
If you're promoting a mobile app, you've probably run into this problem: your app lives on both the App Store and Google Play, but a QR code or link can only point to one URL. So you end up either printing two QR codes side by side and hoping people scan the right one, or picking one platform and losing the other half of your audience.
The fix is a smart link (sometimes called a "device-aware" link): a single URL or QR code that detects whether the visitor is on iPhone, Android, or a desktop browser, and sends them to the right destination automatically. Here's how to set one up in under a minute, and how the free tools that do this actually compare.
That's it — the same QR code or short link now routes iPhone users to the App Store, Android users to Google Play, and anyone else to your fallback page.
This is the detail most comparisons skip. With tny.ws, the QR code is dynamic: you can change the destination URLs after the code is already printed on packaging, a poster, or a business card, without generating a new code. That matters if your Play Store listing changes, or you're running a campaign with a code that's already out in the world.
We looked at what each tool actually offers for free, not just what they advertise:
| Tool | Free tier | Account required | QR code editable after creation | Click analytics | Cheapest paid plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tny.ws | Yes, unlimited short links | Only for QR codes & analytics | Yes | Yes (with free account) | $5/month |
| Hovercode | Yes, no sign-up at all | No | No — free codes are static | Paid only | Custom (contact sales) |
| SupaQR | Yes, static codes | Not required for basic use | No — free codes are static | Limited | SupaQR Pro (see their pricing page) |
| Onelink.to | Yes, capped at 3 links, ads after 3 months/1K clicks | Yes | Yes | Basic stats on all plans | $10/month |
The honest takeaway: if you want a code with zero sign-up and don't mind it being locked in forever, Hovercode's generator is the fastest option. If you want to be able to update the destination later, track clicks, and stay on a free plan without a link cap, tny.ws or Onelink.to are the better fit — and tny.ws doesn't cap how many links you can shorten or add ads on a timer the way Onelink.to's free tier does.
The free plan covers most personal projects and small app launches. If you're running paid marketing campaigns and want the QR code and links completely ad-free with deeper analytics, tny.ws Premium is $5/month, billed annually — noticeably less than Onelink.to's $10/month Professional plan for a comparable feature set.
Head to tny.ws, paste your app's link, and add your App Store and Google Play URLs from the Link Configuration panel. You'll have one QR code and one short link covering both platforms in under a minute.