QR Code vs Email vs SMS: Which Review Collection Method Gets the Best Results?

The Three Main Review Collection Channels

Every business that wants to grow its online reputation faces the same question: what is the best way to actually get customers to leave reviews? The three most common methods are QR codes, email requests, and SMS (text message) requests. Each has strengths, weaknesses, and ideal use cases.

This guide compares all three methods using real conversion data, cost analysis, and practical implementation tips. By the end, you will know which method, or combination of methods, will work best for your business.

If you are just getting started with review collection, you may also want to read our comprehensive guide on [how to get more Google reviews](/blog/how-to-get-more-google-reviews).

QR Code Review Collection

QR codes have become one of the most effective tools for collecting reviews, especially for businesses with in-person customer interactions. The concept is simple: a customer scans a code with their phone camera and is taken directly to a review page.

How It Works

1. You generate a QR code linked to your Google review page (or a smart landing page like Opineko provides).
2. You print and place the QR code at customer touchpoints: table tents, checkout counters, receipts, business cards, or packaging.
3. The customer scans the code, which opens the review page on their phone.
4. The customer writes and submits their review.

With a smart review funnel like Opineko, there is an extra step between scanning and the public review: the customer first rates their experience. Positive ratings are directed to Google (or Yelp, TripAdvisor, etc.), while negative ratings are routed to private feedback. This protects your public reputation while still capturing valuable feedback.

Conversion Rates

QR code review collection typically achieves 15-25% conversion rates when staff actively point customers to the code during peak satisfaction moments. Even without a verbal prompt, passive QR codes placed in visible locations convert at 3-7%, which is comparable to email.

The key driver of QR code conversion is immediacy. The customer acts while the experience is still fresh, not hours or days later when they have moved on.

Pros of QR Codes

• Zero friction. One scan opens the review page. No searching, no clicking through emails, no copying links.
• Immediate action. Customers review while the experience is fresh, leading to more detailed and authentic reviews.
• Virtually free. Once the QR code is generated, the only cost is printing. No per-message or per-send fees.
• Always on. QR codes work 24/7 without any manual action from your staff. Place them and they collect reviews passively.
• No customer data needed. You do not need email addresses or phone numbers. Anyone can scan.
• Works for walk-in traffic. Perfect for businesses where you do not capture customer contact information.

Cons of QR Codes

• Requires in-person presence. QR codes are most effective when the customer is physically at your location or has your printed materials.
• Dependent on smartphone. While smartphone adoption is above 90% in most markets, a small percentage of customers may not be comfortable scanning QR codes.
• Limited follow-up ability. If a customer does not scan in the moment, you have no way to remind them later (unless you also collect their contact information).
• Placement matters. A QR code hidden on the back of a receipt will not perform as well as one on a table tent at eye level.

Best For

Restaurants, retail stores, salons, medical offices, service businesses with on-site interactions, and any business with physical customer touchpoints.

Email Review Collection

Email review requests have been a staple of review collection for years. They work by sending a follow-up email after a transaction with a link to your review page.

How It Works

1. You collect the customer email address during the transaction or from your CRM.
2. After the interaction (typically within 24 hours), you send an email with a direct link to your Google review page.
3. The customer opens the email, clicks the link, and leaves a review.

Many businesses automate this process through their CRM, POS system, or a dedicated review management platform. For email template ideas, see our [review request templates guide](/blog/review-request-templates).

Conversion Rates

Email review requests typically achieve 3-8% conversion rates. This includes the full funnel: email delivered, email opened, link clicked, and review completed. Open rates for review request emails average around 30-40%, and of those who open, roughly 10-20% actually complete the review.

The drop-off happens at multiple stages. Emails land in spam or promotions folders. Customers intend to leave a review but get distracted. By the time they open the email, the emotional connection to the experience has faded.

Pros of Email

• Scalable. You can send hundreds or thousands of review requests automatically without any manual effort.
• Works remotely. Ideal for e-commerce, SaaS, and any business where the customer interaction happens online.
• Automatable. Connect your CRM or POS system and review requests go out automatically after every transaction.
• Customizable. You can personalize the message, include the customer name, reference the specific product or service, and match your brand voice.
• Low cost per send. Email platforms charge fractions of a cent per email, making it one of the cheapest channels.
• Follow-up capable. If the customer does not respond, you can send a reminder email a few days later.

Cons of Email

• Low conversion rates. At 3-8%, you need a large volume of sends to generate meaningful review numbers.
• Delayed action. The customer reads the email hours or days after the experience, when the emotional connection has weakened.
• Spam and filter issues. Review request emails often end up in promotions tabs or spam folders, reducing deliverability.
• Requires email addresses. You need to collect and store customer email addresses, which not all businesses do systematically.
• Email fatigue. Customers receive dozens of emails daily. Your review request competes with everything else in their inbox.
• Can feel impersonal. Even with personalization, automated emails lack the human touch of an in-person request.

