for service businesses billing after the job | Pair with a short line asking directly, do not rely on the code alone |
| Storefront window or door | Catches passersby and delivery drivers who had a good experience | Weather exposure fades ink, use a laminated or UV stable print |
Service businesses that already print or email invoices can build the code into that document. If you are generating invoices anyway, the free invoice generator lets you build one with a review QR code sitting right next to the total, so the ask happens at the same time the customer is settling payment.
The honest caution: incentivized reviews
Asking a customer to leave a review is fine. Offering a discount, a free item, or an entry into a prize draw in exchange for a review goes against Google's review policies, and Google can remove reviews it detects were incentivized, or in repeated cases, restrict the listing. This applies whether the offer is tied to leaving any review or specifically a positive one.
Simply asking, without a reward attached, is legal in most places and is exactly what the QR code is for. A neutral line like "scan to leave us a review" or "we would appreciate a quick review" does the job without crossing the line. If you want to reward loyal customers, run that as a separate program unrelated to whether they left a review, and never mention the two together on the same card. Rules on this can vary by country and platform, so when in doubt, ask without offering anything in return.
Print size for a counter card
A review link QR code carries a short URL, so the code itself can stay simple and still scan reliably at a small size, as long as print quality holds up. As a rule of thumb:
- Counter card or table tent: at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) square, printed at 300 dpi or higher.
- Receipt or invoice footer: no smaller than 0.75 inch (1.9 cm) square, and test a physical scan before printing in bulk, since thermal printers can lose fine detail.
- Window decal or poster: scale up with distance, roughly 1 inch of code size for every 10 inches of expected scanning distance.
- Leave a quiet margin, at least the width of one module of the code, around all four sides so the scanner's camera can lock onto the pattern.
If the card sits on a colored counter or a branded background, a transparent QR code generator lets the code blend into the design without a white box breaking the layout. And if you are printing the code onto product packaging, shelf labels, or takeaway bags rather than a standalone card, the QR code for labels tool is built for that exact sizing and layout job.
Quick setup checklist
- Copy the exact review link from Google Business Profile manager, per location.
- Generate the QR code from that link and test scan it on two different phones before printing.
- Add a short, direct line of text next to the code, no reward or discount attached.
- Print at the right size for the material: receipts small, table tents and window signs larger.
- Recheck the code every few months since Google occasionally changes review link formats.
Once the review QR code is working, the same generator setup extends to other quick links your business needs, from Wi-Fi cards to menu links. Browse the full set of options in the QR tools category or read more setup guides in the guides section.