The best replacement for qr codes is ms tags.

The best alternatives to qr codes are rated as following:
★★★★★  ms tags
★★★★  microsoft tag
★★★★  barcodes
★★★★  tags
★★★★  data matrix
★★★  nfc
★★  microsoft tags
★  augmented reality
★  bar codes

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Speaking about qr codes, one probably shouldn't forget about ads.

Other search terms related to qr codes and their ratings are:
★★★★★ ads
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qr codes
ms tags
microsoft tag