Best For

E-commerce businesses, SaaS companies, professional services, healthcare providers, and any business that already collects customer email addresses as part of their workflow.

SMS Review Collection

SMS (text message) review requests leverage the high open rates of text messaging to put review links directly in the customer hands.

How It Works

1. You collect the customer phone number during the transaction (with proper consent).
2. After the interaction, you send a brief text message with a direct link to your review page.
3. The customer taps the link and leaves a review on their phone.

Conversion Rates

SMS review requests typically achieve 8-15% conversion rates. The high open rate of text messages (98% vs. roughly 20-30% for email) is the primary driver. Most text messages are read within three minutes of being received.

The conversion rate is lower than in-person QR codes because there is still a time delay, but higher than email because the message is almost guaranteed to be seen.

Pros of SMS

• Extremely high open rates. At 98%, SMS ensures your request is seen, which is the biggest hurdle in review collection.
• Fast delivery. Text messages arrive and are read within minutes, reducing the time gap between experience and review.
• Personal and direct. Text messages feel more personal than email, which can increase response rates.
• Works well for follow-ups. After a service call, appointment, or delivery, an SMS follow-up feels natural and timely.
• Mobile-native. The customer is already on their phone, so tapping a link and leaving a review is seamless.

Cons of SMS

• Cost per message. SMS messages typically cost 1 to 5 cents each, which adds up with high volume.
• Regulatory compliance. TCPA and other regulations require explicit consent before sending marketing texts, including review requests. Non-compliance can result in significant fines.
• Phone number collection. You need to collect and manage phone numbers, which some customers are reluctant to share.
• Character limitations. SMS messages need to be short, limiting how much you can personalize or explain.
• Opt-out risk. If customers feel you are texting too often, they will opt out, losing the channel entirely.
• Can feel intrusive. Some customers find unsolicited texts more invasive than emails.

Best For

Service businesses (plumbers, contractors, cleaning services), healthcare and dental offices, automotive dealerships and repair shops, and businesses that already collect phone numbers during booking or intake.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Here is a summary comparison of all three methods across the key factors that matter:

Conversion Rate

• QR Code (with verbal prompt): 15-25%
• SMS: 8-15%
• Email: 3-8%
• QR Code (passive, no prompt): 3-7%

Cost Per Review

• QR Code: Lowest. Virtually zero marginal cost after printing.
• Email: Low. Fractions of a cent per send, but more sends needed due to lower conversion.
• SMS: Moderate. 1-5 cents per message, partially offset by higher conversion.

Speed of Response

• QR Code: Immediate. Customer reviews on the spot.
• SMS: Fast. Most responses within hours.
• Email: Slow. Responses trickle in over days.

Data Requirements

• QR Code: None. No customer data needed.
• Email: Customer email address required.
• SMS: Customer phone number and explicit consent required.

Automation Potential

• Email: Highest. Fully automatable through CRM and POS integrations.
• SMS: High. Automatable with the right platform and proper consent flows.
• QR Code: Moderate. Passive placement is automatic, but highest conversion requires staff involvement.

Review Quality

• QR Code: Highest quality. Immediate reviews tend to be more detailed because the experience is still vivid.
• SMS: Good quality. Short time delay preserves most of the experiential detail.
• Email: Variable. Delayed reviews tend to be shorter and more generic.

When to Use Each Method

Use QR Codes When:

• You have in-person customer interactions
• Your business has physical locations or touchpoints (tables, counters, vehicles, packaging)
• You serve walk-in customers whose contact information you do not collect
• You want the lowest-cost, highest-conversion option
• Your staff is willing to make a brief verbal request alongside the QR code

Use Email When:

• Your business operates primarily online (e-commerce, SaaS)
• You already collect email addresses as part of your workflow
• You want fully automated review collection with no manual effort
• You serve high volumes and need a scalable approach
• You want the ability to send follow-up reminders

Use SMS When:

• You collect phone numbers as part of booking or intake
• You want higher conversion than email but cannot use QR codes (no in-person interaction)
• You operate in a service industry where post-service text follow-ups are standard
• You have proper consent mechanisms in place

Combining Methods for Maximum Results

The businesses that collect the most reviews do not rely on a single method. They layer multiple channels to capture every possible review opportunity.

The Recommended Multi-Channel Stack

Layer 1: QR Codes (In-Person)

This is your primary collection channel for any customer who visits your location. Place QR codes at every touchpoint and train your staff to make a brief verbal request at peak satisfaction moments.

