What's the difference between a short link and a QR code?

They both point to the same place — the difference is how someone gets there. A short link is a URL you click or tap (e.g. nimble.li/abc123). A QR code is a scannable image that encodes that same URL, designed for situations where people are looking at a physical surface — a poster, a business card, a product label — and can't click.

On Nimble Links, every link you create can have a QR code generated for it. The QR code simply encodes your short URL, so they share the same destination and the same analytics. A click on the short link and a scan of the QR code both count toward the same quota.

In short: use the link for digital channels (email, social media, messaging) and the QR code for print and physical placement.