Meet Eshwar

Thank you for having me. I’m Eshwar Deshmukh, Co-Founder and CTO of Lifetime QR Codes. I built my technical foundation at major companies like Google and Amazon, where I learned to obsess over reliability, scalability, and excellence. Those experiences taught me that great products aren’t built on hype—they’re built on solid engineering, trust, and a relentless focus on solving real problems.

But my real education came from watching my brother struggle with his NGO. That’s what brought me here.

My brother runs a nonprofit that does meaningful work in his community. When he needed QR codes for his organization, he thought he’d found a good solution—a dynamic QR code provider that seemed reliable. He paid upfront, got the codes printed on materials meant to last for years: permanent signage, educational resources, fundraising materials. For a nonprofit, that was a significant investment of limited resources.

Then the subscription bills started. Every month. The provider kept raising prices, and when my brother couldn’t keep up, they locked him out entirely. His codes—thousands of them, printed on physical materials across his organization—just stopped working. All that material became useless overnight. He lost credibility with donors and the communities he served. It was devastating.

That moment changed everything for me. I realized the QR code industry had a systemic problem, and I had the skills to fix it. Today, we’re supporting thousands of customers already—small and medium-sized businesses, hundreds of nonprofits, pharma companies, marketing agencies, and manufacturers who understand that QR codes with no subscription model make economic sense for long-term, permanent use cases. These are organizations printing in high volume where code longevity is critical and subscription models don’t fit their business logic.

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What inspired you to build Lifetime QR Codes?

For me—Eshwar—watching my brother’s NGO get locked out was the spark, but it revealed something much bigger: the entire QR code industry was built on a predatory model.

I started researching and found the same nightmare repeating everywhere. Small businesses printing 50,000 product labels, then getting hit with a monthly bill forever just to keep those codes working. If they canceled the service, their entire packaging run became worthless. Nonprofits running educational programs couldn’t afford ongoing subscription fees for codes printed on permanent materials. Restaurants laminated menu boards with dynamic QR codes, only to watch them break when they missed a payment.

It felt like a hostage situation disguised as software. Businesses and organizations printed physical materials expecting permanence, but they were actually renting access to their own codes. The providers had all the leverage.

I built my brother a solution out of frustration—permanent editable dynamic QR codes with permanence built in. One price, forever, no tricks, no locking. The moment I finished it, I realized: if my brother’s NGO needs this, thousands of other organizations do too.

Here’s the key insight: a Lifetime QR Code isn’t an expense—it’s a CAPEX investment. You’re buying a digital asset that becomes part of your permanent infrastructure. When you print a million product labels with a Lifetime QR code embedded, you’re making a capital investment in a digital asset that will outlive the physical product. When you mark restaurant menus with permanent QR codes, you’re creating infrastructure. When you embed codes in pharmaceutical packaging or marketing materials, you’re securing a digital touchpoint for the entire product lifecycle. That changes the economics completely compared to subscription software.

That’s when I knew I had to share this with the world. Not as a side project, but as a real company with a real commitment to permanence.

What makes Lifetime QR Codes different from generic QR code generators?

There are several layers to this, and I want to be clear about what I built and why.

First, the pricing model and guarantee of permanence. Almost every other major dynamic QR platform charges $10 to $99 per month. We built Lifetime QR Codes on a completely different principle: QR codes with no subscription model. Period. We charge a one-time payment of $29 per editable QR code. No monthly fees. No renewals. No scan limits. No surprise price increases. No locking you out if you can’t pay.

When you buy a Lifetime QR Code, you’re making a CAPEX investment in a permanent editable dynamic QR code that becomes a digital asset in your infrastructure. You own it forever. It works forever. You’re not renting access—you’re purchasing ownership.

We kept our costs incredibly low—lean team, efficient infrastructure—so we could pass those savings directly to customers. We’re not trying to maximize profits or extract recurring revenue. We’re trying to share technology with people who need it, regardless of whether they’re a Fortune 500 company or a small NGO running on a shoestring budget.

For that single $29 payment, you get enterprise-level features: real-time analytics, unlimited scans, unlimited edits, 12+ different QR code types, and 24/7 direct support from the founders themselves. We also offer bulk packages with up to 67% off for volume buyers. Everything runs on enterprise-grade infrastructure targeting 99.9% uptime.

Second, we include enterprise functionality at no extra cost. Unlimited team members managing codes. No per-user seat charges. No hidden tiers. It’s built as a reliable operational system where organizations can scale their use of permanent QR codes without scaling their costs.