Layer 2: SMS Follow-Up (2-4 Hours After)

For customers whose phone numbers you have, send a brief text a few hours after the visit. This catches customers who did not scan the QR code in the moment but are still close enough to the experience to leave a meaningful review.

Layer 3: Email Follow-Up (24 Hours After)

For customers whose emails you have (and who did not respond to SMS), send an email the next day. This is your safety net for catching the remaining customers who might still leave a review.

Why Layering Works

Not every customer responds to the same channel. Some people scan QR codes immediately. Others never scan codes but always respond to texts. Others prefer email. By using all three, you maximize your reach without being pushy on any single channel.

The key rule is: never send the same customer a request through all three channels on the same day. Space them out and stop as soon as they leave a review.

Cost Analysis: What You Actually Spend Per Review

Understanding the true cost per review helps you allocate your budget wisely.

QR Code Cost Per Review

• QR code generation: Free (with Opineko or any QR generator)
• Printing (table tents, cards, stickers): $0.10-0.50 per unit, one-time cost
• At 15-25% conversion with staff prompting, the cost per review approaches zero after initial print costs

Email Cost Per Review

• Email platform cost: $0.001-0.005 per email sent
• At 5% conversion: approximately $0.02-0.10 per review
• Plus the cost of your email platform subscription (varies widely)

SMS Cost Per Review

• SMS cost: $0.01-0.05 per message
• At 10% conversion: approximately $0.10-0.50 per review
• Plus potential platform fees for SMS automation

The Bottom Line

QR codes deliver the lowest cost per review by a wide margin, especially when combined with a verbal staff prompt. For businesses looking at review management platforms, [compare options and pricing](/compare/podium) to understand the full cost picture.

Industry-Specific Recommendations

Restaurants and Hospitality

Primary method: QR codes on table tents and check presenters

Secondary method: QR codes on takeout bags and delivery packaging

Why: Restaurants interact with every customer in person, making QR codes the natural fit. Email and SMS are less practical because most restaurants do not collect customer contact information for dine-in guests. For a deeper dive, see our complete [restaurant review collection guide](/blog/review-collection-strategy-restaurants).

Healthcare and Dental

Primary method: QR codes at checkout

Secondary method: SMS follow-up after appointments

Why: Patients are already providing phone numbers during intake. The combination of an in-office QR code and a post-appointment text maximizes review capture.

Home Services (Plumbing, HVAC, Electrical)

Primary method: QR code on business card or invoice handed to the customer after the job

Secondary method: SMS follow-up within a few hours

Why: The technician is the last point of contact. A card with a QR code is simple to hand over, and a follow-up text reinforces the request.

E-Commerce

Primary method: Email follow-up after delivery

Secondary method: QR code on packing slip or insert card

Why: There is no in-person interaction, so email is the primary channel. However, including a QR code on a physical insert catches customers who do not respond to email.

Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)

Primary method: Email follow-up after project completion

Secondary method: SMS for ongoing client relationships

Why: Professional services rely on email communication throughout the engagement, making email follow-ups a natural extension.

How Opineko Uses QR Codes

Opineko is built around QR code review collection because it is the highest-converting, lowest-cost method for most businesses. Here is what the Opineko flow looks like:

1. You get a branded QR code linked to your custom landing page.
2. Customer scans the code and sees a simple rating prompt.
3. Happy customers (4-5 stars) are directed to leave a public review on Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor, or Facebook, whichever platforms you choose.
4. Unhappy customers (1-3 stars) are routed to a private feedback form, giving you a chance to resolve the issue before it becomes a public review.
5. You track everything in the Opineko dashboard: scans, reviews, feedback, and response times.

This smart routing approach means your staff can ask every customer without worrying about negative reviews going public. It also means you capture valuable feedback you would never have received otherwise.

At $29/month with no per-scan fees, no per-review fees, and no annual contract, Opineko is the most cost-effective way to implement QR code review collection. Learn more about how it compares to alternatives on our [platform comparison page](/compare/podium).

Key Takeaways

• QR codes deliver the highest conversion rates (15-25% with staff prompting) and the lowest cost per review. They are the best primary method for any business with in-person customer interactions.
• Email is the best method for online businesses and the most scalable option for automated review collection, but conversion rates are lower at 3-8%.
• SMS sits between QR codes and email in both conversion (8-15%) and cost. It is ideal as a secondary follow-up channel.
• The most effective strategy layers all three methods: QR codes for in-person, SMS for fast follow-up, and email as a final safety net.
• Opineko's QR code system starts at $29/month and includes smart routing that directs happy customers to public review platforms and unhappy customers to private feedback, giving you the best of both worlds.