Comparison
| QR code | NFC chip | |
|---|---|---|
| Compatibility | Any phone with a camera | Phones with NFC (most Android phones; iPhone XS and later) |
| Cost | Printed at no extra cost | Requires a chip or a card with a chip |
| How it's used | Open the camera and point it | Hold the phone a few centimeters away |
| Where it works | Paper, PVC, screens, posters, email signatures | Only on the physical object carrying the chip |
| If details change | Dynamic QR code: no reprinting | The chip stores a link: no rewriting |
Which NFC chip to choose
For a business card, storing a link is enough. NTAG213 chips (144 bytes of user memory) are enough for a web address; NTAG215 (504 bytes) and NTAG216 (888 bytes) give you more room. All of them support the NDEF standard that phones read.
Our recommendation
- Always print the QR code, even if the card has a chip: it's the format that works on every phone.
- Add NFC to PVC cards for sales teams that hand out lots of cards at trade shows and meetings.
- Write a link to the digital card to the chip, not the details themselves: that way you'll never need to rewrite it.
- Measure both channels separately to see which one your team uses most. NexoCard tells QR scans and NFC taps apart.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to open an app to read NFC?
No. Generally the screen just needs to be on and, on Android, NFC turned on. iPhones from the XS onwards read NFC tags without opening any app.
Is NFC more secure than a QR code?
Both only share a public link to the card. What matters is that the card shows only the business details you want to share.