The math is simple: over three years, a single $29 Lifetime QR Code saves customers up to $3,535 compared to major subscription platforms. But the real value? Peace of mind. Your codes work forever. Your investment in permanent editable dynamic QR codes compounds in value as your materials age. A code printed today still generates scans and analytics ten years from now without a single additional payment.

Can QR codes become a long-term infrastructure tool rather than just marketing?

Absolutely. Because ours don’t expire, permanent QR codes are perfectly suited for long-term operational infrastructure.

We’re already supporting thousands of customers who’ve made this shift. Small and medium-sized businesses use Lifetime QR Codes on packaging that lasts for years. Marketing agencies build campaigns with permanent editable dynamic QR codes that track performance across product lifecycles. Pharma companies embed them in packaging where code permanence is mission-critical—you can’t reprint a million units because the QR code broke. Manufacturing firms use them for asset tracking and product identification where the code must outlive the equipment lifecycle. Nonprofits print them on permanent signage and materials, knowing they won’t face sudden subscription bills.

My brother’s NGO uses them on permanent signage. Restaurants use them for menus that last years—no reprinting, just update the destination. Manufacturers print them directly on product packaging, knowing they’ll work a decade later. Schools print them on educational materials. People use them on memorial plaques, asset tracking systems, pet ID tags.

Beyond standard marketing, we see businesses using our platform for critical operational infrastructure: tracking inventory across warehouses, managing supply chains, directing customers to updated information without reprinting materials, creating permanent digital directories.

The difference is: with us, permanent QR codes work forever. With subscription providers, they’re ticking time bombs. Miss one payment and your entire system breaks.

We’ve also designed for this use case from the ground up. Our codes are hosted on redundant, enterprise-grade infrastructure. We maintain GDPR and CCPA compliance. We commit to 99.9% uptime. We don’t shut down services or deprecate features without notice. This is built to be a reliable operational system where businesses and organizations can run their daily work knowing their permanent editable dynamic QR codes will work tomorrow, next year, and a decade from now.

For manufacturers printing in high volume where code longevity is critical, a Lifetime QR Code becomes part of the product’s permanent digital identity. It’s infrastructure, not marketing. For my brother’s NGO, that permanence means he can print materials once and know they’ll work for the lifetime of the organization. That’s powerful.

What moment made you realize “QR codes shouldn’t expire”?

It wasn’t a theoretical moment for me—Eshwar. It was my brother’s face when he realized his organization had lost credibility because his permanent QR codes stopped working.

I watched him explain to donors why the materials they’d been given no longer worked. I watched him understand that a provider he’d trusted had clear terms that locked him out the moment he couldn’t afford their price. And I realized: he wasn’t careless or stupid. He was a nonprofit leader trying to do good work on a tight budget, and the system was designed to trap him. He’d invested in what he thought were permanent QR codes—codes that would last as long as the signage itself—but they expired the moment his subscription did.

That’s when I knew: QR codes shouldn’t expire because the organizations using them—nonprofits, small businesses, schools, manufacturers, individuals—shouldn’t have to choose between keeping their codes working and keeping the lights on.

I also heard directly from other customers about their frustrations with the “subscription trap.” People who used “free” generators for important events, only to have links redirect to ads unless they paid a sudden upgrade fee. Nonprofits sharing their goals who simply couldn’t afford to keep paying monthly fees for codes printed on permanent signage. Manufacturers who’d invested in printing permanent QR codes on millions of units, only to watch them break when subscription costs became unsustainable. Pharma companies facing regulatory and cost implications of having to reprint products because their editable dynamic QR codes suddenly stopped working.

Every conversation reinforced the same insight: permanence should be the default, not a luxury feature locked behind expensive subscriptions. When you print a QR code on something physical meant to last, the code should last too.

What mistakes do people make when using QR codes?

There’s a technical mistake: choosing the wrong type of QR code for the job. I see people linking to a single website when a “List of Links” QR type would let customers choose from multiple destinations. Or using a basic link QR when a “Digital Business Card” (vCard) would be far more effective and capture more data. Choosing the wrong format limits the potential of the code.

But the biggest mistake is financial—and it’s not their fault. It’s a systemic trap.

People print permanent QR codes on materials designed to last for years: product packaging, signage, business cards, educational materials, even structural assets. Then they tie those codes to monthly subscription services. They think they’re buying permanent codes, but they’re really just renting access. Over time, they end up paying thousands of dollars for codes that should have been a one-time asset.

