Payment QR codes: what's inside and how to make one

Payment QR codes work the same way everywhere: open a new payment in your banking app, choose "Scan QR code" and the account, amount and reference fill themselves in. You just confirm. The difference is which format the banks in a given country agreed on.

Two formats QRvia supports

EPC QR code (SEPA, also called GiroCode) is the European standard for euro transfers. It's widely used by banks in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Finland and Belgium. QR Platba is the Czech standard that every Czech banking app reads. Other countries have their own formats (Slovakia uses PAY by square, for example), so always test the code with your own bank.

What's inside the code

No magic, just a short piece of text in an agreed format: the account as an IBAN, the amount, the currency and a message for the payee. Try it and see exactly what the banking app reads:

When a payment code makes sense

• Collections and donations: a charity, a club, a leaving present. Leave the amount empty so everyone chooses their own.
• Clubs, classes, team fees: one code on the noticeboard or in an e-mail to parents, with a fixed amount and reference.
• A small shop or market stall: a code at the till as a cheap alternative to a card terminal.
• Shared costs: rent with flatmates, a holiday cottage, a shared subscription.

Things to watch out for

• Use the IBAN format of your account number. You'll find it in online banking. The generator checks that it's valid.
• Keep the message plain. Some banks can't handle accented characters, so the generator removes them.
• Pay yourself before printing. Scan the code with your banking app and check the account and amount. You don't have to send the payment.
• Invoices: use invoicing software, which adds a payment code with the right reference to every invoice automatically.