That Tool Should Be Free

/ 02

Manifesto

why this exists

Tools for
profits people.

I'm a designer. I use these tools every day. And I got tired of hitting a paywall every time I needed an SVG, a barcode, or a QR code with a logo on it. Tired of sketchy sites with pop-ups and hidden download buttons. Tired of tools that are "free" until you actually need something useful. So I built the version I always wanted.

One honest exception. The link shortener is the only tool here that keeps any data. It has to store your link to redirect it, and it briefly logs a hashed IP, auto-deleted within 48 hours, purely to block spam and phishing. That is the only data any tool here touches, and it exists to keep the tool free and off blocklists, not to watch you.

No surveillance

No analytics, tracking pixels, or cookie banners. Use the tool, leave. We don't know you exist. The one exception is the link shortener, noted below.

No gatekeeping

No tiers, no trials, no "SVG export — Pro only." Every feature is free for everyone, always.

Open source

Built on MIT-licensed libraries. Public code. Fork it, break it, improve it.

Production grade

Not toy tools. Commercial-grade output for print, packaging, and client delivery.

/ 03

Legal

the boring but important part

That Tool Should Be Free is an independent, non-commercial project built and maintained by Roli™. All tools are provided as-is, without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement.

Tools are powered by open-source libraries released under the MIT License (QRCode.js, JsBarcode, and others). Output generated by these tools is yours to use freely for personal or commercial purposes. No accounts, no analytics, no cookies. The single exception is the Link Shortener, which by nature stores each shortened link so it can redirect, and briefly logs a hashed IP address (deleted within 48 hours) solely to prevent spam and abuse. No other data is collected by any tool.

Barcode formats & GS1. EAN-13, EAN-8, and UPC-A barcodes generated here are technically valid but the numeric values are not officially registered. For retail or commercial product use, barcode numbers must be obtained through GS1 (gs1.org). This tool does not assign, validate, or guarantee the uniqueness of any product identifier. Generating sample or test barcodes is unrestricted.

Code vs. brand. The code behind this site is MIT licensed — free to use, fork, and build on. The Roli™ name, logo, and visual design of That Tool Should Be Free are not covered by the MIT License and may not be reproduced or reused without permission.

By using this site you acknowledge that the author and contributors are not liable for any claim, damages, or other liability arising from the use of these tools or their output. Always verify generated codes, barcodes, and exports before production use.

Practical tools for profits people.

Practical tools for profits people.

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Manifesto

Legal