My brother learned this the hard way. He printed editable dynamic QR codes on materials across his entire organization. When the subscription bills came due month after month, he was locked into an endless cycle. Many organizations face this exact scenario and simply can’t afford it. It’s especially painful for manufacturers printing in high volume—suddenly, an entire product run becomes at risk because the code’s subscription status is uncertain.

The other mistake is not thinking about the code’s destination strategically. Too many people use QR codes reactively—just linking to a website without considering what happens if that URL changes, if you want to update the destination, or if you want to track where scans are coming from. Editable dynamic QR codes solve all of this, but only if you understand why you need them in the first place and plan for permanence.

What are the biggest downsides of subscription-based QR tools?

The fundamental downside is that you don’t actually own your printed materials or your digital assets.

If you miss a payment or stop your subscription, your editable dynamic QR codes simply break. Your packaging, signage, business cards, educational materials—everything becomes entirely useless. That’s not a small inconvenience. For a business or organization that’s invested thousands in printing permanent QR codes on physical materials, it’s a total loss. You’ve lost both the physical investment and the digital asset.

This is what happened to my brother. His organization lost the ability to communicate with audiences because of an unpaid subscription. The materials were physical and permanent, but the codes powering them weren’t. For manufacturers and pharma companies, this is a nightmare scenario—you can’t just reprint millions of units because a QR code subscription became too expensive.

Beyond the breakage, the ongoing costs are staggering. A $29 Lifetime QR Code saves customers up to $3,535 over three years compared to major subscription platforms. That’s not theoretical—that’s real money that could go toward actual work instead of subscription fees. When you’re supporting thousands of customers—small and medium-sized businesses printing in high volume, nonprofits, pharma companies managing product lifecycles—these savings compound into real organizational sustainability.

There’s also the uncertainty. Subscription platforms can raise prices whenever they want. They can change terms. They can restrict features. They can shut down. My brother’s provider didn’t just lock him out—they changed their pricing structure mid-contract and made it unaffordable for nonprofits. He had no recourse.

And there’s the psychological weight. Every month, you get a bill. Every month, there’s a moment of “Can we afford this?” For nonprofits especially, that recurring cost becomes a burden, a drain on limited resources. For manufacturers with multi-year product lifecycles, it’s a hidden cost that compounds over time.

With Lifetime QR Codes, you pay once and move on. The code works. It always works. You own it. It becomes a permanent digital asset, part of your capital infrastructure. You’re not renting access to your own printed materials.

How has the product evolved since launch? What’s your long-term vision for Lifetime QR Codes?

Since our launch, we’ve focused entirely on making our lifetime offering the most robust and sustainable platform on the market.

We started with the core promise: one-time payment, permanent codes, enterprise features. But we’ve expanded significantly. We added real-time device and location tracking so customers can see not just how many scans they’re getting, but where people are scanning from and what devices they’re using. We added custom branding options so organizations can white-label their QR codes and landing pages. We added a 1-day free full-access trial so customers can experience the entire platform risk-free before committing.

We’ve also focused on reliability and compliance. We maintain GDPR and CCPA compliance. We commit to 99.9% uptime on enterprise-grade infrastructure. We’ve built redundancy into our systems so your permanent editable dynamic QR codes keep working even if parts of our infrastructure fail.

Internally, we’ve stayed lean and focused. No massive feature bloat, no chasing every trend. Just relentless focus on making the core product—Lifetime QR Codes as permanent digital assets—bulletproof. Today, we’re supporting thousands of customers who understand the value: small and medium-sized businesses, hundreds of nonprofits, pharma companies, marketing agencies, and manufacturers who print in high volume where code permanence and longevity matter more than quarterly features.

Our long-term vision is to be the ultimate anti-subscription platform in this industry. We’re building a company designed to sustain this model for decades, not quarters. We want to be the safe, permanent home for anyone’s digital assets, whether they’re a Fortune 500 company, a school, or my brother’s NGO.

I want organizations to think: “We need QR codes for something that will last. We go to Lifetime QR Codes. We pay once. We move on. We never think about this again.” That’s the goal.

We’re also committed to transparency and honesty. If a customer only needs a static QR code, we tell them upfront: static codes are completely free on our platform. We don’t upsell them or trick them into paying. That integrity builds loyalty and sustainable business.

