QR Code Reader API
QR Code Reader is a powerful tool that extracts text and data from QR codes in images. Simply provide an image URL or upload an image containing a QR code to decode its contents.
The QR Code Reader API provides reliable and fast access to qr code reader data through a simple REST interface. Built for developers who need consistent, high-quality results with minimal setup time.
To use QR Code Reader, you need an API key. You can get one by creating a free account and visiting your dashboard.
POST Endpoint
https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereaderCode Examples
Here are examples of how to call the QR Code Reader API in different programming languages:
curl -X POST \
"https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader" \
-H "X-API-Key: your_api_key_here" \
-F "image=@/path/to/image.jpg"const formData = new FormData();
formData.append('image', fileInput.files[0]);
const response = await fetch('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here'
},
body: formData
});
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);import requests
headers = {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here'
}
files = {
'image': open('/path/to/image.jpg', 'rb')
}
response = requests.post('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader', headers=headers, files=files)
data = response.json()
print(data)const fs = require('fs');
const FormData = require('form-data');
const form = new FormData();
form.append('image', fs.createReadStream('/path/to/image.jpg'));
fetch('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here',
...form.getHeaders()
},
body: form
})
.then(res => res.json())
.then(data => console.log(data));<?php
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, 'https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, [
'X-API-Key: your_api_key_here'
]);
$postFields = [
'image' => new CURLFile('/path/to/image.jpg')
];
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $postFields);
$response = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
$data = json_decode($response, true);
print_r($data);
?>package main
import (
"bytes"
"fmt"
"io"
"mime/multipart"
"net/http"
"os"
)
func main() {
file, _ := os.Open("/path/to/image.jpg")
defer file.Close()
body := &bytes.Buffer{}
writer := multipart.NewWriter(body)
part, _ := writer.CreateFormFile("image", "image.jpg")
io.Copy(part, file)
writer.Close()
req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader", body)
req.Header.Set("X-API-Key", "your_api_key_here")
req.Header.Set("Content-Type", writer.FormDataContentType())
client := &http.Client{}
resp, err := client.Do(req)
if err != nil {
panic(err)
}
defer resp.Body.Close()
respBody, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
fmt.Println(string(respBody))
}require 'net/http'
require 'uri'
require 'json'
uri = URI('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader')
http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true
request = Net::HTTP::Post::Multipart.new(
uri.path,
'image' => UploadIO.new(File.open('/path/to/image.jpg'), 'image/jpeg', 'image.jpg')
)
request['X-API-Key'] = 'your_api_key_here'
response = http.request(request)
puts JSON.pretty_generate(JSON.parse(response.body))using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
class Program
{
static async Task Main(string[] args)
{
using var client = new HttpClient();
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("X-API-Key", "your_api_key_here");
using var content = new MultipartFormDataContent();
using var fileStream = File.OpenRead("/path/to/image.jpg");
content.Add(new StreamContent(fileStream), "image", "image.jpg");
var response = await client.PostAsync("https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader", content);
response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
var responseBody = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
Console.WriteLine(responseBody);
}
}Authentication
The QR Code Reader API requires authentication via API key. Include your API key in the request header:
X-API-Key: your_api_key_hereInteractive API Playground
Test the QR Code Reader API directly in your browser with live requests and responses.
File Upload Required
multipart/form-data. Do not use Content-Type: application/json for QR Code Reader.| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Field Name | image |
| Accepted Types | .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif |
| Max File Size | 10MB |
curl -X POST "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader" \
-H "X-API-Key: your_api_key_here" \
-F "image=@/path/to/your/file"const formData = new FormData();
formData.append('image', fileInput.files[0]);
const response = await fetch('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here'
},
body: formData
});
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);Parameters
The following parameters are available for the QR Code Reader API:
Read QR Code
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description | Default | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
image | string | optional | Upload an image file containing a QR code to decode (supported formats: JPG, PNG, GIF) | - |
Response
The QR Code Reader API returns responses in JSON, XML, YAML, and CSV formats:
Example Responses
{
"status": "ok",
"error": null,
"data": {
"text": "'Twas brillig",
"location": {
"topLeft": {
"x": 9.927694968294492,
"y": 9.927694968294492
},
"topRight": {
"x": 215.24999999999997,
"y": 9.749999999999996
},
"bottomLeft": {
"x": 9.749999999999996,
"y": 215.24999999999997
},
"bottomRight": {
"x": 216.14779062994094,
"y": 216.14779062994094
}
}
}
}<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<response>
<status>ok</status>
<error xsi:nil="true" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"/>
<data>
<text>'Twas brillig</text>
<location>
<topLeft>
<x>9.927694968294492</x>
<y>9.927694968294492</y>
</topLeft>
<topRight>
<x>215.24999999999997</x>
<y>9.749999999999996</y>
</topRight>
<bottomLeft>
<x>9.749999999999996</x>
<y>215.24999999999997</y>
</bottomLeft>
<bottomRight>
<x>216.14779062994094</x>
<y>216.14779062994094</y>
</bottomRight>
</location>
</data>
</response>
status: ok
error: null
data:
text: '''Twas brillig'
location:
topLeft:
x: 9.927694968294492
'y': 9.927694968294492
topRight:
x: 215.24999999999997
'y': 9.749999999999996
bottomLeft:
x: 9.749999999999996
'y': 215.24999999999997
bottomRight:
x: 216.14779062994094
'y': 216.14779062994094
| key | value |
|---|---|
| text | 'Twas brillig |
| location | {topLeft:{x:9.927694968294492,y:9.927694968294492},topRight:{x:215.24999999999997,y:9.749999999999996},bottomLeft:{x:9.749999999999996,y:215.24999999999997},bottomRight:{x:216.14779062994094,y:216.14779062994094}} |
Response Structure
All API responses follow a consistent structure with the following fields:
| Field | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
status | string | Indicates whether the request was successful ("ok") or failed ("error") | ok |
error | string | null | Contains error message if status is "error", otherwise null | null |
data | object | null | Contains the API response data if successful, otherwise null | {...} |
Learn more about response formats →
Response Data Fields
When the request is successful, the data object contains the following fields:
| Field | Type | Sample Value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
text | string | - | |
location | object | - | |
â”” topLeft | object | - | |
â”” x | number | - | |
â”” y | number | - | |
â”” topRight | object | - | |
â”” x | number | - | |
â”” y | number | - | |
â”” bottomLeft | object | - | |
â”” x | number | - | |
â”” y | number | - | |
â”” bottomRight | object | - | |
â”” x | number | - | |
â”” y | number | - |
Headers
Required and optional headers for QR Code Reader API requests:
| Header Name | Required | Example Value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
X-API-Key | required | your_api_key_here | Your APIVerve API key. Found in your dashboard under API Keys. |
Accept | optional | application/json | Specify response format: application/json (default), application/xml, or application/yaml |
User-Agent | optional | MyApp/1.0 | Identifies your application for analytics and debugging purposes |
X-Request-ID | optional | req_123456789 | Custom request identifier for tracking and debugging requests |
Cache-Control | optional | no-cache | Control caching behavior for the request and response |
CORS Support
The QR Code Reader API supports Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) with wildcard configuration, allowing you to call QR Code Reader directly from browser-based applications without proxy servers.