In five years, I want Lifetime QR Codes to be the obvious choice for anyone printing codes on anything permanent. And I want the subscription QR code industry to be embarrassed by how predatory they’ve been.

What advice would you give founders building in the SaaS industry?

From my experience building Lifetime QR Codes, here’s what I’ve learned:

First: listen to real people’s pain. Don’t build abstract solutions to theoretical problems. My brother’s struggle with subscription locking wasn’t theoretical—it was heartbreak. That clarity of purpose matters. It keeps you honest when you’re tempted to compromise on your values.

Second: be willing to walk away from standard business models if they harm the people you’re trying to serve. Everyone in SaaS is obsessed with monthly recurring revenue. It’s considered the gold standard. But recurring revenue can become extraction if the customer genuinely doesn’t have unlimited needs. We chose a one-time payment model in an industry that treats MRR like gospel because it was the right and honest thing to do for our users.

Third: value long-term relationships over short-term upsells. If a customer only needs a static QR code, tell them it’s free on your platform. Don’t trick them into paying for a dynamic code they don’t need. Don’t create artificial tiers or add dark patterns to drive them toward paid features. That integrity builds loyalty and sustainable business. Customers who trust you will spend more with you over time than customers you’ve tricked.

Fourth: keep your own costs low so you can actually afford to serve people with real constraints. My brother couldn’t afford $99 a month. Millions can’t. So we kept our costs lean—lean team, efficient infrastructure—so we could serve them fairly at $29 instead of $99. Don’t use cost as an excuse to charge everyone premium prices.

Fifth: remember that your pricing model shapes your company’s incentives. If you build on recurring revenue, you become incentivized to lock people in and make cancellation painful. If you build on one-time sales, you become incentivized to create genuine value and build trust. Choose your model deliberately, knowing it will shape who you become as a company.

Sixth: be honest about what you’re doing. If you’re building to maximize shareholder value and extract as much revenue as possible, that’s a legitimate business strategy—just be honest about it. Don’t pretend to be mission-driven. But if you genuinely want to serve people, build your entire company around that mission: your pricing, your feature decisions, your support model, everything.

Did you enjoy our interview? Do you have anything to say to our community?

I’m Eshwar, and I really enjoyed this discussion. I’m grateful to be part of the SaaS Pirate community and to connect with people who care about honest business practices and real solutions to real problems.

Here’s what I want to say to you: if you print QR codes on anything physical—product packaging, signage, educational materials, fundraising documents, anything that’s meant to last—please stop paying monthly rent on them. Invest in Lifetime QR Codes instead. It’s a CAPEX investment in a permanent digital asset that compounds in value over time.

My brother’s story isn’t unique. Right now, there are thousands of organizations like his—nonprofits losing credibility, small and medium-sized businesses throwing away printed materials, manufacturers facing product reprinting costs, pharma companies struggling with regulatory implications, people locked out of their own digital assets by unclear contracts and unaffordable price hikes. That shouldn’t be how this works.

Come to lifetimeqrcodes.com. Create your first Lifetime QR Code in minutes. Make a permanent editable dynamic QR code investment. Own them forever. No subscriptions. No surprises. No monthly bills. Just permanent QR codes with no subscription model that work today and work in ten years.

And if you’re running a nonprofit, school, startup, manufacturer, pharma company, or any organization doing meaningful work on a tight budget or printing in high volume: this is for you. We kept it affordable because we understand what it’s like when every dollar counts. We built permanence into the product because we understand the pain of watching your materials become useless because of a subscription you can’t afford. We’ve already supported thousands of customers who’ve made this shift—they understand that a $29 permanent QR code investment is fundamentally different from a $99/month software subscription.

I also want to address something about technology and access. I believe in making technology accessible, but not everyone can build software. Open sourcing this solution would help developers, but it would leave everyone else behind. A small business owner, a teacher, an NGO coordinator, a manufacturing operations manager—they need a solution they can use immediately, without hiring a developer or learning to code. So instead of open sourcing, we kept costs incredibly low. We believe in sharing technology through accessibility and affordability, not just code.

When you can buy a permanent, editable dynamic QR code for $29 one time, you don’t need to be a developer to own your digital assets for life. That’s how we share this technology with the world.

I’m excited to build this with you. Let’s make permanence the default, not the exception. Let’s build technology that serves people, not extracts from them. And let’s prove that you can run a sustainable, profitable company without locking customers into endless subscriptions.

Your digital assets deserve to be permanent. Your Lifetime QR Codes deserve to work forever. Let’s make that happen together.