| CORS Header | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
Access-Control-Allow-Origin | * | Accepts requests from any origin |
Access-Control-Allow-Methods | * | Accepts any HTTP method |
Access-Control-Allow-Headers | * | Accepts any request headers |
Browser Usage: You can call QR Code Reader directly from JavaScript running in the browser without encountering CORS errors. No proxy server or additional configuration needed.
Rate Limiting
QR Code Reader API requests are subject to rate limiting based on your subscription plan. These limits ensure fair usage and maintain service quality for all QR Code Reader users.
| Plan | Rate Limit | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 5 requests/min | Hard rate limit enforced - exceeding will return 429 errors |
| Starter | No Limit | Production ready - standard traffic priority |
| Pro | No Limit | Production ready - preferred traffic priority |
| Mega | No Limit | Production ready - highest traffic priority |
Learn more about rate limiting →
Rate Limit Headers
When rate limits apply, each QR Code Reader response includes headers to help you track your usage:
| Header | Description |
|---|---|
X-RateLimit-Limit | Maximum number of requests allowed per time window |
X-RateLimit-Remaining | Number of requests remaining in the current window |
X-RateLimit-Reset | Unix timestamp when the rate limit window resets |
Handling Rate Limits
Free Plan: When you exceed your rate limit, QR Code Reader returns a 429 Too Many Requests status code. Your application should implement appropriate backoff logic to handle this gracefully.
Paid Plans: No rate limiting or throttling applied. All paid plans (Starter, Pro, Mega) are production-ready.
Best Practices for QR Code Reader:
- Monitor the rate limit headers to track your QR Code Reader usage (Free plan only)
- Cache qr code reader responses where appropriate to reduce API calls
- Upgrade to Pro or Mega for guaranteed no-throttle QR Code Reader performance
Note: QR Code Reader rate limits are separate from credit consumption. You may have credits remaining but still hit rate limits when using QR Code Reader on Free tier.
Error Codes
The QR Code Reader API uses standard HTTP status codes to indicate success or failure:
| Code | Message | Description | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
200 | OK | Request successful, data returned | No action needed - request was successful |
400 | Bad Request | Invalid request parameters or malformed request | Check required parameters and ensure values match expected formats |
401 | Unauthorized | Missing or invalid API key | Include x-api-key header with valid API key from dashboard |
403 | Forbidden | API key lacks permission or insufficient credits | Check credit balance in dashboard or upgrade plan |
429 | Too Many Requests | Rate limit exceeded (Free: 5 req/min) | Implement request throttling or upgrade to paid plan |
500 | Internal Server Error | Server error occurred | Retry request after a few seconds, contact support if persists |
503 | Service Unavailable | API temporarily unavailable | Wait and retry, check status page for maintenance updates |
Learn more about error handling →
Need help? Contact support with your X-Request-ID for assistance.
Integrate QR Code Reader with SDKs
Get started quickly with official QR Code Reader SDKs for your preferred language. Each library handles authentication, request formatting, and error handling automatically.
Available for Node.js, Python, C#/.NET, and Android/Java. All SDKs are open source and regularly updated.
Integrate QR Code Reader with No-Code API Tools
Connect the QR Code Reader API to your favorite automation platform without writing code. Build workflows that leverage qr code reader data across thousands of apps.





All platforms use your same API key to access QR Code Reader. Visit our integrations hub for step-by-step setup guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an API key for QR Code Reader?
How many credits does QR Code Reader cost?
Each successful QR Code Reader API call consumes credits based on plan tier. Check the pricing section above for the exact credit cost. Failed requests and errors don't consume credits, so you only pay for successful qr code reader lookups.
Can I use QR Code Reader in production?
The free plan is for testing and development only. For production use of QR Code Reader, upgrade to a paid plan (Starter, Pro, or Mega) which includes commercial use rights, no attribution requirements, and guaranteed uptime SLAs. All paid plans are production-ready.
Can I use QR Code Reader from a browser?
What happens if I exceed my QR Code Reader credit limit?
When you reach your monthly credit limit, QR Code Reader API requests will return an error until you upgrade your plan or wait for the next billing cycle. You'll receive notifications at 80% and 95% usage to give you time to upgrade if needed.



